Comparison of the Prevalence of addiction internet in Brazilian University Students: Online cognition scale versus internet addiction test

Abstract

Introduction: Some internet users lose the ability to control the duration and / or frequency of their use, leading to the phenomenon of internet addiction. In Brazil, there is no data about the prevalence of this phenomenon. Aim: To estimate and compare the prevalence of Internet addiction among university students in the health area. Method: A comparison of the prevalence was evaluated among undergraduate students from the health area of the University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Three instruments were applied: the Portuguese (Brazil) versions of the Internet Addiction Test, the Online Cognition Scale and a questionnaire characterizing socio-demographic and habits of use from Internet. The data were submitted to bivariate statistical tests, test of association for categorical variables and analysis of linear growth trend. Results: At the end of the study, 359 students participated in the study, 75.5% women with a mean age of 19.49 years (± 2.33 years). According to Internet Addiction Test, 44.28% of the sample had Internet Addiction, with a higher prevalence in males (51.1%). Concerning Online Cognition Scale, the prevalence of the disorder was 62.9%, higher in females (65.7%). This prevalence rates obtained were higher when compared to previous studies, which may be related to the variety of instruments. Conclusion: The prevalence of Internet Addiction in the sample studied varied according to the instrument used. There was also a significant linear trend between the weekly connection time and the severity of the addiction to the internet. Keywords: Internet; Addictive Behavior; Prevalence; Cross-Sectional Studies

Adaptation of the Indonesian version of the online cognition scale to measure problematic internet use

“…OCS was compared with the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) in Brazil to assess the prevalence of Internet addiction. The results showed that OCS was more sensitive in identifying individuals with internet addiction (Quirino et al, 2019). The heightened sensitivity might have developed because OCS had a strong theoretical foundation and provided robust evidence of construct validity, considering it as a measurement tool with the most extensive analysis of PIU construct (Quirino et al, 2019).…”