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Journals / Anatolian Current Medical Journal / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 4

Depressive symptoms and sleep quality in adolescents with problematic internet use symptoms: a cross-sectional clinical study

Bari Ay0000-0002-9740-3716
Umut Balatacı0000-0002-1562-1673
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-07-16
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

A multidimensional clinical evaluation including depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and psychiatric comorbidities, particularly ADHD, may be useful in adolescents presenting with problematic internet use symptoms.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: This study aimed to evaluate depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and psychiatric diagnoses in adolescents aged 11-18 years presenting with problematic internet use symptoms and to examine their associations with internet addiction severity.
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Key Findings & Data:Methods: A total of 107 adolescents admitted to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic were included.
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Conclusion & Impact:A multidimensional clinical evaluation including depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and psychiatric comorbidities, particularly ADHD, may be useful in adolescents presenting with problematic internet use symptoms.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Problematic internet use · adolescent · depression

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and psychiatric diagnoses in adolescents aged 11-18 years presenting with problematic internet use symptoms and to examine their associations with internet addiction severity. Methods: A total of 107 adolescents admitted to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic were included. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Data Form, the Young Internet Addiction Scale to assess problematic internet use symptom severity, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed with K-SADS-PL. Results: The mean age of the participants was 14.42±2.27 years. At least one psychiatric diagnosis was identified in 41.1% of participants, and ADHD was the most common diagnosis. YIAS scores were positively correlated with BDI scores (r=.385, p<.001) and PSQI scores (r=.325, p<.001), while BDI scores were also positively correlated with PSQI scores (r=.554, p<.001). In multivariable regression analysis, internet addiction symptom severity remained independently associated with sleep quality after controlling for depressive symptoms and other covariates (β=.205, p=.031). Depressive symptom severity was the strongest predictor of poor sleep quality (β=.463, p<.001). In addition, internet addiction symptom severity, female sex, and high school level were independently associated with higher depressive symptom scores. Conclusion: In this clinical sample of adolescents presenting with problematic internet use symptoms, internet addiction symptom severity was associated with depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, and psychiatric comorbidity. Internet addiction symptom severity remained independently related to sleep quality after controlling for depressive symptoms and clinical covariates. These findings should be interpreted as correlational observations within a clinical outpatient sample rather than as evidence of differences compared with adolescents without problematic internet use symptoms. A multidimensional clinical evaluation including depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and psychiatric comorbidities, particularly ADHD, may be useful in adolescents presenting with problematic internet use symptoms.

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Cite This Article

Ay, B., Balatacı, U. (2026). Depressive symptoms and sleep quality in adolescents with problematic internet use symptoms: a cross-sectional clinical study. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, Volume: 8 Issue: 4. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1917039

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