The Prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder among Iranian Adolescents and their Association with Video Gaming and Internet Use

Background: Depression and anxiety are among the most common psychological disorders in adolescents. Studies have suggested a positive correlation between mental health problems and using the internet. Objective: This study aimed to determine the burden of anxiety and major depressive disorder (MDD) and their association with internet use and video gaming in adolescents. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on adolescents aged 13 to 18 years referred to the 33-Laleh health center at West Tabriz from March to September 2019. The short form Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-SF) and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) scales were used. The data for demographic characteristics and the number of hours of internet use and video gaming per day were collected. The logistic regression test was applied. Results: In this study, 150 adolescents were included with a male to female ratio of 1:1. Anxiety and mild, moderate, and severe depressive disorder were detected in 39 (26%), 16 (10.7%), 20 (13.3%), and 6 (4.0%) cases by screening tools, respectively. The mean age (SD) of participants was 14.8 (1.54) years. The mean duration (SD) of internet use and video gaming per day was 2.10 (+/- 2.6) and 1.15 (+/- 1.7) hours, respectively. The odds of severe depressive symptoms increased by 42% per hour of video gaming (p=0.003) and 31% per hour of internet use (p=0.016). Conclusions: Considering the significant positive association between depressive symptoms and video gaming and internet use, there is a necessity to call for actions to plan and implement psychological screening and subsequent supporting and treatment policies for those in need.