Biogenetic temperament and character profiles and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in Korean adolescents with problematic Internet use

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the biogenetic temperament and character profiles in Korean adolescents with problematic Internet use. Six hundred eighty-six high school students completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), and Conners/Wells Adolescent Self-Report Scale: Short Form (CASS: Short). The problematic Internet use group showed higher scores in the Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness profiles and lower scores in the Novelty Seeking and Self-Transcendence profiles of the JTCI, compared with the nonproblematic Internet use group, after controlling for the ADHD symptoms. The results of this study suggest that temperament/character patterns should be considered in accounts of the etiology of problematic Internet use.