The relationship between media function of internet and smartphone, and youth depression

인터넷 및 스마트폰의 미디어 기능과 청소년 우울과의 관련성

Purpose: As the internet use of teenagers become more common, the need for research on the relationship between the internet and youth depression has emerged. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between internet use and adolescent depression. Methods: The subjects of this study were youth attending elementary($6^{th}$ grade), middle($2^{nd}$ grade), and high schools($2^{nd}$ grade) belonging to the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education. Depression was assessed using the BDI depression scale. Internet functions were classified into 10 categories, and the degree of use by Internet functions was examined. The most frequently used Internet sites were surveyed. Univariate analysis using $X^2$ test and multivariate analysis using logistic regression analysis were conducted to find out the difference of internet and smartphone media function on depression according to elementary, middle and high school students. Results: Depression was higher of 13.2 times for students who use online transactions (goods purchase), 0.07 times for students who use 'bulletin board' activities in elementary students. Depression was higher of 1.55 times for those who use online transactions (purchasing goods), and 2.3 times for those who use adult sites for middle school students. Depression was higher of 2.1 times when using e-mail and 1.9 times when using other information retrieval for high school students. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider characteristics of internet utilizing pattern by school class in policy regulation and prevention program to reduce youth depression.