Premedical Courses, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
J Adolesc Health. 2018 May;62(5):548-555. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.11.291. Epub 2018 Feb 9.
Internet addiction has emerged as a major public health problem worldwide. In November 2011, the South Korean government implemented an online game shutdown policy, lasting from 12:00 to 6:00 am, as a means of preventing Internet addiction in adolescents aged 15 or below. This study analyzed the effect of this shutdown policy on adolescent Internet use, addiction, and sleeping hours.
We analyzed data collected from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2011 to 2015. Respondents were divided into two groups by age: aged 15 or below (male = 76,048, female = 66,281) and aged 16 or above (male = 52,568, female = 49,060). A difference-in-difference analysis was used to evaluate the effect of this shutdown policy.
In 2012, which is immediately following policy enforcement, daily amount of Internet use (in minutes) decreased more in adolescents affected by the policy (i.e., the aged 15 or below group). However, it steadily increased in 2013, 2014, 2015, and showed no meaningful long-term improvements 4 years after policy implementation (-3.648 minutes in 2012 [p = .001], -3.204 minutes in 2013 [p = .011], -1.140 minutes in 2014 [p = .384], and 2.190 minutes in 2015 [p = .107]). The shutdown policy did not alter Internet addiction or sleeping hours. Interestingly, female adolescents, adolescents with low academic performance, and adolescents with low exercise levels exhibited comparatively stronger and longer lasting initial declines in Internet usage.
The shutdown policy had practically insignificant effects in reducing Internet use for target adolescents. Thus, policymakers aiming to reduce or prevent Internet addiction should use different strategies.
互联网成瘾已成为全球主要的公共卫生问题。2011 年 11 月，韩国政府实施了一项网络游戏宵禁政策，从凌晨 12 点持续到早上 6 点，旨在防止 15 岁以下青少年沉迷网络。本研究分析了该宵禁政策对青少年网络使用、成瘾和睡眠时间的影响。
我们分析了 2011 年至 2015 年期间从韩国青少年风险行为网络调查中收集的数据。根据年龄将受访者分为两组：15 岁或以下（男性=76048 人，女性=66281 人）和 16 岁或以上（男性=52568 人，女性=49060 人）。采用双重差分分析评估该宵禁政策的效果。
2012 年，即政策实施后立即，受政策影响的青少年（即 15 岁或以下组）的每日上网时间（分钟）减少更多。然而，2013 年、2014 年、2015 年，其数量稳步增加，政策实施 4 年后并未显示出有意义的长期改善（2012 年减少 3.648 分钟[P=0.001]，2013 年减少 3.204 分钟[P=0.011]，2014 年减少 1.140 分钟[P=0.384]，2015 年增加 2.190 分钟[P=0.107]）。该宵禁政策并未改变互联网成瘾或睡眠时间。有趣的是，女青少年、学业成绩低的青少年和运动水平低的青少年在初始上网时间减少方面表现出更强和更持久的影响。
该宵禁政策对目标青少年减少互联网使用的效果实际上微不足道。因此，旨在减少或预防互联网成瘾的政策制定者应使用不同的策略。
