Research landscape and trends of internet addiction disorder: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications in the past 20 years

Abstract

Background: Internet addiction disorder (IAD) has emerged as a significant public health concern in the digital age, with implications for mental health and social wellbeing. Despite growing recognition, IAD remains a relatively nascent field within academic research. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to explore the global research landscape and trends of IAD. Our methodology involved analyzing author analysis, journal analysis, keywords, and citations in publications related to IAD from 2004 to 2024. Results: We identified “internet addiction,” “internet gaming disorder,” and “adolescent” as the most frequently occurring keywords, highlighting significant research areas within IAD. The analysis revealed that terms like “social media addiction,” “problematic smartphone use,” and “COVID-19” have gained prominence in recent years, reflecting the evolving nature of digital technology's impact on mental health. Clustering analysis illustrated the interdisciplinary nature of IAD research, integrating insights from psychology, sociology, network science, and psychiatry. Citation analysis identified highly influential papers, such as Kuss and Griffiths’ review on social networking addiction and Brand et al.'s I-PACE model for internet-use disorders. Conclusions: Our findings highlighted the importance of continuing interdisciplinary research to address the multifaceted challenges of IAD. Future research should focus on the intersections of digital behaviors with mental health, personality traits, and social dynamics to develop comprehensive strategies for prevention and intervention.