Problematic Internet Use, Anxiety, Depression, and Stress Symptoms in Adults with COVID-19 Pandemic and Earthquake Experience: Insights from Croatian Online Survey

In 2020, Croatia was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and two earthquakes. As previous research showed that Internet use (IU) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, we carried out an online survey to determine the levels of problematic Internet use (PIU) and problematic specific Internet activities before and during the prolonged stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as earthquakes. We also determined the correlation between the PIU and specific Internet activities and anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms. According to the responses of 1,118 participants from all Croatian regions, PIU increased by 14.1 percent (odds ratio [OR] 6.2), problematic social media use by 12.6 percent (OR 4.8), and uncontrolled online shopping by 5.3 percent (OR 5.8) in comparison with presurvey period. The PIU increase was significantly higher in participants reporting only pandemic-related stress than in those reporting both pandemic- and earthquake-related stress. Problematic social media use increased in those reporting only pandemic-related stress and both pandemic- and earthquake-related stress. The strongest correlation between PIU and problematic social media use and anxiety, depression, intrusion, and avoidance symptoms was found among those reporting both pandemic- and earthquake-related stress. The correlation between psychiatric measures and PIU and problematic specific Internet activities varied depending on the source of experienced or perceived stress. Our findings show the relationship between the problematic stress-related Internet behaviors, different types of stressors, and their impact on the overall PIU and problematic specific Internet activities in situations of prolonged stress.