Psychopathological disorders in adolescents of the Republic of Tuva with different types of online behavior
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2026.3.11Keywords:
Tuva, adolescent, youth, online behavior, Tuvans, Russians of Tuva, obsessiveness–compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychoticismAbstract
The article analyzes problems of psychopathological spectrum disorders in adolescents and young people in the Republic of Tuva with different types of online behavior: adaptive, maladaptive, and pathological. The analysis is based on the results of online testing of random samples of individuals of adolescent and youth age, conducted in 2022–2023 (1,028 participants: 76 Russians and 952 Tuvans) using Google Forms, a screening questionnaire, and psychometric scales to verify the type of online behavior and components of Internet content. To assess psychopathological disorders in the study participants, the Symptom Checklist SCL-90-R was used, which makes it possible to verify the characteristics of nine scales. The analysis included indicators of six of them: obsessiveness–compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism, as well as integral indices: intensity of distress and the global severity index of symptoms.
It was found that, regardless of the type of online behavior, the Tuvan part of the sample is characterized by a lower level of distress intensity (47.9% among Tuvans and 34.9% among Russians). Ethnic differences were identified in groups with the same type of online behavior. Among both Russians and Tuvans with pathological Internet use, pronounced obsessiveness–compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, as well as increased intensity of distress and a high global severity index of symptoms were recorded significantly more often. Among respondents with adaptive online behavior, a larger proportion of individuals with a high level of obsessiveness–compulsiveness and a high global severity index of symptoms was observed in the Russian group compared to their Tuvan peers. Tuvan adolescents with adaptive and maladaptive types of online behavior were more often characterized by low distress intensity than comparable groups of representatives of the Russian ethnic group.
References
Goncharova, E. M. (2022) Features of increasing the psychological resilience of an adolescent’s personality to the destructive influence of social networks. Psikhologiya i pedagogika sluzhebnoi deyatelnosti, no. 4, pp. 243–247. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.24412/2658-638X-2022-4-243-247
Grechanyi, S. V., Egorov, A. Yu., Soldatkin, V. A., Yakovlev, A. N., Ilyuk, R. D. and Shmukler, A. B. (2020) Internet addiction in young adults: forms of online activity, gender differences, comorbid mental and substance use disorders. Voprosy narkologii, vol. 187, no. 4, pp. 78–102. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.47877/0234-0623_2020_4_78
Egorov, A. Yu., Grechanyi, S. V., Chuprova, N. A., Soldatkin, V. A., Yakovlev, A. N., Ilyuk, R. D., Nikolishin, A. E., Ponizovskii, P. A., Vantei, V. B., Gromyko, D. I. et al. (2020) Clinical and psychopathological characteristics of individuals with Internet addiction: a pilot study. Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii im. S. S. Korsakova, vol. 120, no. 3, pp. 13–19. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17116/jnevro202012003113
Zakharova, E. M., Bernikova, S. M., Bakina, M. I. and Andreeva, M. V. (2020) The problem of Internet addiction among schoolchildren, young people and adults. Alma mater, no. 12, pp. 82–86. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.20339/AM.12-20.082
Zaitseva, O. I., Tereshchenko, S. Yu., Kolodyazhnaya, T. A. and Zaitseva, Zh. G. (2024) Psychological problems in adolescents of the Republic of Tuva with different types of online behavior. New Research of Tuva, no. 3, pp. 119–135. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2024.3.7
Kekeeva, Z. O., Uvarova, G. N., Darzhinova, S. V., Mueva, A. V. and Oorzhak, A. B. (2022) A study of the online identity of university students in Russian regions (the case of Kalmykia and Tuva). New Research of Tuva, no. 4, pp. 169–179. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2022.4.13
Lamazhaa, Ch. K. (2021) Social culture of the Tuvans and online space. New Research of Tuva, no. 2, pp. 115–129. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2021.2.10
Nesterova, A. A. and Levin, L. M. (2020) Foreign and Russian studies of Internet addiction and social media involvement among young people. Chelovecheskii kapital, vol. 133, no. 1, pp. 92–99. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25629/HC.2020.01.10
Semenova, N. B., Tereshchenko, S. Yu., Evert, L. S. and Shubina, M. V. (2022) Characteristics of the mental status of Internet-dependent adolescents: gender and age features. Profilakticheskaya meditsina, vol. 25, no. 8, pp. 83–89. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17116/profmed20222508183
Semenova, N. B., Tereshchenko, S. Yu., Evert, L. S., Zaitseva, O. I. and Shubina, M. V. (2020) Prevalence of Internet addiction among adolescents in Central Siberia. Zdravookhranenie Rossiiskoi Federatsii, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 36–44. (In Russ.)
Fotekova, T. A., Vlasova, E. N., Mitrukhina, S. V. and Mongush, Ch. N. (2024) Severity of anxiety-depressive states and somatization in adolescents and young people in Tuva with different variants of online behavior. New Research of Tuva, no. 3, pp. 136–158. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2024.3.8
Cheremisina, O. O. and Komarov, V. V. (2021) The influence of the Internet on the development of an adolescent’s personality: deviations, risks and prospects. In: Youth and the modern world: psychological problems of interaction: collection of scientific papers / ed. by N. A. Koval. Tambov, Izdatelskii dom “Derzhavinskii”. 173 p. P. 147–151. (In Russ.)
Evert, L. S., Seren-ool, S. S. and Sat, D. A. (2023) Adolescents of Kyzyl (Republic of Tuva) in online space. New Research of Tuva, no. 4, pp. 237–254. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2023.4.17
Evert, L. S., Tereshchenko, S. Yu., Zaitseva, O. I., Semenova, N. B. and Shubina, M. V. (2020) Internet addiction among adolescents in Central Siberia: analysis of prevalence and the structure of consumed content. Byulleten sibirskoi meditsiny, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 189–197. (In Russ.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.20538/1682-0363-2020-4-189-197
Becerril-Atxikallende, I., Jaureguizar, J. and Galende, N. (2025) Problematic Internet Use and Psychological Distress in High School Students. Healthcare, vol. 13, issue 24, article 3231. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243231
Bickham, D. S. (2021) Current Research and Viewpoints on Internet Addiction in Adolescents. Current Pediatrics Reports, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1–10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-020-00236-3
Chen, S.-H., Weng, L.-J., Su, Y.-J., Wu, H.-M. and Yang, P.-F. (2003) Development of a Chinese Internet Addiction Scale and Its Psychometric Study. Chinese Journal of Psychology, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 279–294.
Derogatis, L. R., Lipman, R. S. and Covi, L. (1973) SCL-90: an outpatient psychiatric rating scale-preliminary report. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 13–28.
Durkee, T., Carli, V., Floderus, B., Wasserman, C., Sarchiapone, M., Apter, A. et al. (2016) Pathological Internet use and risk-behaviours among European adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 13, issue 3, article 294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13030294
Effatpanah, M., Moharrami, M., Rajabi Damavandi, G., Aminikhah, M., Hosein Nezhad, M., Khatami, F., Arjmand, T., Tarighatnia, H. and Yekaninejad, M. S. (2020) Association of Internet Addiction with Emotional and Behavioral Characteristics of Adolescents. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 55–66.
Guo, W., Tao, Y., Li, X., Lin, X., Meng, Y., Yang, X., Wang, H., Zhang, Y., Tang, W., Wang, Q. et al. (2020) Associations of Internet Addiction Severity With Psychopathology, Serious Mental Illness, and Suicidality: Large-Sample Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of medical Internet research, vol. 22, no. 8, article e17560. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/17560
Hayat, М., Shahla, S. and Summiya, A. (2024) Problematic Internet Use and Mental Health: The Road to Violence. Violence and Gender, vol. 11, issue 3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/vio.2023.0059
Huang, S., Ma, Z. and Fan, F. (2025) Unraveling the core symptoms across distinct trajectories of problematic Internet use among 27,577 adolescents: Cross-lagged panel network analyses. Addictive Behaviors, vol. 167, article 108356. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108356
Jayanti, M., Manas R. B., Rituparna, M., Priyadarsini, S., Pranab, K. M. and Sonali, K.(2024) Prevalence and Impact of Internet Addiction Disorder Among Adolescents and Young Adults. The Open Public Health Journal, vol. 17, article e18749445345806. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2174/0118749445345806241010081642
Kang, Y., Feng, X., Zhang, T., Yin, K. and Wang, P. (2025) From comfortable to conflicted: a three-year longitudinal symptom evolution of problematic Internet use among junior high school students. Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 16, article 1635911. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1635911
Ko, C. H., Chen, S. H., Wang, C. H., Tsai, W. X. and Yen, J. Y. (2019) The Clinical Utility of the Chen Internet Addiction Scale-Gaming Version, for Internet Gaming Disorder in the DSM-5 among Young Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 16, issue 21, article 4141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214141
Lee, J.-Y., Ban, D., Kim, S.-Y., Kim, J.-M., Shin, I.-S., Yoon, J.-S. and Kim, S.-W. (2019) Negative Life Events and Problematic Internet Use as Factors Associated With Psychotic-Like Experiences in Adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, no. 10, article 369. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00369
Mak, K. K., Lai, C. M., Ko, C. H., Chou, C., Kim, D. I., Watanabe, H. and Ho, R. C. (2014) Psychometric properties of the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) in Chinese adolescents. Journal Of Abnormal Child Psychology, vol. 42, pp. 1237–1245. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-014-9851–3
Nogueira-López, A., Rial-Boubeta, A., Guadix-García, I., Villanueva-Blasco, V. J. and Billieux, J. (2023) Prevalence of problematic Internet use and problematic gaming in Spanish adolescents. Psychiatry research, vol. 326, article 115317. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115317
Peterka-Bonetta, J., Sindermann, C., Sha, P., Zhou, M. and Montag, C. (2019) The relationship between Internet Use Disorder, depression and burnout among Chinese and German college students. Addictive Behaviors Reports, vol. 89, no. 2, pp. 188–199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.08.011
Piqueras, J. A., Rico-Bordera, P., Galán, M., García-Oliva, C., Marzo, J. C. and Pineda, D. (2024) Problematic internet use profiles and their associated factors among adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 1471–1485. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.13014
Rajanna, K. and Sathyanath, S. M. (2021) Problematic internet use, depression, stress and anxiety amongadolescents in an urban area in South India: a cross sectional study. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, vol. 8, no. 7, pp. 3385–3393. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18203/2394–6040.ijcmph20212592
Ran, J., Xu, J., Luo, D., Li, T. and Xu, J. (2025) Problematic internet use and aggression in Chinese middle school students: mediation effect of reality social connectedness. Frontiers in Public Health, no. 13, article 1587400. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1587400
Restrepo, A., Scheininger, T., Clucas, J., Alexander, L., Salum, G. A., Georgiades, K., Paksarian, D., Merikangas, K. R. and Milham, M. P. (2020) Problematic internet use in children and adolescents: associations with psychiatric disorders and impairment. BMC Psychiatry, vol. 20, no. 1, article 252. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02640-x
Shannon, H., Bush, K., Villeneuve, P. J., Hellemans, K. G. and Guimond, S. (2022) Problematic Social Media Use in Adolescents and Young Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JMIR mental health, vol. 9, no. 4, article e33450. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/33450
Tereshchenko, S. Y. (2023) Neurobiological risk factors for problematic social media use as a specific form of Internet addiction: A narrative review. World Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 160–173. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v13.i5.160
Tereshchenko, S., Kasparov, E., Semenova, N., Shubina, M., Gorbacheva, N., Novitckii, I., Moskalenko, O. and Lapteva, L. (2022) Generalized and Specific Problematic Internet Use in Central Siberia Adolescents: A School-Based Study of Prevalence, Age-Sex Depending Content Structure, and Comorbidity with Psychosocial Problems. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 13, article 7593. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137593
Tereshchenko, S., Kasparov, E., Smolnikova, M., Shubina, M., Gorbacheva, N. and Moskalenko, O. (2021) Internet Addiction and Sleep Problems among Russian Adolescents: A Field School-Based Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, vol. 18, no. 19, article 10397. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910397
Thomas, C. L., Ingels, D. J., Kazmi, M. A., Ohu, Eu. A., Belle, C. and Spitzmueller, C. (2022) Adolescents’ problematic internet use in secondary school students in Lagos, Nigeria: A preliminary examination of individual and family-based predictors and consequences. Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 132, article 107247. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107247
Winds, K., Aebi, M. and Plattner, B. (2024) Problematic Internet Use Among Adolescent Male and Female Psychiatric Inpatients: A Gender Perspective. Child psychiatry and human development, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 497–509. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01408-6
Yen-Ju, Lin., Ray, C. Hsiao, Tai-Ling, Liu. and Cheng-Fang, Yen (2020) Bidirectional relationships of psychiatric symptoms with internet addiction in college students: A prospective study. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, vol. 119, no. 6, pp. 1093–1100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfma.2019.10.006
Zamboni, L., Portoghese, I., Congiu, A., Carli, S., Munari, R., Federico, A., Centoni, F., Rizzini, A. L. and Lugoboni, F. (2020) Internet Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: A Study on Italian Young Adults. Frontiers in Psychology, no. 11, article 571638. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.571638
Zhang, Y., Hou, Z., Wu, S., Li, X., Hao, M. and Wu, X. (2022) The relationship between internet addiction and aggressive behavior among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Anxiety as a mediator. Acta psychologica, vol. 227, article 103612. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103612
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
For citation:
Evert L. S. Psychopathological disorders in adolescents of the Republic of Tuva with different types of online behavior. New Research of Tuva, 2026, no. 3, pp. 166-195 (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2026.3.11
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Author(s) license holder(s) grant rights for their work to the journal (grantee of a license) under the simple non-exclusive open license in accordance with Art. 1286.1 «Open license for a research work, work of literature or fine arts», Civil Code of the Russian Federation.
New Research of Tuva publishes articles under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial license (CC BY-NC).
Since it is an open license, author(s) reserve the right to upload the article to their institutional repository, submit it to another journal (if it allows republications), or republish it on their own website (in full, or in part).
However, several conditions apply here:
a) The republished version must always contain the name(s) and affiliation(s) of the author(s), the original title and the hyperlink to the original version on the New Research of Tuva website;
b) It must be in open access, free of charge, and no category of readers must be in any way whatsoever advantaged over general readership.
c) should the contribution be submitted elsewhere by its author(s) without substantial modification (30% or more of original text unchanged), the body of the article should contain a disclaimer that the original version was published in New Research of Tuva (with a link to the respective page)
The CC-BY-NC is a non-revocable license which applies worldwide and lasts for the duration of the work’s copyright.

