Internet addiction in female students attending medical college for nurses as a risk factor of anxiety-depressive disorders

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UDC: 
616.89-008:614.2:377
DOI: 
10.21668/health.risk/2025.4.15.eng
Authors: 

N.I. Latyshevskaya1, E.N. Tikhonova1, N.A. Gorbacheva2, N.V. Levchenko1, L.P. Rurua1, I.Z. Mustafina3

Organization: 

1Volgograd State Medical University, 1 Pavshikh Bortsov sq., Volgograd, 400066, Russian Federation
2N.A. Semashko National Research Institute of Public Health, 12 Vorontsovo Pole Str., build. 1, Moscow, 105064, Russian Federation
3Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, 2/1 Barrikadnaya Str., build. 1, Moscow, 125993, Russian Federation

Abstract: 

Nurses are exposed to a complex of unfavorable professional factors in the course of their occupational activity, stress being among the most frequent ones. It is important to form a stable psychoemotional status of future nurses already at a medical college.

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of stress-associated behavioral factor “Internet addiction” in the lifestyle of female students attending a medical college for nurses and its relationship with formation of anxiety-depressive disorders.

The risk of Internet addiction was assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. Anxiety-depressive disorders in female medical college students majoring in nursing were assessed using the Bass-Darki method for measuring aggressive and hostile reactions. Indicators of Internet addiction behavior were analyzed in female students with aggression and hostility.

Minimal risk of Internet addiction was reveled in 44.2 % of the female students; 47.1 % were prone to Internet addiction; 8.7 % had pronounced and stable Internet addiction.

The study showed an increase in all forms of aggressive reactions among female students with a tendency to develop Internet addiction: a high degree of hostility, which was formed from resentment and suspiciousness indicators (60.3 %), aggressiveness, and indirect aggression.

The results obtained by assessing female students’ aggressive and hostile reactions showed that the risk of manifesting hostility and aggression was 1.6–1.9 times higher in the second group made of female students prone to Internet addiction against the first group, which included female students with the minimal risk of Internet addiction.

Our findings give evidence that Internet addiction among female medical college students majoring in nursing is a risk factor increasing likelihood of aggression and hostility.

The goal is to provide targeted training on professional values in nursing at a medical college; to create a cognitive-behavioral therapy program for hospital managers aimed at identifying sources of stress at the workplace; and to develop interpersonal skills such as teamwork, behavioral and communication skills, and effective strategies.

Keywords: 
medical college students, nurse, Chen’s test, Internet addiction, aggression, anxiety, anxiety-depressive disorder, risk factors
Latyshevskaya N.I., Tikhonova E.N., Gorbacheva N.A., Levchenko N.V., Rurua L.P., Mustafina I.Z. Internet addiction in female students attending medical college for nurses as a risk factor of anxiety-depressive disorders. Health Risk Analysis, 2025, no. 4, pp. 156–164. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2025.4.15.eng
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Received: 
17.09.2025
Approved: 
03.12.2025
Accepted for publication: 
26.12.2025

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