Journal of World Sociopolitical Studies

Abstract The widespread use of the Internet has led to both beneficial and detrimental impacts on adolescents and young adults worldwide. Understanding the factors that contribute to these effects enables the development of culturally appropriate strategies for addressing them at a global scale. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global surge in Internet use, particularly among adolescents. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of Internet addiction among adolescents in Iran during the post-COVID-19 period. In this web-based cross-sectional study, 1358 Tehran-based adolescents aged 13-18 completed the Young's Internet Addiction Questionnaire. Findings revealed a 10.3% prevalence of Internet addiction among the participants following the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors such as age of first exposure to the Internet and time spent online were correlated with addiction, while gender played no significant role. Additionally, Internet addiction was significantly linked to recreational use, gaming, and insufficient parental support, but not to educational usage. By comparing the cultural contexts of Iran and other countries, this study determines Iran's standing in terms of Internet addiction and the influence of culture. The implications of the findings suggest the need for policymakers, educators, and healthcare providers to devise effective strategies to combat this emerging public health concern.

Abstract Two years after the beginning of the pandemic, various strains of COVID-19 continue to affect relatively all regions and countries in the world. Each country responded to the pandemic based on its facilities, approaches, beliefs, and costumes. The main objective of this research is to study the responses, as well as the social and cultural approaches of COVID-19 patients in Iran. Twenty patients, who recovered from COVID-19 in Tehran, participated in this phenomenological and descriptive-interpretative-based research. The extracted profile includes social black holes, individual and social reactions to COVID-19, as well as outlooks on the different aspects of COVID-19 and post-traumatic growth. The findings of the study suggest that the patients face problems such as economic difficulties that coincided with the pandemic, as well as a lack of adequate medical equipment. This led them to ambivalence, which in turn prepared them for change; patients eventually reached a degree of acceptance and achieved post-disease growth.