PONE-D-23-01046Problematic use of the internet, smartphones, and social media among medical students and relationship with depression: An exploratory studyPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Muwanguzi,

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Reviewers' comments:

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Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #3: Partly

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #3: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #3: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #3: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: Kindly add a note about limitations of the study. For example, Limitations of the Patient Health Questionnaire in Identifying Anxiety and Depression. Ref Eack SM, Greeno CG, Lee BJ. Limitations of the Patient Health Questionnaire in Identifying Anxiety and Depression: Many Cases Are Undetected. Res Soc Work Pract. 2006 Nov 1;16(6):625-631. doi: 10.1177/1049731506291582. PMID: 24465121; PMCID: PMC3899353.

Reviewer #3: Thank you very much for the possibility to review the study "Problematic use of the internet, smartphones, and social media among medical students and relationship with depression: An exploratory study". The paper is interesting and well written.There are just a few points that should be further investigated. Please see my specific comments below.

1. In the Introduction the literature related to problematic Internet use should be deepened. For example, the following are suggested:

Ballarotto, G., Marzilli, E., Cerniglia, L., Cimino, S., & Tambelli, R. (2021). How does psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic impact on internet addiction and Instagram addiction in emerging adults?. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(21), 11382.

Spada, M. M. (2014). An overview of problematic Internet use. Addictive behaviors, 39(1), 3-6.

Tambelli, R., Cimino, S., Marzilli, E., Ballarotto, G., & Cerniglia, L. (2021). Late Adolescents’ Attachment to Parents and Peers and Psychological Distress Resulting from COVID-19. A Study on the Mediation Role of Alexithymia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(20), 10649.

Deutrom, J., Katos, V., & Ali, R. (2022). Loneliness, life satisfaction, problematic internet use and security behaviours: re-examining the relationships when working from home during COVID-19. Behaviour & Information Technology, 41(14), 3161-3175.

Ballarotto, G., Volpi, B., & Tambelli, R. (2021). Adolescent attachment to parents and peers and the use of Instagram: The mediation role of psychopathological risk. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(8), 3965.

Özaslan, A., Yıldırım, M., Güney, E., Güzel, H. Ş., & İşeri, E. (2022). Association between problematic internet use, quality of parent-adolescents relationship, conflicts, and mental health problems. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20(4), 2503-2519.

2. the authors used the English version of the tools? how come?

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Reviewer #1: Yes: Dr. (Prof.) Abhishek Singh

Reviewer #3: No

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Problematic use of the internet, smartphones, and social media among medical students and relationship with depression: An exploratory study

PONE-D-23-01046R1

Dear Dr. Muwanguzi,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Giulia Ballarotto

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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