Mental health literacy of Internet gaming disorder and problematic smartphone use among Korean teenagers

Abstract

The last few decades have seen an increased interest in ‘Mental Health Literacy (MHL)’ which addresses knowledge and beliefs relating to mental health problems and is likely to hinder treatment-seeking behaviors. Although MHL research to date has explored various mental disorders, far too little attention has been paid to Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Problematic Smartphone use (PSU). The objective of this study is to develop an MHL questionnaire for IGD and PSU by adopting the MHL approach in the previous literature and examine MHL of IGD and PSU in Korean teenagers by focusing on their ability to recognize addictions, and perceptions and help-seeking attitudes towards a person with addictions. The current study also aimed to compare Korean teenagers’ MHL depending on low- and high-risk of IGD and PSU. A total of 169 teenagers aged 10 and 16 years were recruited from schools and children’s centers in Seoul and completed the newly developed MHL questionnaire and screening questionnaires for IGD and PSU. The MHL questionnaire for IGD and PSU was designed as a vignette-based questionnaire that depicted behavioral characteristics of a severe problem with Internet and smartphone usage. Korean teenagers had a poor ability to recognize IGD and PSU and were more prone to seek parental help than professional help. The current study also showed that teenagers had better recognition of IGD than PSU and perceived that a person with IGD has a more difficult life than a person with PSU. Furthermore, a low-risk or high-risk group of IGD or PSU showed minimal differences in MHL. The current study provided empirical evidence to support a need to develop educational programs to improve Korean teenagers’ MHL for both IGD and PSU.

The effect of social anxiety on teenagers’ internet addiction: the mediating role of loneliness and coping styles

“…The results of this study are consistent with the decompensation hypothesis of IA. However, excessive use of the Internet can cause IA among adolescents, affecting the life and academic performance of adolescents [ 53 , 54 ]. Therefore, we should pay attention to finding students with social anxiety, timely propose the experience of correcting interpersonal relationships, help students actively integrate, and prevent or reduce the occurrence of adolescent loneliness.…”

Internet Gaming Disorder and Mental Health Literacy: A Latent Profile Analysis of Korean Adolescents

“…The MHL questionnaire was based on Jeon and colleagues’ scale [ 18 ] to assess IGD and PSU MHL among Korean teenagers and was simplified and revised as a vignette based on the IGD criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and 13 multiple-choice questions. The questionnaire presents the IGD vignette and asks for answers to its core problem; an open-ended question.…”

“…Research on MHL for IGD-an emerging mental disorder among adolescents-has been very limited. To date, only two relevant studies have been identified: Jeon et al 18 and Lam. 19 Jeon et al 18 measured MHL on IGD and problematic smartphone use (PSU) and categorized low and high-risk groups for IGD and PSU.…”

A Systematic Review of the Association of Internet Gaming Disorder and Excessive Social Media Use With Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents: Is It a Curse or a Blessing?

“…The domain of mental health literacy, which encompasses an individual's knowledge and understanding of their own mental health concerns, has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent decades [ 1 ]. It is crucial to foster the development of health literacy within any given population.…”