The relationship between internet addiction and psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis

Internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a growing concern among children and adolescents and has been increasingly linked to a variety of psychiatric disorders. However, the strength and consistency of these associations remained unclear due to methodological differences across studies. This meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the relationship between internet addiction and common psychiatric disorders in youth populations.

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO for studies published between January 2015 and June 2025. Studies were included if they assessed IA using validated tools and reported its association with psychiatric disorders among individuals aged ≤ 18 years. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic and Cochran's Q test. Risk of publication bias was evaluated with funnel plots and Egger's test.

A total of 22 studies with 36,432 participants were included. Internet addiction was significantly associated with depression (OR = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.95-2.82), anxiety (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.72-2.60), ADHD (OR = 2.78; 95% CI: 2.09-3.69), and OCD (OR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.31-2.81). Heterogeneity was moderate to high for most outcomes. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses confirmed the stability of results across geographic regions, study design, and assessment tools.

The findings supported the clinical relevance of assessing problematic internet use in child and adolescent psychiatric practice. Integrating routine screening into mental health evaluations may facilitate identify at-risk individuals earlier.