The Effect of Problematic Internet Use, Internet Gaming Disorder and Cyberbullying/Victimization Levels on...

To compare the levels of problematic internet use, self-esteem, internet gaming disorder (IGD) and cyberbullying/victimization in adolescents diagnosed with obesity with a control group and to examine the relationship between these variables and self-esteem.

Adolescents with and without obesity were recruited. The relationship between the scales of Problematic Internet Use, Cyberbullying/Victimization, IGD and the Piers-Harris Self-Esteem Scale was analyzed using linear regression methods.

The study included a total of 164 adolescents (115 females; 70.1%). Of these, 93 (56.7%) were diagnosed with obesity (female n=64; 68.8%). Self-esteem in adolescents diagnosed with obesity was lower compared to healthy controls (p<0.001), and problematic internet use was higher in obese individuals compared to healthy controls (p=0.011), although no difference was found between the groups in terms of IGD (p=0.494) and cyberbullying/victimization (p=0.706) levels. In obese individuals, cyber forgery (p=0.003; β=-0.103) and verbal cyberbullying victimization (p=0.032; β=-0.057), IGD withdrawal subscales (p=0.03; β=-0.084), and total scores on the cyberbullying scale (p=0.017; β=-0.289) were found to negatively affect self-esteem.

These findings suggest that taking measures to reduce problematic internet use, IGD, and cyberbullying/victimization in obese adolescents may be a protective measure for self-esteem and, consequently, mental health.