Abstract:

In this study, it is aimed to examine the internet addiction levels of students and graduates studying in the Department of Physical Education and Sports before the Covid-19 pandemic and during the pandemic period. Before and during the pandemic period, the descriptive study "Internet Addiction Scale" that prepared by Young was applied to 2000 people in total that population of which was Physical Education and Sports Departments, and the sample was graduates (n: 940) and students (n: 1060). In the assessment of the statistical data, the average, total score, and percentages of internet usage levels were evaluated by using SPSS 24. Among the pre-pandemic graduates; while 218 (49.5%) were detected as "average users", 154 (35.0%) "risky users" and 68 (15.5%) as dependent internet users, during the Covid-19 pandemic period; 7 (1.4%) were determined as "average users", 240 (48.0%) "risky users" and 253 (50.6%) dependent internet users. Among the pre-pandemic students, while 182 (32.5%) of them were determined as "average users", 206 (36.8%) as "risky users" and 172 (30.7%) as dependent internet users.  during the Covid-19 pandemic period, 7 (1.4%) were determined as "average users", 273 (54.6%) "risky users" and 220 (44.0%) dependent internet users. Before the pandemic of all participants; while the average number of users is 400, the number of risky users is 360 and the number of dependent users is 240, during the Covid-19 pandemic period; the average number of users increased to 14, the number of risky users to 513 and the number of dependent users to 473. Although the participants were questioned about their internet usage except for the distance education hours during the pandemic period, the rate of risky and dependent users increased in all participants as graduates and students during the pandemic period.

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