Hostname: page-component-74d7c59bfc-jm5bv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-02-06T01:15:50.898Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
Accepted manuscript

Behavioural Addiction and Associated Risk Factors Among High School Students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2026

İbrahim Zeyrek
Affiliation:
Memorial Diyarbakır Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Diyarbakır/ TURKIYE
Muhammed Fatih Tabara
Affiliation:
Firat University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Elazig / TURKIYE
Mahmut Çakan
Affiliation:
Bingol University, Bingol Pilot Unıversity Coordinatıon Center, Bingol / TURKIYE
Ali Karayağmurlu*
Affiliation:
Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Istanbul / TURKEY
*
*Address for correspondence: Ali Karayağmurlu, M.D. Istanbul university faculty of medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 34093 İstanbul / TURKIYE Mobile Phone: (+90) 5055646757 e-mail address: ali.karayagmurlu@istanbul.edu.tr
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective:

Investigating the relationship between behavioral addictions and mental health is essential due to their impact on well-being and the significant barriers they create to achieving lasting recovery. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of food addiction, problematic internet use, and internet gaming disorder among 866 high school students (grades 9–12) in Turkey, Bingöl and their associated with impulsivity, emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, and stress.

Methods:

The sample was selected using a convenience sampling approach. Data were collected via online questionnaires using validated scales and analysed with SPSS package programme.

Results:

The prevalence of food addiction was 6.9%, problematic internet use 14.3%, and internet gaming disorder 0.9%. Problematic internet use relatively high prevalence likely reflects adolescents' increased exposure to digital devices. Mental health factors were found to be significantly related to behavioral addictions: depression, anxiety, and stress predicted food addiction; depression and stress predicted problematic internet use, and anxiety was linked to internet gaming disorder.

Conclusions:

This study contributes to the literature by examining multiple behavioural addictions and their common risk factors simultaneously and provides a comprehensive perspective. It is also one of the rare studies examining food addiction with other behavioural addictions. More research is needed to develop better intervention programmes and policies in the issue.

Information

Type
Original Article
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology