Sarialioğlu, Arzu; Oluç, Tuğba

Purpose: The study was conducted to determine the relationship between social media addiction and perceived stress in adolescents. Method: The study was conducted in a descriptive and cross-sectional design between September and December 2022 in secondary education institutions of the Provincial Directorate of National Education in a city center in eastern Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 716 adolescents who were studying in the ninth grade (145), 10th grade (198), 11th grade (216), and 12th grade (157) who met the inclusion criteria of the study at the time the study was conducted. The sample comprised individuals with diverse sociodemographic characteristics, including ages, genders, school success levels, parents’ education levels, parents’ job status, socioeconomic status, time spent on daily social media, and purposes of social media use of the adolescents. The “Sociodemographic Characteristics Form,” “Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents (SMASA),” and “Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)” were used as the data collection tools. Ethical principles were fulfilled in the study. Results: It was found that the average age of the adolescents who participated in the study was 15.71 ± 1.22, 58.1% were females, 41.1% had good school success, 90.5% had a mobile phone, 90.2% used WhatsApp, 56.8% said that their daily social media use time was between 1 and 3 h, and 64% said that their purpose of using social media was for entertainment and leisure. The mean SMASA score was 18.49 ± 6.98, and the mean PSS score was 42.11 ± 7.54. It was found in the study that the mother's employment status, phone ownership status, use of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn accounts, daily social media use, time and purposes of using social media affected the mean SMASA score. Age, gender, school success, use of Instagram and Snapchat accounts, daily social media use time, and purposes of using social media affected the mean PSS score (p < 0.05). As a result of the study, a positive and low-level significant relationship was detected between social media addiction and perceived stress levels (p < 0.01). Conclusion: As the levels of social media addiction increase in adolescents, the perceived stress levels also increase. It was also found that some variables affected the social media addiction and perceived stress levels of adolescents.

Ayran, Gülsün; Çevik Özdemir, Hamide Nur; Yaman, Ece

Purpose: This study was carried out to determine the effect of high school students' perception of risk of COVID-19, wearing masks and social distance behavior on stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This descriptive study was performed on 1034 participants between the ages of 15 and 18 between June 21 and July 2, 2021. “Descriptive Questionnaire,” “COVID-19 Risk Perception Form,” “Mask Wear Behavior Form,” “Social Distance Behavior Form,” and “Perceived Stress Scale” were used in data collection. Results: It was determined that 81.4% of the students used disposable medical masks, and 50.6% of them used the mask they wore for one day. In the characteristics of the risk perception of COVID-19, 31% have a risk perception, 45% are afraid to contact people returning from abroad, 58.8% avoid going to crowded places, 66.8% are afraid of contacting people with flu symptoms. It was found that they always kept sufficient distance while communicating with others. As a result of the multiple regression, it was determined that gender, mask type, mask usage frequency, risk perception, social distance behavior, and mask-wearing behavior had a statistically significant effect on the perceived stress level (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These results provide theoretical inferences for public health policies targeting the high school students to develop accurate risk perception and protective behaviors.

Özcan, Meltem; Akça, Kamile; Aydoğdu, Fatih

Purpose: This research was conducted to determine the relationship of the COVID-19 pandemic with the emotional and behavioral problems of children. Method: In this study, carried out using the descriptive survey model, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used with 205 mothers. Results: Significant differences were observed in the emotional and behavioral problems of children according to their mother's working status, having COVID-19 in the family, and being in contact. According to mothers' perceptions, the level of emotional and behavioral problems differed before and after the pandemic. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the pandemic and related factors have an effect on children's emotional and behavioral problems.

Ayran, Gülsün; Süleyman, Zeynep; Avcı, Ümit; Arık, Umut

Problem: The research was carried out to determine the effect of internet addiction on eating attitude and body perception. Methods: This study is descriptive, conducted with undergraduate students (n = 400) in a university in eastern Turkey. The data were collected by using Descriptive Questionnaire, Young Internet Addiction Test—Short-Form (YIAT-SF), Eating Attitude Test 26 (EAT-26), and Body Cathexis Scale (BCS). In addition, students' height and weight measurements were collected. Findings: It was determined that there was positively at a very weak level a significant correlation between YIAT-SF total score and EAT-26 total score. There was a negative, weak significant correlation between the total score of YIAT-SF and the BCS total score (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In students, internet addiction is related to eating behavior disorder and reduces satisfaction with body image. For this reason, education programs should be organized by health professionals to prevent internet addiction and psychological and physiological problems related to excessive internet use.

Çelebioğlu, Ayda; Aytekin Özdemir, Aynur; Küçükoğlu, Sibel; Ayran, Gülsün

Problem: This cross-sectional type study was conducted to investigate the effect of Internet addiction on sleep quality in adolescents. Methods: The study was conducted between September and December 2017 in three high schools located in the city center of Erzincan determined according to three socioeconomic levels. The population of the study was composed of 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students in the high schools determined. In the study, sample group selection was not made and all students, for whom parental permission and student permissions were obtained, were included in the study. A total of 1487 students were included in the study. Findings: The average age of adolescents who participated in the study was 16.16 ± 1.19, 60.6% were male, and 27.6% were 9th grader. Adolescents' Young Internet Addiction Test-Short Form (YIAT-SF) total score average was 25.12 ± 9.14 and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) total score average was 5.11 ± 3.02. Poor sleep quality was found in 61.6% of adolescents. A positive and statistically significant relationship was found between the YIAT total score and the PSQI total score of adolescents (p <.01). Conclusions: It was determined that adolescents have a moderate Internet addiction, poor sleep quality, and Internet addiction negatively affects sleep quality.