The Relationship between Depression and Internet Addiction among Paramedical Students in Larestan, Iran

Introduction: Depression is the fourth leading cause of disease burden in both sexes and it is the first cause of disease burden among women in Iran. Depression in college students is more common than the general population and they are considered as high risk group for internet addiction. Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between internet addiction and depression in the students in Iran. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-correlative study was carried out in two medical sciences faculties in Fars Province, Iran. The participants were selected through convenient sampling among the students, interested in participation. Total 150 questionnaires were distributed out of which 119 questionnaires were returned and used in data analyses. Questionnaires included Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Internet Addiction Scale (IAS). The relationships between variables (among Depression, Internet dependence and duration of using the internet) were examined by using t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient and analysed by SPSS 20 version. Results: There was a significant correlation between internet addiction and depression (p