• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.263-272
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was done to identify the scope of internet addiction in school age children in early grades of elementary school in Korea, and to identify factors affecting internet addiction fur these children. Method: The participants were 408 children from in grades 1 to 4 in four urban elementary schools. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires which were constructed to include a parent-child internet addiction test, a self-control rating scale, and a scale of parent control of on-line use. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program. Results: Of the children, $71.6\%$ reported being average on-line users, $27.9\%$, heavy on-line users, and $0.5\%$, internet addicted. Self control and parent control of on-line use for average on-line users were different from that of heavy on-line users. Significant predictors influencing internet addiction were time spent on-line, self control, gender, father's occupation, on-line games, on-line use alone, and conversation with parents. These predictors accounted for $42\%$ of variance in internet addiction. Conclusion: The prevalence of heavy on-line use in children was higher than expected, and internet addiction was influenced by self control, time spent on-line, and related factors. Therefore nursing interventions for prevention and management of internet addiction need to be developed and provided to these children.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.65-80
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• 2008

Objectives: To identify the relationship between the internet addition of elementary school students, and their health behavior and VDT syndrome, and thereby to detect the impact of internet addiction on the health behavior of elementary school students, to get the basic information necessary to develop a prevention program for internet addiction and to plan for VDT syndrome prevention program. Methods: We conducted this study during the period from jun 27, 2007 through July 8, 2007. The subjects of this study were 416 children whose grades were in 4th through 6th grades of elementary schools located in the city A in Kyung Pook Providence. Data were obtained from self-rating questionnaires. The questionnaires were composed of Korean Internet Addiction Self-examination on Internet Use Patterns (K-scale), Health Behavior Profile, VDT Syndrome, and general characteristics. We used t-test, AVOVA with Ducan method for Post-hoc comparison in means comparison between groups, $X^2$-test for frequency analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient. We used SPSS/PC(12.0 ver) program and the LISREL 8.53 Win program for covariance structural analysis. Results: Major results were as follows. 1. The internet addiction propensity distribution based on the distribution of scores were investigated according to the self diagnosis scale on internet addiction. 6.5% of them were high risk user group, 14.4% were potential risk users and 79.1% of them were common user groups. 2. Internet addictions by sex, internet use duration, frequency (days/week), time(hours/day), purpose, position, brightness of internet, attitude of parents and frequency of conversation of family members were statistically significant(p<0.01). 3. There was a statistically significant difference in VDT syndrome according to internet addiction groups(p<0.001) besides ocular symptoms, dry mouth and GI troubles. 4. The health behavior score was the lowest in high risk user group(p<0.001). There were significant differences between internet addiction groups in personal hygiene and habits of daily living(p<.002), the prevention of accidents(p<.002), the practice concerned with the prevention of infectious disease(p=.002), and mental health(p<.001). 5. There was also a significant negative correlation between internal addiction and health profile(r=-0.365, p<0.01) and a significant positive correlation between internal addiction and VDT syndrome(r=0.331, p<0.01). 6. As the result of structural model analysis, internet use time(/day), days of internet use(/1week), conversation frequency among family members, degree of brightness of internet use had significant direct effects on internet addiction. Conclusions: The results will help the development of an effective intervention program for the prevention and treatment of internal addiction by clarifying the effect of the internal addiction upon elementary school students' VDT syndrome and health behavior.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.154-160
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• 2021

Objectives: This study identified the association between excessive exposure to screen media and behavioral and emotional problems in elementary school students. Methods: A total of 331 parents of children aged 7-10 years were recruited from "The Kids Cohort for Understanding of Internet Addiction Risk Factors in Early Childhood (K-CURE)" study. Children's demographics, household media ownership, screen time, and behavioral/emotional problems were assessed using a parental questionnaire. Children's behavior/emotional problems were measured using the Korean version the of Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) score. Results: The total K-CBCL score in the screen overuse group was 51.18±9.55, significantly higher than 47.28±10.09 in the control group (t=2.14, p=0.05). For each subscale, the externalization score (51.65±10.14, 48.33±8.97, respectively; t=2.02, p<0.05), social problem score (55.41±6.11, 53.24±5.19, respectively; t=2.27, p<0.05), and rule breaking behavior score (55.71±6.11, 53.24±5.19, respectively; t=2.27, p<0.05) were significantly higher in the screen overuse group than in the control group. In addition, the screen overuse group also had a significantly higher usage rate than the control group, even if limited to smartphones, not only on weekdays (3.56±2.08, 1.87±2.02, respectively; t=-4.597, p<0.001) but also weekends (1.62±0.74, 1.19±0.83, respectively; t=-3.14, p=0.003). Conclusion: The study suggested that screen media overuse patterns in children in Korea are particularly relevant to the excessive use of smartphones and are related to higher risks of emotional and behavioral problems.