Problematic Internet Use Among School-Going Adolescents in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Problematic internet use (PIU) among school going adolescents constitutes a major area of concern. However, no comprehensive reports are available to determine the magnitude of the problem. This study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of PIU among school going adolescents in India. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta analysis of 15 studies conducted in various parts of India. Results: The prevalence of moderate and severe PIU among Indian school going adolescents was 21.5% (95% CI: 17.0%-26.8%) and 2.6% (95% CI: 1.6%-4.2%) based on the Young Internet Addiction Test (Y IAT) cutoff points of 50 and 80, respectively. In subgroup analysis, it was found that the year of publication, gender, sampling method, and severity of addiction had a significant effect on the prevalence estimates. Conclusions: Currently, the use of the internet is rampant in India and our findings reflect nationally representative data on the magnitude of PIU among school going adolescents. About one fifth of school going adolescents are at risk of PIU in this setting. There is a need for further research in the reconsideration of cut off points of the Y IAT among Indian adolescents.