Internet addiction and risk of sleep disorder among adolescents

Aim and Sleep problems are highly prevalentamong adolescents. Etiology of sleep disorders in adolescents is very complex. This study aimed to determine the correlationbetween internet addiction and adolescents sleep disorder. Method and Materials:This study was conducted with a survey and cross-sectional design. Data were collectedfrom 535 adolescents (218 males and 317 females) in 2011 among those studying at high-schools ofYazd, Iran. These adolescents were selected using proportional stratified sampling method. Data collection toolsincludedinternet addiction test (IAT) and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Data were analyzed using independent t statistics and hierarchical multiple regression tests. 21.7% of the adolescents were addicted to internet and 57.2% of the adolescents had an adverse sleep quality. Addicted internet users had more adverse sleep quality (77.6%) rather than those normal internet users (51.6%). There was a significant difference between normal and pathological internet users, in terms ofoverallsleep quality (P < 0.01), subjective sleep quality (P < 0.01), sleep latency (P < 0.01), and daytime dysfunction (P < 0.01). Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis showed that internet addiction explained 4.7% of the variance of the quality of sleeping. Internet addiction is a powerful risk factor for adolescent's sleep quality and can increase the risk of sleep disorder among adolescents. Accordingly, in order to decrease thenegative effects of pathological internet use onadolescents’ sleep quality, behavioral and cognitive interventions for changing the internet use pattern seems necessary.