본 연구는 COVID-19 발생 이전 심리적 문제나 중독 행동 문제를 가지고 있던 사람들을 대상으로 코로나 기간 중 우울 및 불안이 인터넷 과의존에 미치는 경로에서 지각된 사회적 지지의 매개효과를 종단적으로 검증하였다. 이를 위해 코로나 발생 이전 정신적 문제 혹은 중독 문제로 진단 또는 상담을 받아본 경험이 있는 성인 140명을 모집하여(평균 연령=31.97, SD=8.94; 남성 30%) 6개월 간격의 두 차례 온라인 설문을 실시하였다. 각 변인의 측정을 위해 코로나의 영향, 한국판 환자건강설문지(PHQ-4), 사회적지지 척도(MSPSS) 및 성인 인터넷중독 자가진단 간략형척도(KS-A)가 사용되었다. 수집된 자료는 SPSS 26.0 프로그램을 이용하여 기술통계, 상관관계 분석을 실시하였으며, 위계적 회귀분석을 통해 매개효과를 검증하였다. 연구결과, 높은 수준의 우울·불안은 낮게 지각된 사회적 지지로 이어졌으며, 낮은 사회적 지지는 높은 인터넷 과의존으로 연결되는 완전매개효과가 나타났다. 이러한 연구 결과는 COVID-19 이전 심리적, 중독 행동에 대한 취약성이 있었던 사람들이 코로나 기간 동안 인터넷 과의존을 보일 수 있는 위험성이 크므로 이러한 개인에 대한 특별한 선별, 개입이 필요함을 의미한다. 따라서, 심리적 취약집단의 인터넷 과의존에 개입하기 위해 우울 및 불안수준을 경감시킬 수 있는 선행적 조치가 필요할 것이다. 또한, 취약집단의 우울·불안이 인터넷 과의존으로 이어지는 경로에서 지각된 사회적 지지의 역할이 중요하므로 심리치료 또는 심리상담과 같은 회기를 통해 사회적 지지를 지각하는 능력을 증진시킴으로써 인터넷 과의존 문제에 효과적으로 개입할 수 있음이 시사된다.
In this study, we evaluated the mediating effect of perceived social support in the path of depression and anxiety on Internet dependence during the COVID-19 pandemic in people who had psychological or addiction behavior problems before the pandemic’s outbreak. We recruited 140 adults who had been diagnosed with or consulted for psychological or addiction problems before the outbreak of COVID-19 (average age=31.97, SD=8.94, male 30%), and conducted two online surveys every six months. For the measurement of each variable of COVID-19 impact, the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), the Social Support Scale (MSPSS), and the Adult Internet Addiction Self-Diagnosis Brief Scale (KS-A) were used. We conducted descriptive statistics and correlation analysis for the collected data using the SPSS 26.0 program and verified the mediating effect through hierarchical regression analysis. We found that high levels of depression and anxiety led to low perceived social support, and low social support showed a complete mediating effect that led to high Internet dependence. These findings suggest that people who were vulnerable to psychological and addiction behavior before COVID-19 were at high risk of becoming overdependent on the Internet because of COVID-19. Therefore, these individuals need special screening and intervention, and prior measures to reduce the level of depression and anxiety will be needed to intervene in the overreliance on the Internet of the psychologically vulnerable groups. Furthermore, it is suggested that since the role of perceived social support is important in the path where depression and anxiety in vulnerable groups lead to Internet overdependence, it can effectively intervene in Internet overdependence by enhancing the ability to perceive social support through sessions such as psychotherapy or psychological counseling.
In this study, we evaluated the mediating effect of perceived social support in the path of depression and anxiety on Internet dependence during the COVID-19 pandemic in people who had psychological or addiction behavior problems before the pandemic’s outbreak. We recruited 140 adults who had been diagnosed with or consulted for psychological or addiction problems before the outbreak of COVID-19 (average age=31.97, SD=8.94, male 30%), and conducted two online surveys every six months. For the measurement of each variable of COVID-19 impact, the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), the Social Support Scale (MSPSS), and the Adult Internet Addiction Self-Diagnosis Brief Scale (KS-A) were used. We conducted descriptive statistics and correlation analysis for the collected data using the SPSS 26.0 program and verified the mediating effect through hierarchical regression analysis. We found that high levels of depression and anxiety led to low perceived social support, and low social support showed a complete mediating effect that led to high Internet dependence. These findings suggest that people who were vulnerable to psychological and addiction behavior before COVID-19 were at high risk of becoming overdependent on the Internet because of COVID-19. Therefore, these individuals need special screening and intervention, and prior measures to reduce the level of depression and anxiety will be needed to intervene in the overreliance on the Internet of the psychologically vulnerable groups. Furthermore, it is suggested that since the role of perceived social support is important in the path where depression and anxiety in vulnerable groups lead to Internet overdependence, it can effectively intervene in Internet overdependence by enhancing the ability to perceive social support through sessions such as psychotherapy or psychological counseling.