Risky cyber behaviors in adolescents with depression: A case control study.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to compare adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy adolescents with regard to cyberbullying, cyber victimization, internet addiction, and digital game addiction.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
This cross-sectional study was performed in Selçuk University Hospital. The study sample consisted of 34 adolescents with MDD and 39 controls without any psychopathology. A socio-demographic data form, the Cyber bullying Scale (CBS), Cyber Victimization Scale (CVS), Cyber bullying Sensibility Scale (CBSS), Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Digital Game Dependence Scale (DGA-7), and Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale-Refurbished (RCADS) were administered to all participants.


RESULTS
CBS, CVS, IAS and DGAS-7 scores of the MDD group were significantly higher than those of the control group. The significant differences persisted even after controlling for confounding factors such as age, gender, socio-economic level, and parental educational levels with MANCOVA. A strong positive correlation existed between CBS and CVS scores, and higher IAS scores were associated with higher CBS scores in the MDD group. CBSS scores negatively correlated with DGAS-7 scores in the MDD group.


LIMITATIONS
Due to the cross-sectional design of this study, conclusions about causality remain speculative.


CONCLUSION
This study demonstrated the importance of assessing problems related to the online environment in the presence of depression in adolescents. Our results suggested that evaluating the use of technology with a view to the potential for cyber bullying and cyber victimization as well as internet addiction and addiction to digital games may be necessary as a holistic approach in the follow-up of adolescent depression.
['Uçar|Halit Necmi|HN|', 'Çetin|Fatih Hilmi|FH|', 'Ersoy|Sevde Afife|SA|', 'Güler|Hasan Ali|HA|', 'Kılınç|Kübra|K|', 'Türkoğlu|Serhat|S|']
D000293:Adolescent D058445:Bullying D016022:Case-Control Studies D002648:Child D019548:Crime Victims D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D003863:Depression D003865:Depressive Disorder, Major D006801:Humans D020407:Internet
Adolescent Major depressive disorder Cyber victimization Internet addiction Digital game addiction Cyber bullying