The Relationship Between Internet Addiction, Social Development and Health Behaviors of High School Students in Tehran

Excessively use of the Internet causes mental disorders and endangers the health and mental health of the individual. Therefore; this study aimed to investigate the relationship between internet addiction, social development and health behaviors in adolescents. The present study is descriptive-correlational. The statistical population is all students of high school students in Tehran during the academic year of 2016-2017 among which 350 students were selected by using cluster random sampling method. Data were collected using the Yang Internet Addiction Questionnaire, Weitzman’s Social Development Questionnaire and standard health behaviors Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and Multivariate regression by using SPSS19. The results showed that there is a significant and negative correlation between internet addiction and social development. Also there is significant and negative correlation between Internet addiction and health behaviors. The correlation between Internet addiction with a subset of personal health, nutrition, exercise, sleep and rest, and stress control are meaningful and negative (P<0.001). By increasing the dependence on the Internet in adolescents, each of the dependent variables will decrease. Internet addiction in adolescents prevents social development and decreases the quality of their social relationships. Extreme use of the Internet can also have a significant impact on health behaviors caused by reducing mobility and lack of planning. Therefore checking Internet addiction in adolescents and teaching them how to manage their time is essential.