Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population.
Background: Internet use, specifically problematic use of the internet (PUI), needs to be considered in child and adolescent psychiatric (CAP) settings. Besides psychological symptomatology, childhood trauma (intrafamilial abuse and neglect) has been associated with PUI. The impact of various advers...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X25000136 |
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| author | Kornelius Winds Belinda Plattner Bernhard Salcher Patrick Benjamin Langthaler Gabriele Kohlböck Martin Fuchs Pauline Schaffer Lucas Johannes Rainer |
| author_facet | Kornelius Winds Belinda Plattner Bernhard Salcher Patrick Benjamin Langthaler Gabriele Kohlböck Martin Fuchs Pauline Schaffer Lucas Johannes Rainer |
| author_sort | Kornelius Winds |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Internet use, specifically problematic use of the internet (PUI), needs to be considered in child and adolescent psychiatric (CAP) settings. Besides psychological symptomatology, childhood trauma (intrafamilial abuse and neglect) has been associated with PUI. The impact of various adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on PUI, particularly in CAP populations, is understudied. Objective: This study aimed to investigate associations between PUI and various ACEs in a CAP population, considering gender differences and psychological symptomatology. Methods and materials: 104 adolescents (69 girls) were included, aged 14–17 years, undergoing inpatient CAP treatment, between August 2018 and March 2020. Participants completed the Interview for the Assessment of Internet and Computer Game Addiction (AICA), the Youth Self-Report (YSR), and the Multidimensional Clinical Screening Inventory (MCSI). Statistical analyses examined associations between PUI and ACEs, after controlling for age, gender, and psychological symptomatology. Results: Extrafamilial emotional abuse was significantly associated with higher AICA scores and likelihood of PUI. Extrafamilial separation and loss was associated with a significant decrease in the internet use and to the likelihood of PUI. Suicide of a mother significantly increased the odds of moderate to severe PUI. School absenteeism and alcohol abuse were associated with higher AICA scores irrespective of age and gender, though these associations diminished when controlling for psychological symptomatology. Conclusions: Extrafamilial emotional abuse, particularly social receptive environments and relationships, play a significant role in developing PUI among CAP populations. The complex interplay of emotional trauma, family dynamics, peer relationships and individual behaviors regarding PUI should be addressed in CAP interventions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5b31399e755f45609f0a336ae4aef8ac |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0010-440X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-5b31399e755f45609f0a336ae4aef8ac2025-08-20T03:08:47ZengElsevierComprehensive Psychiatry0010-440X2025-05-0113915258610.1016/j.comppsych.2025.152586Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population.Kornelius Winds0Belinda Plattner1Bernhard Salcher2Patrick Benjamin Langthaler3Gabriele Kohlböck4Martin Fuchs5Pauline Schaffer6Lucas Johannes Rainer7Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Corresponding author at: University Clinics for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Salzburger Landeskliniken, Paracelsus Medical University, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, AustriaDepartment of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020 Salzburg, AustriaNeuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Department of Neurology, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg, Member of the European Reference Network, EpiCARE, Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, AustriaDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Milser Straße 10, 6060 Hall in Tirol, AustriaDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Milser Straße 10, 6060 Hall in Tirol, AustriaSalzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig, Akademiestraße 23-25, 5020 Salzburg, AustriaDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Department of Neurology, Christian-Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg, Member of the European Reference Network, EpiCARE, Salzburg, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020 Salzburg, AustriaBackground: Internet use, specifically problematic use of the internet (PUI), needs to be considered in child and adolescent psychiatric (CAP) settings. Besides psychological symptomatology, childhood trauma (intrafamilial abuse and neglect) has been associated with PUI. The impact of various adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on PUI, particularly in CAP populations, is understudied. Objective: This study aimed to investigate associations between PUI and various ACEs in a CAP population, considering gender differences and psychological symptomatology. Methods and materials: 104 adolescents (69 girls) were included, aged 14–17 years, undergoing inpatient CAP treatment, between August 2018 and March 2020. Participants completed the Interview for the Assessment of Internet and Computer Game Addiction (AICA), the Youth Self-Report (YSR), and the Multidimensional Clinical Screening Inventory (MCSI). Statistical analyses examined associations between PUI and ACEs, after controlling for age, gender, and psychological symptomatology. Results: Extrafamilial emotional abuse was significantly associated with higher AICA scores and likelihood of PUI. Extrafamilial separation and loss was associated with a significant decrease in the internet use and to the likelihood of PUI. Suicide of a mother significantly increased the odds of moderate to severe PUI. School absenteeism and alcohol abuse were associated with higher AICA scores irrespective of age and gender, though these associations diminished when controlling for psychological symptomatology. Conclusions: Extrafamilial emotional abuse, particularly social receptive environments and relationships, play a significant role in developing PUI among CAP populations. The complex interplay of emotional trauma, family dynamics, peer relationships and individual behaviors regarding PUI should be addressed in CAP interventions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X25000136Problematic use of the internetAdverse childhood experiencesPsychological symptomatologyGender differencesPsychiatric treatmentChild and adolescence psychiatry |
| spellingShingle | Kornelius Winds Belinda Plattner Bernhard Salcher Patrick Benjamin Langthaler Gabriele Kohlböck Martin Fuchs Pauline Schaffer Lucas Johannes Rainer Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. Comprehensive Psychiatry Problematic use of the internet Adverse childhood experiences Psychological symptomatology Gender differences Psychiatric treatment Child and adolescence psychiatry |
| title | Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. |
| title_full | Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. |
| title_fullStr | Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. |
| title_short | Adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. |
| title_sort | adverse childhood experiences and problematic use of the internet among a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population |
| topic | Problematic use of the internet Adverse childhood experiences Psychological symptomatology Gender differences Psychiatric treatment Child and adolescence psychiatry |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X25000136 |
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