P01-204 - Internet Addiction in the Island of Hippokrates: Impact of Gender and Age in Teenage use and Abuse of the Internet

Abstract

Objectives

To determine the differential impact of gender and age on pathological internet use (PIU) in the island of Kos, birthplace of Hippokrates and cradle of Medicine.

Methods

We surveyed the entire teen population (aged 14-19) of the island of Kos for symptoms of Internet addiction using Young's brief diagnostic questionnaire (YDQ) and an expanded demographics questionnaire. The sample consisted of 1221 adolescents, 587 male and 634 females, with a similar age distribution among the sexes.

Results

One-hundred fourteen teens (11,3% of Internet users) were classified as possibly addicted to the Internet. Results indicate that gender plays a more significant role than age in Internet abuse; there is a distinct pattern among the sexes with the girls scoring lower scores in the YDQ in all ages (chi square=22.758, p< .001) with a marked difference in the 17-19 age range. Although the symptoms of PIU in girls subside in that age range, boys’ symptoms increase dramatically. Furthermore boys in that age range with higher YDQ scores report a subjective feeling of happiness, showing that PIU can be ego-syntonic. Usage patterns of those Internet users reporting heavier use are analyzed and presented graphically.

Conclusions

The discontents of modern civilization have spread to the furthermost corner of Europe, an island isolated from the continent during winter time. Results indicate that gender tends to heavily mitigate the effect of age on Internet abuse, with females being only transiently affected as their scores tend to fall dramatically with the onset of adult life.