• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.55
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• pp.341-364
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between adolesccents' cybersexual addiction and psychosocial traits. In addition, the relationship between cybersexual addiction and mental health were examined. For the study, 1,742 students attending middle schools and high schools were surveyed. According to the results of study, first, 1.3% of the adolescents reported the severe degree of cybersexual addiction, 2.3% of them had the moderate degree of addiction, 4.2% of them showed the minor degree. The result indicated that 7.8% of entire adolescents had cybersexual addiction. Second, middle school students showed the highest rate of cybersexual addiction and the students attending general high schools reported the lowest rate. Third, the following groups were likely to have the higher levels of cybersexual addiction; students who were males, had low self-control and less emotional support from the family and friends, and whose parents had marital problems. Fourth, the cybersexually addicted adolescents had experienced more psychological symptoms than general internet users had. Fifth, there was the positive relationship between cybersexual addition and psychological symptoms among adolescents. In particular, cybersexual addiction had the most serious effect on phobic anxiety. Finally, T-score measuring the degree of psychopathological symptoms had the positive relationship with the level of cybersexual addiction among adolescents. Moreover, adolescents who had clinical psychopathology and T-score over 70 showed the various rates from 10.9% to 45.2% in the 9 domains of symptoms.