Internet Addiction and the Prevalence of Depression: A Comparative Study Among University Students of India and UAE

Our reliance on technology for different elements of our lives has grown due to easy access to information and communication technology. The phenomenal increase in the availability of the internet has caused an increase in the usage of the internet in an uncontrolled and abnormal fashion. In this study, a detailed analysis of relevant literature was conducted on the possibility of developing depression due to internet addiction. This article intends to (a) research how university students of the two genders and two different countries utilize the internet differently, (b) examine if university students of both the genders and countries are affected by depression, and (c) understand the how internet addiction can increase the prevalence of depression among university students. The difference between the variables from the groups, analyzed using statistical techniques like t-test, correlation and regression analysis reveals, no significant difference between the means of male and female students as well as their geographical locations in the variables, internet addiction and depression. However, the correlation and regression analysis revealed that internet addiction maybe a predictor for developing depression among university students.