Predicting Covid-19 Anxiety and Its Social Stigma Experience Based on the Dimensions of Internet Addiction after the First Age of Epidemic in Students

One of the problems of youth is the use of internet. Given the misinformation that is sometimes published in internet about the coronavirus and the fear of infection and the stigma of infection, the present study aims to identify the role of internet addiction in covid-19 anxiety and its post-stigma experience among students.

This research was a descriptive correlation study. The target population was undergraduate students of Tabriz Azad University, of whom 252 were participated in the present study through an online call for volunteers. They were given Youngchr('39')s Internet Addiction Assessment Questionnaire (Social Problems, Impact on Performance, Lack of Control, Pathological Use of Chat Rooms and Ignorance of Occupational and Educational Issues), Corona Anxiety Inventory (Mental, Physical) and Social Stigma Researcher Questionnaire (Corona stigma) they replied. Pearson correlation test and multiple regression were used to analyze the data.

The results of regression analysis showed that from the dimensions of Internet addiction, the effect on performance with a significant coefficient (P=0.029) and lack of control with a significant coefficient (P=0.005) are able to predict changes in Covid-19 anxiety. Also, the dimensions of lack of control with a significant level (P=0.001) and neglect of job and educational tasks with a significant level (P=0.010) and the total score of Internet addiction with a significant level (P=0.002) are able to predict change of the rate of the corona virus anxiety among students.

Therefore, by providing the right support factors in the media to encourage the reduction of addictive Internet use that directly affects Covid-19 anxiety and stigma, students can be made more resilient to anxiety about sudden events such as Covid-19 and its resulting stigma.