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Internet Addiction in Psychotherapy
... A sample of attendees at a gaming convention agreed with some criteria of IGD (e.g., distress, continuing use after recognition of a problem, unsuccessful attempts at stopping) while also adding possible new criteria such as social isolation, loss of reality, and interruptions to daily schedule. Psychotherapists who treat IGD have identified similar problematic qualities in their clients, including salience, tolerance, mood modification, loss of control, withdrawal, denial and concealment, problems and conflict, and relapse (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015). A meta-analysis of 58 empirical articles found that playing MMORPGs increased addiction potential in other domains of players' lives, and many experienced symptoms of tolerance, mood modification, and adverse psychosocial consequences, with around half of these feeling addicted (Kuss & Griffiths, 2012). ...
... Many commenters seemed to be sharing experiences from late adolescence and early adulthood, and descent into addiction often coincided with transitions from secondary to postsecondary education or from college to full-time employment. Other researchers found the ages and time of the lifespan with IGD to be similar (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015;Smahel et al., 2008), but did not connect this to transitions characteristic of this age. This may be related to findings of Collins and Freeman (2013), where problematic video game players were found to have less offline social capital than non-problematic video game players. ...
... This may be because the sample in this study were those gamers who self-identified as having problems, where other studies worked with general gamers. Current results also match what Kuss and Griffiths (2015) found related to criteria for IGD when interviewing psychotherapists on symptoms they saw in clients, which included: (a) withdrawal, (b) relapse, (c) mood modification (escape), (d) loss of control, (e) salience, (f) problems and conflict, (g) and being IGD comorbid with depression. ...
The purpose of this grounded theory study was to describe the experience of people who struggled with self-described addiction to World of Warcraft™ (WoW). WoW is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), and many players have shared their stories of compulsive use and recovery efforts on two different websites: www.wowdetox.com, and a Reddit forum called /r/noWoW. We analyzed 140 unique posts on these sites to develop a process model describing how posters experienced addiction and recovery from WoW. We used grounded theory methods to create a model with categories including, time sink, impairment in work and relationships, and realization of loss. The process of recovery from compulsive WoW use included a series of realizations and the gamer “coming to themselves.” Implications for clinicians and researchers who study internet gaming disorder and related issues are offered.
... Most research on gaming disorder focused on males, 40 and scholars have discussed whether gaming disorder might be a predominantly male disorder. 41 Furthermore, research highlighted that female gamers are typically more casual gamers and play for shorter periods than male gamers. ...
... 41 Furthermore, research highlighted that female gamers are typically more casual gamers and play for shorter periods than male gamers. 40 Therefore, in this study, the high frequency of females observed in the GGU group suggests that this group was more likely to use online gaming casually. In contrast, the high frequency of men in the TGU group suggests that they are more likely to actively use online gaming. ...
Objective: This study classified adolescents into specific game user types based on their adaptive and maladaptive game use and then examined the differences in mental health, academic achievement, and quality of life according to game user type. Materials and Methods: This study performed a secondary analysis of data from the ninth analysis of the "Game User Panel" data published by the Korean Creative Content Agency. In addition, an analysis of variance with a post hoc Tukey test was conducted to examine the differences in mental health, academic achievement, and quality of life according to game-use type. This was a retrospective study using secondary deidentified data. Results: Among the total respondents, 39.5% of adolescents were classified as general game users (GGUs), 11.3% as adaptive game users (AGUs), 11.2% as maladaptive game users (MGUs), and 38.0% as twofold game users (TGUs). GGUs had the lowest scores for depression and anxiety, followed by higher scores in AGUs, TGUs, and MGUs. In addition, GGUs scored higher on quality of life than the other groups while the AGUs had higher scores on academic achievement than other groups. Conclusion: Adolescents experience both adaptive and maladaptive use, and experiencing only adaptive use without maladaptive use has been shown to be relatively infrequent. Therefore, education about online game use for adolescents should not be uniformly provided given the psychological characteristics of each group; instead, it should be customized based on game user type.
... 2,3 Although internet addiction has been identified as a prevalent problem among a small minority of the population, it has never been classed as a formal disorder most likely because internet addiction is an umbrella term covering more specific online problematic behaviors such as online problematic gaming and problematic social media use. 4 Many psychometric studies have been carried out and there are over 20 different assessment scales that have been developed to assess problematic internet use behavior. 5 The theoretical frameworks underpinning many psychometric instruments are still controversial, and a study has evolved in a divergent manner with little or no consensus. ...
... Where τ 0 = 0, so that Addict Health, Autumn 2019;Vol 11,No 4 http://ahj.kmu.ac.ir, 07 October ...
Background:
The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of disordered internet use among adolescent university students and its association with various health complaints and behaviours, and most importantly to examine the psychometric properties of 9-item Internet Disorder Scale-Short Form (IDS9-SF) using factor analyses and Rasch analysis.
Methods:
A total of 1988 university students aged 18 to 25 years were selected via a multi-stage stratified random sampling technique among university students in Istanbul, Turkey (September 2017 to February 2018). Data collected included socio-demographics, lifestyle and dietary habits, and the 9-item IDS9-SF. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, multivariate analyses, factor analyses, path analysis, and Rasch analysis.
Findings:
Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the study investigated the latent structure of the IDS9-SF instrument and results supported its reliability and validity. The prevalence of disordered internet use was 18.3% in the sample. There were significant differences between those who had disordered internet use and those who did not in gender, family income, school performance, number of bedrooms at home, and number of people living at home, as well as internet use duration. Using multivariate regression analysis, key predictors of disordered internet use included (among others): gender, body mass index (BMI), household income, number of people living at home, having a computer at home, internet facilities, duration of internet use, sleeping hours, frequency of eating fast food, watching television, headache, hurting eyes, tired eyes, and hearing problems. Rash analysis demonstrated that four of the nine items (2, 3, 6, and 7) were more difficult for individuals to endorse compared to other items.
Conclusion:
Problems arising from excessive internet use were apparent among the study sample and the IDS9-SF is a valid and reliable measure for assessing disordered internet use among Turkish adolescent population.
... The number of female video game players has increased over the past two decades, and they currently make up almost half of the gaming population (ESA, 2019); however, most research on IGD has focused on men (Lopez-Fernandez, Williams, Griffiths, & Kuss, 2019). Scholars have also discussed whether IGD and IA might be predominantly male disorders (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015). Further research has highlighted that female gamers typically play more casual games and play them for shorter periods than male gamers do (McLean & Griffiths, 2018;Griffiths et al., 2011). ...
... Female gamers reported significantly lower levels of preference for FPS games than male gamers but showed similar preferences in their use of MMORPGs. In contrast to these reported effects of gender in our study, some representative studies have repeatedly found no gender differences in the prevalence of internet addiction and IGD (Laconi et al., 2017;Lopez-Fernandez, 2018), although the majority of IGD patients in clinical samples are men (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015). A convincing explanation for this discrepancy is still missing (Scherer et al., 2019). ...
Abstract
Current psychological models for the development of specific internet-use disorders consider predisposing core characteristics (e.g. biopsychological constitution, psychopathology, early childhood experiences, and personality traits) that are involved in the early behavioral addiction process. The cross-sectional study discussed in this paper examined several likely relevant psychological variables in a group of 820 video gamers (217 women, 597 men), who visited the world's largest trade fair for video games in 2018. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess the extent of pathological gaming, Big Five personality traits, self-efficacy, depression symptoms, and general life satisfaction. In comparison to individuals with unproblematic gaming behavior, gamers with problematic gaming behavior scored significantly higher for neuroticism, depression symptoms, and time spent playing; and lower for self-efficacy, extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness. No difference was found in terms of agreeableness. Gamers who preferred to play massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) or first-person shooter games (FPS) presented particularly high levels of time spent playing and increased problematic gaming behavior. When considering the entire group of 820 video gamers, high levels of depressive symptoms and neuroticism, extensive time spent playing, as well as low levels of conscientiousness were identified as significant predictor variables regarding problematic gaming. In total, 238 of the 820 video gamers (29.0%) demonstrated problematic gaming behaviors.
... Sono molti gli studi che hanno riscontrato un forte incremento dei soggetti a rischio, sia a livello europeo che nazionale (Latina 12%, Pescara 17%, Palermo 22%, 78 2007) (Vallario, 2008;Cantelmi et al., 2010;Di Lorenzo, 2013). Una volta constatato l'aumento effettivo di tali cambiamenti comportamentali (Nicoli et al., 2015;Mihajlov & Vejimelka, 2017;Marino, 2018) psicologico combinato all'elettro-agopuntura (Zhu et al., 2012;Jiang, 2014;Griffiths & Kuss, 2015;Marino, 2018). ...
... Oltre a cambiare la fonte delle informazioni, dalla scuola alla rete, è cambiato anche il processo di fruizione delle stesse, passando dal modello di apprendimento lineare a quello La scuola è essa stessa vittima della dipendenza da internet poiché l'abbandono scolastico, la riduzione del rendimento, condotte devianti e comportamenti conflittuali con compagni di classe e docenti, sono le conseguenze negative più comuni tra i giovani alunni affetti dalla patologia (La Barbera & La Cascia, 2008;OECD, 2015;Griffiths & Kuss, 2015;Ripamonti, 2018). ...
Il III millennio è l’era della conoscenza digitalizzata, che ha visto il passaggio “dal reale al virtuale”. Ad oggi la digitalizzazione non è più limitata agli strumenti di lavoro e alle tecnologie dell’informazione ma ha raggiunto livelli di penetrazione ed applicazione inimmaginabili: dalle diagnosi mediche virtuali ai coniugi digitali, dal voto elettronico alla cittadinanza virtuale, tutto contornato da leggi sulla cybersecurity e da galatei della rete, Netiquette.
Il presente lavoro si pone l’obiettivo di contestualizzare gli effetti della digitalizzazione al vissuto del genere umano, analizzando, da un lato, le innovazioni scientifiche e tecnologiche che stanno conducendo i vecchi stati verso l’affermazione in una nuova geografia dello spazio virtuale e, dall’altro, discutendo dei cambiamenti fisici e neurocognitivi che l’uomo stesso ha sviluppato, e sta progressivamente sviluppando, a causa del continuo rapporto con la tecnologia e del coinvolgimento nelle dinamiche della Rete.
Nel capitolo I ripercorriamo la storia di INTERNET, la più grande rete esistente al mondo che collega l’80% della popolazione della Terra, dalla sua nascita fino allo sviluppo del Web 2.0. A queste informazioni seguiranno alcuni dati raccolti da enti di ricerca riguardo la diffusione dei dispositivi di connessione, la frequenza di utilizzo tra adulti e bambini e le principali attività svolte in Rete. Illustreremo la digitalizzazione dei più importanti enti istituzionali e delle loro funzioni (e-learning, e-sport, e-health, e-commerce, e-government, e-banking) nell’ottica dello Stato futuro, o mondo futuro, l’e-Mondo (Treccani), con un breve riferimento all’e-Estonia. Il capitolo si conclude con alcune riflessioni in merito alle potenzialità e agli eventuali rischi di Internet.
Nel capitolo II riporteremo le varie diciture e terminologie utilizzate per identificare il fenomeno di eccessivo utilizzo della Rete, INTERNET ADDICTION, confrontando i punti di vista di diversi psicologi e il modo in cui la definizione cambia a seconda degli aspetti considerati. Illustreremo i sintomi più diffusi legati alla patologia, seguiti dai criteri utilizzati per effettuare le diagnosi. La dipendenza da internet si presenta molto spesso in comorbidità con altri disturbi psicopatologici ma esistono anche fattori di rischio che esulano dal campo medico e ricadono piuttosto in quello relazionale o personale. Si discuterà dei fattori di rischio interi ed esterni, dei problemi familiari e delle caratteristiche della personalità che rendono i soggetti più inclini allo sviluppo dell’internet addiction disorder.
La consuetudine di escludere, o patologizzare, comportamenti diversi da quelli “normali” o “comuni”, ha fatto sfuggire all’attenzione di molti un cambiamento più grande della dipendenza da internet in sé. Studi condotti in varie nazioni, tra cui l’Italia, hanno portato alla diagnosi di internet addiction un numero di soggetti pari al 2-3% del campione, in Occidente, e al 15-20% del campione, in Oriente. Vengono, invece, definiti “sani” o “a rischio”, con pochissime differenze tra i due gruppi, i soggetti appartenenti al restante 80-90% della popolazione esaminata che trascorre sempre più tempo nel mondo virtuale tanto da riportare, a lungo termine, delle modificazioni dei processi neurocognitivi e fisici. Analizzeremo le novità nei processi di costruzione del sé, tra identità reali e avatar; la scomparsa dell’amicizia in favore del contatto, l’influenza che smartphones, e-books ed e-learning hanno sulla memoria a lungo e breve termine, sull’attenzione e sulla motricità; per giungere alla libertà di scelta che Google ci illude di possedere.
L’unico esempio concreto di armonia tra reale e virtuale, tra analogico e digitale è costituito dal caso dell’Estonia che non considera più Internet un mero strumento per raggiungere uno scopo, bensì un modificatore dei processi di pensiero, e come tale lo ha integrato in ogni aspetto della vita dei suoi cittadini. In Estonia gli unici tre momenti della vita che non possono essere realizzati online sono il matrimonio, il divorzio e la firma per l’acquisto di una casa, tutto il resto è completamente digitalizzato.
L’uomo sta affrontando, senza dubbio, un periodo di grandi cambiamenti che ci pongono di fronte ad interrogativo esistenziale: come può la scuola innovarsi per mantenere il suo ruolo di guida delle nuove generazioni?
... The adoption of new assessment tools that adequately reflect the official conceptualization developed by the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and the adoption of a standardized and consensual nomenclature (i.e., IGD or GD) should be taken into account by researchers and clinicians researching in this area, as the use of outdated nomenclatures may be stigmatizing to patients struggling with IGD (Kuss, 2013b;Kuss & Griffiths, 2015). Since the publication of the nine IGD criteria in the PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). ...
... Emphasizing the importance of the cross-cultural evidence in the assessment is a key area of research as "establishing the psychometric properties of instruments assessing these nine [IGD] criteria should begin using a cross-cultural perspective" (Petry et al., 2014, p. 6). It is vital to note, however, that the vast majority of the assessment tools (with the exception of the C-VAT 2.0, see Van Rooij et al., 2015) have not been validated in clinical samples, and that only a clinical interview led by a professional can provide a clear-cut indication of whether or not a full-blown psychopathology is evident which requires treatment (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015;Maraz et al., 2015). Therefore, more research aimed at understanding the context of IGD in both clinical and large representative samples is necessary so a better evidencebased understanding of this disorder and its assessment can be generated. ...
Over the last decade, the availability of different online games has increased rapidly, which coincides with the expeditious development of the gaming industry. Given that online games such as Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) appeal to a broad audience, who will spend large amounts of time engaging with these games, it is unsurprising that small numbers of highly engaged gamers may develop problems as a consequence of their excessive gaming patterns, including gaming disorder (GD). A unified assessment approach to GD is needed as substantial differences related to classification within the context of assessment can further generate confusion and render inconclusive information on the prevalence rates, clinical course, treatment, and biomarkers implicated with GD. Several scholars have called for unification in the assessment of GD following the publication of the nine IGD criteria by the APA. This chapter addresses these issues.
... Pemakaian internet akan baik jika dipakai sesuai dengan waktu dan kebutuhan, namun akan berdampak negatif jika disalahgunakan (segi waktu dan manfaat). Sebutan istilah internet addiction bermakna yakni pemakaian internet secara berlebih sehingga memunculkan permasalahan-permasalahan dalam kehidupan individu (Kuss & Griffiths, 2014;Kuss & Lopez-Fernandez, 2016;Lee et al., 2013;Young, 1996). Adapun faktor risiko yang dimunculkan beragam, baik secara sosial, personal, dan gejala-gejala mental. ...
... Remaja yang terkena internet addiction dapat dilihat dari beberapa unsur yakni dari frekuensi, durasi penggunaan, intensitas, adanya gejala penarikan diri, munculnya beragam konflik, dan kekambuhan (Gómez, Rial, Braña, Golpe, & Varela, 2017;Kuss & Griffiths, 2014;Salicetia, 2015). Hal ini diperkuat dengan hasil penelitian bahwa individu yang mengalami internet addiction akan sulit tidur, mengalami depresi, membolos, mengalami konflik dengan keluarga, mengalami kecemasan, gangguan suasana hati, daya tahan tubuh rendah dan munculnya gangguan kepribadian (Jorgenson et al., 2016) Selain itu juga ditemukan adanya karakteristik temperamen, respon otak dan faktor kekambuhan pada individu yang mengalami internet addiction (Jorgenson et al., 2016;Kuss & Lopez-Fernandez, 2016). ...
The purpose of this article to find out which variables are the causes and effects between substancial abuse and internet addiction through conceptual studies.Internet addiction and substance abuse are known to have correlation.But this becomes overlapping, which is the cause andthe result. The results of this conceptual study explain that adolescents who experience substance abuse will tend tobe the cause of increased prevalenceinternet addiction, because the use of addictive substances will determine how fast internet addiction develops. Conversely, adolescents who experience Internet addiction is not necessarily the cause of the emergence of substance abuse. It can be concluded that substance abuse is the cause of high levels of internet addiction in adolescents, likewisethe internet addiction has the potential to cause substance abuse
... The problems that arise due to internet use are called problematic internet use or problematic internet use and are usually abbreviated as PIU (Anderson et al., 2016;Gómez, et al, 2017;Macur, et al., 2016;Young & De Abreu, 2017). The term problematic internet use also has other equivalent words such as excessive internet use, compulsive internet use, internet dependence (Kuss & Griffiths, 2014;Kuss & Lopez-Fernandez, 2016;Odaci & elik, 2016;Young & De Abreu, 2017). ...
This study aims to reveal the risk factors that cause Problematic Internet Use (PIU) in children. This surveyresearch used a cross sectional design by giving questionnaires Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2(GPIUS2), Interpersonal Skill Competence, and Achievement Motivation Scale to 278 participants. Participantswere obtained using quota sampling with the criteria, namely, elementary school students aged 9-12 years. Theresearch subjects who were netted in the first phase are re-screened with the new inclusion criteria who wereidentified as having PIU with only moderate to very high hypothetical categories. As many as, 98 students whoexperienced PIU were obtained and were used as the final research subject. The results showed that as many as86 students or equivalent to 30.93% had fallen into the category of experiencing problematic internet usetendencies and as many as 12 students or equivalent to 4.31% were in the heavy category of dependence on theinternet (Internet Dependence). Besides that, Interpersonal skills and achievement motivation together wereshown to have a negative effect on PIU, t(97) = -1.45, p < .05, and t(97) = -1.58, p < .05, respectively. Based onthese results, counselors should be able to provide preventive and curative services, in order to maintain optimalgrowth and development in children.
... The protocol fosters one's self-control and contributes to the awareness of own use. Moreover, it supports the identification of situational triggers such as negative experiences caused by daily hassles that result in the wish to escape in the SM world by intensive use, and the potential individual short-and longer-term consequences of the use (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015). While the short-term consequences could be the experience of SM flow, the longer-term consequences could be interpersonal conflicts and withdrawal symptoms as characteristics of addictive tendencies, as well as insomnia, symptoms of stress, and suicide-related outcomes (see Fig. 4). ...
Social media use (SMU) is a significant part of many people’s everyday life. Research around the globe describes an increase of addictive SMU tendencies since the COVID-19 outbreak. The present work combines available findings in the “Vicious Circle of addictive Social Media Use and Mental Health” model to explain how social media (SM) activity can contribute to the development of addictive tendencies, which consequences they have for mental health, and how to prevent them. Following the model, the interplay between the risk factors negative experiences caused by daily hassles and by unexpected global and traumatic events, SMU (dimension “quality”), and SM flow can directly contribute to addictive SMU through the “vicious circle”. Time spent on SMU
(dimension “quantity”), symptoms of depression and anxiety, and the personality trait narcissism contribute to the circle as moderators. Symptoms of stress, insomnia, and suicide-related outcomes are described as potential consequences of addictive SMU. Based on longitudinal intervention studies, a conscious reduction of SMU time and an increase of physical activity, as well as positive mental health and mindfulness are identified as protective
factors that reduce the risk of addictive tendencies. The model contributes to a better understanding of addictive SMU. Implications of the model for future research and praxis, specifically for mental health programs and therapeutic treatment are discussed.
... Social media has become an integral part of the lives of the young population, especially. There is an inherent understanding or requirement that young people join online social networks to avoid missing out, stay up to date, and connect (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015). This is especially true in today's technology-dependent culture, where parents assume that it is safer for their children to be online than roaming the streets due to safety concerns (Griffiths et al., 2014). ...
Ostracism and dark triad personality traits have been found to be linked with social media addiction. Despite the well-established relationship between the dark triad (i.e., narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and social media addiction, there is limited research on their mediating effect. In the present study, we tested a hypothetical model to examine the mediating effect of the dark triad on the relationship between ostracism and social media addiction. Data were collected from 497 Turkish adolescents (M = 14.98, SD = 0.93) who regularly use social media. Participants completed measures of ostracism, dark personality traits, and social media addiction. The results of the mediation analysis showed significant relationships among ostracism, social media addiction, and the dark triad. Specifically, the dark triad variables acted as mediators in the relationship between ostracism and social media addiction. The present study also highlights the importance of dark personality traits as a mediator of the relationship between ostracism and social media addiction. The implications of these results extend to the development of interventions aimed at mitigating social media addiction among adolescents. Ultimately, this study offers valuable insights into the contributing factors that underlie the detrimental effects of social media on the mental well-being of adolescents.
... Unfortunately, as communication and recreation activities evolved, psychological pathologies have arisen among a minority of individuals due to the persistent evolution of technology leading to behaviors such as internet addiction and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Arguably the most concerning of problematic online behaviors concerns IGD which can be extremely absorbing and time-consuming, resulting in addictive behavior among vulnerable groups (Griffiths, 2020;Higuchi et al., 2017;Kuss & Griffiths, 2015;King et al., 2019). Based on a meta-analysis, it was estimated that Malaysians had a higher prevalence of internet addiction (19.2%) compared to the average prevalence estimate (17%) across Southeast Asia nations (Chia et al., 2020). ...
As research on gaming disorder (GD) is growing globally, the need for a valid and reliable instrument to assess GD has become crucial. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study translated and evaluated the psychometric properties of Gaming Disorder Test (GDT) and Gaming Disorder Scale for Young Adults (GADIS-YA) into Malay language versions. The sample comprised 624 university students (females = 75.6%; mean age = 22.27 years) recruited via an online survey from May to August 2022, using a convenience sampling method. Participants completed both GDT and GADIS-YA scales and other relevant measures including Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), and time spent on social media and gaming. Results showed that both instruments reported satisfactory internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-factor structure for GDT and two-factor structure for GADIS-YA. Both scales were strongly correlated with each other and with the IGDS9-SF, BSMAS, and time spent on social media and gaming, supporting concurrent validity. Measurement invariance of both scales was confirmed across gender and gaming time. These findings suggest that the Malay versions of GDT and GADIS-YA are reliable and valid measures of problematic gaming among Malaysian university students.
... Cybersecurity research focuses on understanding and managing digital security threats and vulnerabilities. There has also been an attempt to understand the relationship between those issues, with research suggesting that excessive Internet use may raise the risk of security breaches [19], while increased security measures may reduce the prevalence of Internet addiction [20]. Nonetheless, there is still much to be discovered about these topics, and further research is required to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying causes, effects, and effective interventions. ...
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a significant research topic with many challenges and affects many areas of our lives, including healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to examine the current state of knowledge on Internet addiction and online privacy and security issues, with a focus on identifying gaps in the literature, quantifying the research, and areas in need of further research. This paper aims to provide guidance for creating insightful and helpful systematic literature review articles in the field of International Business. In this paper, we present a thorough review of the different security and privacy risks, which threaten the well-being of OSN users in general, and children in particular. We also present an overview of existing solutions that can provide better protection, security, and privacy for OSN user's identities, identities, and lives. In addition, we provide a comprehensive survey on how recent and ongoing advances in technology have motivated the development of affordable healthcare gadgets and connected health services using IoT. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to new cyber security threats and privacy issues.
... At the same time, technology is continuously evolving. Due to its handy size, the smartphone can always be carried close to the body and is quickly at hand, for example, to answer text messages, search the Internet for specific information, or play a game [7][8][9][10][11]. Due to the increasing integration of the smartphone into more and more areas of life, the duration of use is also increasing [4,12,13] and the smartphone is becoming an essential part of everyday life [14], but what are the motives for this permanent use of the smartphone? ...
Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is defined as the inability to control the time spent on smartphones, which has long-term negative impacts on daily life. The use-and-gratifications approach is applied to smartphones and describes the extent to which users devote themselves to smartphones to obtain gratifications. These gratifications can be represented in the types of use (process, social, and habitual). This study examines the associations between PSU and the different types of use and their effects on perceived stress and self-perceived PSU. N = 108 subjects participated (65 women, 41 men, 2 diverse, mean age = 31.8; range 17–70). They completed the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS-19), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), a questionnaire on types of use, and a self-created scale for self-perceived PSU. Multiple linear regressions and correlations were calculated and show a relationship between PSU and perceived stress. All three types of use were shown to be predictors of PSU. For stress perception, only process use is a predictor. Both PSU and stress perception are predictors of the self-perceived PSU. Both stress and PSU interact with each other, and the different types of use determine how stressful smartphone use is perceived to be.
... According to Lopez-Fernandez, Williams, Griffiths, and Kuss [8], problematic and potentially harmful gaming in women is rarely addressed in the literature. This is one of the reasons why this is an important area to explore, especially as gaming addiction often goes unnoticed in females according to clinicians [45]. Although several participants felt enjoyment and detachment from responsibility during the immersion experienced while gaming, other participants expressed that sometimes losing themselves in the virtual world had consequences in the offline world: ...
The literature on online gaming has generally focused on male gamers and has been dominated by negative aspects of gaming. The present study addresses the gender gap in this field by exploring experiences of female gamers further by unravelling several positive experiences alongside some potentially harmful tendencies connected to gaming, including female gamers’ wishes and ambitions for their future gaming. A total of 20 female adult gamers across Europe were interviewed and results were analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were identified: (i) to be or not to be a (female) gamer; (ii) improving social skills and levelling up on mental health; (iii) not always a healthy escape; and (iv) there is more to explore. The present study is one of few empirical studies regarding the construction of self-image, and experiences of female gamers. It has showed participants have a history as gamers from adolescence, but still face problems derived from the stigmatised internal gender self-image. Externally, female gamer stigmatisation may result in sexism, gender violence, harassment, and objectification. Additionally, females may decide against identifying as gamers, engaging in social gaming interaction, or hold back from online gaming in general, thereby missing out on the opportunities for recreation as well as social and psychological benefits that gaming brings. There is, therefore, urgent need for more research and actions to promote change, equity, education, and security for female gamers as well as their male counterparts. Game developers would benefit from understanding this large gamer demographic better and tailoring games for women specifically.
... Moreover, with easier access to the internet and the stronger incentive of computer/network usage, college students are more fragile and more vulnerable to pathological internet use (PIU) (27). It is no exaggeration to conclude that the university life facilitates the risk factors of IA [ (28)(29)(30): [34][35]. Therefore, it is of practical and theoretical significance to study IA from the perspective of ColAda. ...
Using data from a baseline survey of college students, this study examined the possible mechanism by which psychological capital influences college students' internet addiction through the mediation effect of their individual college adaptability. The study constructed a parallel multiple mediation effect model to help understand the effect mechanisms among these factors. The results indicated that psychological capital had a triple effect on internet addiction: (1) Psychological capital had a direct effect of helping reduce college students' internet addiction; (2) emotional, learning, and interpersonal adaptation not only reduced internet addiction directly but also played mediating roles in the relationship between psychological capital and internet addiction; and (3) the mediation effects of emotional and interpersonal adaptation were moderated by psychological capital, leading to two different modes of mediation effects. As a whole, psychological capital imposes a quadratic effect on internet addiction. The campus policy implications of these findings are discussed.
... It has become common in many societies (Serenko & Turel, 2020). It is seen as a behavioral problem that negatively affects human life as a result of excessive use and can cause problematic outcomes in the life of the individual due to loss of control (Kuss & Griffiths, 2015;Kuss, Griffiths, Karila, & Billieux, 2014;Young & Nabuco de Abreu, 2011). The literature emphasizes that adolescents with TA addiction face several physical and mental health problems, including visual impairment, spinal disorders, finger numbness, arm pain, bulimia, obesity, insomnia, anger problems, aggression, antisocial behavior, suicide attempts, anxiety disorder, and depression, among many others (Cheung & Wong, 2011;Cho, Sung, Shin, Lim, & Shin, 2013;Eliacik et al., 2016;Gerçel & Çağlar, 2016;Hekim et al., 2019;Karapetsas & Fotis, 2020;Tao, 2013). ...
Adolescents have been called the “digital natives of the technology age”, but determining adolescents’ awareness, attitudes and behavior with respect to technology addiction (TA) is important for developing balanced and effective approaches to support their physical and psychological well-being after the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, the present study investigates the impact of attitudes on TA behavior in 382 adolescents by gender and extent of technology use. Three scales were used to determine adolescents’ TA awareness, attitude, and behavior. The results of the dual-moderated mediation model show that gender and duration of technology use (h) moderated the full mediation of attitude on awareness and behavior in TA (F = 39.29, df = 9;372, p < .01). The indirect effect in males with 16.04 h per day of technology use is stronger (.24) than the indirect effect in males with 4.90 h per day of technology use (.13). In addition, the simple slope plot shows that when attitude scores increase, addictive behavior rises in females (simple slope = .74, t = 8.79, p < .01). On the other hand, with 16.04 h per day of technology use, when attitude scores decrease, addictive behavior rises in females (simple slope = .69, t = 7.59, p < .01). Furthermore, when the attitude scores increase, addictive behavior rises in males (simple slope = .85, t = 13.26, p < .01). As a result, the psychoeducational intervention programs to be implemented for TA should not only focus on awareness, but should also encompass behavioral, cognitive and lifestyle changes.
... Dalam penelitian lainnya [14], terdapat gejala-gejala lain dari ketergantungan gadget dan media social, yaitu: a. Loss of control, kehilangan kendali untuk mengontrol penggunaan gadget dan media social. b. ...
Penggunaan Gadget dan Media sosial saat ini tidak bisa dipisahkan dari kehidupan sehari-hari. Hal ini dapat menyebabkan adanya adiksi gadget dan media sosial. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjawab apakah fenomena adiksi gadget dan media sosial merupakan kenyataan saintifik atau tidak di Indonesia. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan survei kepada 1312 responden. Sebelum kuesioner disebarkan, dilakukan uji validitas Pearson Product Momen dan uji reliabilitas dengan Cronbach’s Alpha dan hasilnya menunjukan bahwa seluruh pertanyaan pada kuesioner valid dan reliable. Berdasarkan hasil survei, 42.45% responden mengalami kecanduan ringan, 10.82% responden mengalami kecanduan level sedang, dan 0.38% responden mengalami kecanduan yang sangat kuat terhadap gadget. Sedangkan hasil untuk adiksi media sosial, 37.50% responden mengalami kecanduan ringan, 7.85% responden mengalami kecanduan level sedang, dan 0.38% responden mengalami kecanduan yang sangat kuat terhadap media sosial. Dilihat dari sisi filsafat ilmu, Adiksi Gadget dan social media dikatakan sains dan bukan pseudo sains karena telah memenuhi ciri sains yaitu logis, empiris, dan dapat difalsifikasi. Sehingga perlu perhatian khusus dari masyarakat akan adanya adiksi gadget dan media social ini, agar adiksi ini dapat diantisipasi dan gejala-gejala yang ditimbulkan dapat diminimalisir.
... Clinicians treating gaming addiction have reported that this mental disorder may go unnoticed in females (20) and that women being treated for this problem appear to show differences in the experience of other psychopathologies (including IGD and other addictions) compared with men (21). Nevertheless, problematic and potentially pathological gaming in women has rarely been addressed in either theoretical work or empirical research. ...
Research investigating female gaming has begun to emerge despite gaming being traditionally more popular with males. Research in the 21st century has drawn attention to the role of women in culture, society, and technology, and female gaming is one of the growing phenomena not to have been researched in depth. The aim of the present paper was to review female gaming (i.e., the role of females within video game culture) and identify any associated psychopathological symptomatology. The review adapted the Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research (SPIDER) model in conducting a narrative literature review. A search of three scientific electronic databases yielded 49 papers for further evaluation. From a methodological perspective, studies had to fulfill the following criteria to be included: i) published between the years 2000 and 2018; ii) assessed female gaming or the female position within gaming culture, iii) contained quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches to produce empirical data or discuss theoretical implications through reviews, iv) be retrievable as a full-text peer-reviewed journal paper, and v) published in English, German, Polish, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, or French. Four categories emerged from the papers: i) the benefits of female gaming, ii) why women might play video games less than men, iii) perceptions and realities of female characters within video games, and iv) women’s position in gaming culture. The main findings showed playing video games has benefits for women in terms of enhancing cognitive, social, and physical abilities. However, they are less encouraged to play video games due to negative expectations based on gender and/or experiences during game play. Video games are associated with stereotypical male characteristics, such as being overly aggressive, and frequently contain sexualized content. Female gamers appear to require coping strategies to handle online harassment. Females look for different things in video games, which are not often included in game designs thereby limiting their abilities. For instance, female avatar representation—which is exaggerated and hypersexualized—can prompt social comparisons and lead to feelings of decreased self-esteem, depression, and other impacts on well-being. Overall, there are still obstacles for women playing video games even though they comprise half of the gaming population.
... Secondly, it has been argued that if IGD results from other mental disorders it cannot be considered a bona fide addiction (7). However, from a clinical perspective, it is clear that comorbidity is the norm, not an exception, and this holds not just for Internet and gaming addiction (6,8), but also for other psychopathology (9) including other addictions (6). Thirdly, previous research on IGD has been criticized for its methodological limitations, given that most research in the area has been conducted using non-clinical populations using psychometric (and therefore subjective) measures (10). ...
Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is a potential mental disorder currently included in the third section of the latest (fifth) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a condition that requires additional research to be included in the main manual. Although research efforts in the area have increased, there is a continuing debate about the respective criteria to use as well as the status of the condition as mental health concern. Rather than using diagnostic criteria which are based on subjective symptom experience, the National Institute of Mental Health advocates the use of Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) which may support classifying mental disorders based on dimensions of observable behavior and neurobiological measures because mental disorders are viewed as biological disorders that involve brain circuits that implicate specific domains of cognition, emotion, and behavior. Consequently, IGD should be classified on its underlying neurobiology, as well as its subjective symptom experience. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to review the neurobiological correlates involved in IGD based on the current literature base. Altogether, 853 studies on the neurobiological correlates were identified on ProQuest (in the following scholarly databases: ProQuest Psychology Journals, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, and ERIC) and on MEDLINE, with the application of the exclusion criteria resulting in reviewing a total of 27 studies, using fMRI, rsfMRI, VBM, PET, and EEG methods. The results indicate there are significant neurobiological differences between healthy controls and individuals with IGD. The included studies suggest that compared to healthy controls, gaming addicts have poorer response-inhibition and emotion regulation, impaired prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning and cognitive control, poorer working memory and decision-making capabilities, decreased visual and auditory functioning, and a deficiency in their neuronal reward system, similar to those found in individuals with substance-related addictions. This suggests both substance-related addictions and behavioral addictions share common predisposing factors and may be part of an addiction syndrome. Future research should focus on replicating the reported findings in different cultural contexts, in support of a neurobiological basis of classifying IGD and related disorders.
... Secondly, it has been argued that if IGD results from other mental disorders it cannot be considered a bona fide addiction (7). However, from a clinical perspective, it is clear that comorbidity is the norm, not an exception, and this holds not just for Internet and gaming addiction (6,8), but also for other psychopathology (9) including other addictions (6). Thirdly, previous research on IGD has been criticized for its methodological limitations, given that most research in the area has been conducted using non-clinical populations using psychometric (and therefore subjective) measures (10). ...
... In line with this, in the mid-1990s a couple of researchers introduced the concept of internet addiction (IA) [3,4]. IA has been conceptualized as the excessive use of different online applications that leads to negative consequences in many areas of individuals' lives [5]. Since then, many investigators in different disciplines have started to research the topic [6]. ...
... In general, problematic internet use (PIU) has equivalent words such as, pathological internet use, internet addiction, excessive internet use, compulsive internet use, or internet dependence (Caplan, 2003;Kuss & Griffiths, 2014;Kuss & Lopez-Fernandez, 2016;Odaci & Çelik, 2016;Young & De Abreu, 2017). Students who have shown problematic behavior of internet use will not realize that they are in a troubled condition. ...
This research was designed to examine the relationship between Problem Solving Skills (PSS), Emotional Regulation (ER) and Problematic Internet Use (PIU) among junior high school students. As many as 137 students from SMPN 10 Surabaya in the even semester of academic year 2017/2018 were chosen as participants by using quota sampling method. Data was captured using Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA) and Generalized Problematic Internet Use 2 (GPIUS2). Data that has been collected then analyzed using computer program SPSS version 24.00. The statistical results show that there are low but definite negative relationship between PSS and ER on PIU (β = -.18 and β = -.21, p<.05, respectively). PSS and ER overall explained the 10% variance of PIU. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the higher level of PIU, the lower level of PSS and ER that students have. Thus further, the current research finding will be discussed later.
... Secondly, it has been argued that if IGD results from other mental disorders it cannot be considered a bona fide addiction (7). However, from a clinical perspective, it is clear that comorbidity is the norm, not an exception, and this holds not just for Internet and gaming addiction (6,8), but also for other psychopathology (9) including other addictions (6). Thirdly, previous research on IGD has been criticized for its methodological limitations, given that most research in the area has been conducted using non-clinical populations using psychometric (and therefore subjective) measures (10). ...
Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is a potential mental disorder currently included in the third section of the latest (fifth) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a condition that requires additional research to be included in the main manual. Although research efforts in the area have increased, there is a continuing debate about the respective criteria to use as well as the status of the condition as mental health concern. Rather than using diagnostic criteria which are based on subjective symptom experience, the National Institute of Mental Health advocates the use of Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) which may support classifying mental disorders based on dimensions of observable behavior and neurobiological measures because mental disorders are viewed as biological disorders that involve brain circuits that implicate specific domains of cognition, emotion, and behavior. Consequently, IGD should be classified on its underlying neurobiology, as well as its subjective symptom experience. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to review the neurobiological correlates involved in IGD based on the current literature base. Altogether, 853 studies on the neurobiological correlates were identified on ProQuest (in the following scholarly databases: ProQuest Psychology Journals, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, and ERIC) and on MEDLINE, with the application of the exclusion criteria resulting in reviewing a total of 27 studies, using fMRI, rsfMRI, VBM, PET, and EEG methods. The results indicate there are significant neurobiological differences between healthy controls and individuals with IGD. The included studies suggest that compared to healthy controls, gaming addicts have poorer response-inhibition and emotion regulation, impaired prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning and cognitive control, poorer working memory and decision-making capabilities, decreased visual and auditory functioning, and a deficiency in their neuronal reward system, similar to those found in individuals with substance-related addictions. This suggests both substance-related addictions and behavioral addictions share common predisposing factors and may be part of an addiction syndrome. Future research should focus on replicating the reported findings in different cultural contexts, in support of a neurobiological basis of classifying IGD and related disorders.
In a digitally oriented society, smartphones provide continual online accessibility to daily life while simultaneously predisposing adolescents to engage in prolonged connections for various purposes, thus escalating the risk of Internet addiction (IA). Cognitive processes such as multitasking and attentional shifting are frequently associated with smartphone activities. Additionally, online engagements may serve as emotional strategies for regulating negative states (e.g., boredom and distress), redirecting attention towards more gratifying activities, such as social media contents. This study delves into cognitive–emotional processes (i.e., emotion regulation, attention impulsiveness, online vigilance, and multitasking) and emotional/behavioural factors (i.e., emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationships, and prosocial behaviours) that may be implicated in smartphone activities and technology addiction among adolescents. A community sample of Italian high school students (N = 676; 42.2% females) completed the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS), the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for internalising/externalising symptoms and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) to assess the presence and severity of IA. The scores on the SDS were found to be positively associated with IA levels. Furthermore, students exhibiting higher internalising/externalising symptoms, particularly those with traits of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are more likely to manifest problematic smartphone usage. The implications for screening adolescents more susceptible to developing IA symptoms and for implementing preventive interventions are discussed.
TEKNOLOJİNİN RUH SAĞLIĞINA YANSIMALARI VE
BAĞIMLILIK
Smartphone addiction has negative consequences on adolescents. The main developmental task of adolescence is the formation of ego-identity. Little is awareness of the role of smartphone addiction in ego-identity during adolescence. The study intends to examine the relationship between smartphone addiction and dimensions of identity development. For this purpose, the effects of smartphone addiction on identity dimensions were analysed using path analysis. The sample consisted of 403 high school students aged between 13 and 18 years. The Dimensions of Identity Development Scale and Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Form were used as data gathering instruments. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that smartphone addiction negatively predicted identification commitment, commitment making and exploration breadth from the dimensions of identity development. In addition, it was found that smartphone addiction positively predicted ruminative identity exploration. With the model presented in this study, the connection between smartphone addiction and identity development was determined and it was concluded that adolescents' smartphone addiction plays an important role in identity development. The results obtained were discussed within the framework of the literature. Suggestions were made to researchers and practitioners.
Background
Internet use disorder (IUD) is a new type of behavioral addiction in the digital age. At the same time, internet applications and eHealth can also provide useful support in medical treatment.
Objective
The purpose of this study is to examine if an internet-based eHealth service can reach individuals with IUD. In particular, it should be investigated whether both male and female individuals with more severe IUDs can be reached.
Methods
Data were retrieved from the OMPRIS (online-based motivational intervention to reduce problematic internet use and promote treatment motivation in internet gaming disorder and internet use disorder) project (DRKS00019925), an internet-based motivational intervention to reduce problematic internet use and promote treatment motivation in internet gaming disorder and IUD. During the recruitment process (August 2020-March 2022), a total of 3007 individuals filled out the standardized scale for the assessment of internet and computer game addiction (AICA-S). The assessment was accessible via the project homepage. There was no preselection of participants at this stage of the study; however, the offer was addressed to people with hazardous internet use and IUDs. The web-based assessment was free and could be found via search engines, but attention was also drawn to the service via newspaper articles, radio reports, and podcasts.
Results
Out of 3007 who participated in the web-based self-assessment, 1033 (34.4%) are female, 1740 (57.9%) are male, 67 (2.2%) are diverse individuals, and 167 (5.5%) did not disclose their gender. The IUD symptom severity score showed a wide range between the AICA-S extreme values of 0 and 27 points. On average, the total sample (mean 8.19, SD 5.47) was in the range of hazardous IUD behavior (AICA-S cutoff>7.0). Furthermore, 561 individuals (18.7% of the total sample; mean 17.42, SD 3.38) presented severe IUD (AICA-S cutoff>13.5). Focusing on female and male participants, 20.9% (363/1740) of the men and 14.9% (151/1033) of the women scored above 13.5 points, which can be considered pathological IUD behavior (χ22,2773=16.73, P<.001, effect size: Cramér V=0.078). Unemployment, being in vocational training or studying at a university, and being male were significantly associated with high IUD symptoms.
Conclusions
Using a large sample, the study showed that both mildly and severely IUD-affected individuals can be reached via the internet. An internet-based eHealth offer can thus be a good way to reach patients with IUD where they are addicted—on the internet. In addition, eHealth services increase the likelihood of reaching female patients, who hardly ever come to specialized outpatient clinics and hospitals. Since social problems, especially unemployment, have a strong association with disease severity, the integration of social counseling into treatment seems advisable in terms of a multidisciplinary approach.
Trial Registration
German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00019925; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00019925
Introduction. The article provides data on the prevalence of internet-addicted behavior. Aims. The purpose of the article is to analyze studies devoted to addiction
and problematic use of the Internet among girls and young women in the Russian
Federation. Methods. The review is based on national researches and international
monitoring projects, which include analysis of the situation in Russia. Results. The
key gender features of Internet addiction, specific to girls and young women, mentioned in the article are: vulnerability to the formation of Internet addictive behavior
in the presence of emotional distress signs (alexithymia, fear of negative evaluation,
social anxiety); more pronounced manifestations of addictive behavior, including
compulsive symptoms, withdrawal symptoms and tolerance, as well as mood changes, irritability, anxiety, depression and anxiety. The measures for the internet- addiction that have good predictive validity are presented (the CIAS (Chen Internet Addiction Scale), validated on a sample of young Russian adults in 2021; the GPIUS2
(Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2), validated among adolescents and
youth in 2018).
The present study aimed to investigate the role of attachment styles and gender among different online addictions (social media addiction, online gaming addiction, and internet addiction) among adolescents and young adults via an online survey. The participants comprised 943 Iranian students (440 females) selected by multi-stage cluster sampling. The survey included the nine-item form of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (Laconi et al., 2019), nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (Pontes & Griffiths, 2015), Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (Andreassen et al., 2016), and Parent and Peer Attachment Styles Questionnaire (Gullone & Robinson, 2005). The results showed that online addictions were negatively correlated with secure attachment style, while insecure styles were positively correlated with all three types of online addiction. The results also showed that young adults were more involved in online activities, online addictive behaviors increased with age, and online gaming addiction was more prevalent among males than females. These findings indicate that individuals with a secure attachment style are less susceptible to online addictions and individuals with an insecure attachment style report more online addiction.
This chapter reviews the need for ongoing expansion of and reflection on one’s internal locus of control as a personal skill toward perseverance and creative reinvention in challenging times. Using the COVID-19 global pandemic, as well as previous global challenges as instigators, the chapter will discuss some critical tools for self-preservation, sustainable growth, and overall excellence in personal and professional settings. The chapter first discusses the need for positive leadership as a necessary mode of operation in a post-COVID world, with an emphasis on awakened leadership. In extension to setting this stage, the chapter discusses the positive practice of COURAGE, which alludes to an understanding of having a Choice, nurturing an Open mind, keeping aware of the Usefulness of every experience, engaging in regular Reality-checks, positivizing one’s Attitude, honing the inner-Genius (creative skills), and continuing to Educate oneself.
This study aimed at exploring how family functioning variables are related to internet addiction. The final sample consisted of 568 participants, aged between 14 and 18, who attend Secondary Education, in a district in the North Region of Portugal. A Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Systemic Clinical Outcome Routine Evaluation (SCORE-15) were used. It was found that 73.1% of the participants had mild to moderate addiction, but there were no differences in internet addiction between male and female. On the other hand, differences in terms of family functioning have been verified, with male presenting slightly more difficulties in communicating in the family and more family difficulties. Differences were observed between the study groups (normal users, users with mild dependence and users with moderate dependence) in all dimensions of family functioning. In addition, it was possible to observe positive associations between the dimensions of family functioning and internet addiction. Finally, it was found that communication in the family was the only variable of family functioning that had a predictive role in internet addiction. Therefore, difficulties in family functioning, especially in communication among the members, seem to play a fundamental role in the development of internet addiction, and it is crucial to develop preventive actions, to promote healthy family functioning, as well as healthy internet use.
The study investigates psychopathological symptoms and the Big Five personality traits as predictors of “problematic smartphone use” (PSU) in different generational groups. The generational groups were selected to analyze whether the different life stages and developmental tasks that need to be completed have an impact on PSU. The groups were divided into digital immigrants, digital natives, and Generation Y and Z as subgroups of digital natives. A total of 399 subjects participated (312 women, 86 men, 1 diverse; mean age = 25.9; range 14–67; 44 digital immigrants, 355 digital natives, 35 Generation Y, and 320 Generation Z). They completed the ICD-10 Symptom Rating (ISR), the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), and the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS). The results show differences between digital immigrants and digital natives in the expression of PSU, neuroticism, conscientiousness, depression, anxiety, and compulsivity. Concerning Generations Y and Z, differences were only found in the expression of the PSU. Regression revealed that symptoms for obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, conscientiousness, and gender were significant predictors of PSU. Moderations have shown that being a digital immigrant/native moderates the impact of eating disorders on PSU. Belonging to Generation Y/Z moderates the influence of conscientiousness and depression on PSU. Thus, it shows that in different generations, different factors seem to play a role in the development and maintenance of PSU.
Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı, algılanan sosyal destek, işlevsel olmayan inanış ve haftalık oyun oynama süresinin internet oyun bağımlılığı üzerindeki doğrudan, dolaylı ve toplam etkilerini incelemektir. Yöntem: Çalışmada ilişkisel araştırma deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcılarını, İstanbul ili Ümraniye ilçesinde liselerde eğitim gören 15-17 yaşlarında 190’ı erkek 110’u kadın olmak üzere 300 gönüllü ergen oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmanın örneklemi uygun örnekleme yöntemi ile seçilmiştir. Araştırmada, “İnternet Oyun Oynama Bozukluğu Ölçeği Kısa Formu”, “Çocuk ve Ergenler için Sosyal Destek Değerlendirme Ölçeği”, “Çevrimiçi oyunlar için bilişler ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Algılanan sosyal destek ile internette oyun bağımlılığı arasında işlevsel olmayan inanışın aracı rolü bulunmuştur (bootstrap =-,160, %95 GA =-,261,-,078). Algılanan sosyal destek ile internette oyun bağımlılığı arasında haftalık oyun oynama süresinin aracı rolü bulunmuştur (bootstrap =-,160, %95 GA =-,261,-,078). Son olarak, algılanan sosyal destek ile internette oyun bağımlılığı arasındaki ilişkide haftalık oyun oynama süresi ve işlevsel olmayan inanışların sıralı aracı rolü olduğu bulunmuştur (bootstrap =-,107, %95 GA =-,173,-,062). Sonuç: Algılanan sosyal destek düzeyinin düşmesinin haftalık oyun oynama süresini artırdığı, bununla birlikte işlevsel olmayan inanışların da arttığı ve dolayısıyla bu etkileşimlerin internette oyun bağımlılığını da arttırdığı söylenebilir.
Internet addiction is a widespread problem inflicting most of today's societies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of emotion efficacy therapy on the reduction of internet dependency and psychological vulnerability (depression, anxiety and stress) in students with symptoms of internet addiction. The research was quasi-experimental design with pre-and post-test and control group. The statistical population of the study included all male students of state technical schools with symptoms of internet addiction in the year 2020 in Tabriz City. In order to select the sample, one district from five educational districts and then a technical school were selected randomly. After that, the students possessing the inclusion criteria to the research were screened by Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT20) and from among them 40 students were purposively assigned to either experimental or control group, each group consisting of 20 students. The experimental group received eight session emotion efficacy therapy whereas the control group received no intervention in this period. For the collection of data, Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT20) and Lovibond's Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) were used. The collected data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. The results from the comparison of the post-tests of the groups indicated that scores of internet dependency and psychological vulnerability of experimental and control groups varied significantly (p<0.01). The results showed that emotion efficacy therapy reduced internet dependency and psychological vulnerability (depression, anxiety and stress) in students with symptoms of internet addiction.
This study investigated family type, parental monitoring, and internet addiction among secondary school students in some selected schools in the Ife-East Local Government Area of Osun State. The instrument of the study, which was a questionnaire was used to collect data on family type, parental monitoring, and internet addiction among secondary school students. The instrument (questionnaires) titled "family structure, parental monitoring and internet addiction among secondary school students in Ife-East local government" which was self-designed with the help of my supervisor was used to collect data for the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population for the study was one hundred and fifty (150) students. Four schools were randomly selected from both private and public schools. Students were selected conveniently from each school through the use of a simple random technique. Data collected were analyzed using Chi-square test (2), ANOVA, frequency chart, and percentage. The result revealed that there was no significant relationship between family type and students' internet addictive behavior (2 value = 0.17; P-value = 0.917). The studies also show that there is a significant difference between parental monitoring and the levels of students' internet addiction (F-value = 33.806; P-Value = 0.000). The result further showed that the internet addictive behavior of the students is still fairly tolerable: Low internet addiction 7 (4.7%), Moderate internet addiction 108 (72.0%), and severe internet addiction 35 (23.3%).
Internet addiction has become a behavioral problem globally, especially among youth. Whether this phenomenon is a concern has not been assessed in Ethiopia. This study investigated the prevalence of Internet addiction and risk factors for Internet addiction among undergraduate students at a university in Ethiopia. Data were collected from 812 undergraduate students recruited from 5 campuses using stratified random sampling techniques. Participants completed a pretested structured questionnaire. The results indicated that the prevalence of Internet addiction was 35.2%, with severe addiction for 1.8% and mild addiction for 33.4% of participants. Internet addiction rates were higher among female students compared to their male counterparts (38.3% vs. 33.4%). Senior students reported more addiction to Internet use, χ² = 42.72, p< .001. Academic grade-point average (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = .19, 95% CI [.13, .29]), parental supervision (AOR = .96, 95% CI [.92, .99]), self-esteem (AOR = .95, 95% CI [.91, .99]), and peer pressure (AOR = 1.16, 95% CI [1.10, 1.22]) were risk factors for Internet addiction. Our findings revealed that more than one third of the respondents had an addiction to the Internet. Increased grade-point average, higher self-esteem, and higher perceived parental supervision were protective against Internet addiction, whereas seniority among students and peer pressure were drivers toward Internet addiction. These findings highlight the importance of considering the identified factors in designing interventions to prevent and control Internet addiction among students.
Sosyal medyanın etki alanını ve popülaritesini gün geçtikçe artırmasıyla ortaya çıkan problemler, pek çok araştırmaya konu olmaktadır. Bunlar arasında ölçek geliştirme çalışmalarının sayısı son derece azdır. Diğer taraftan farklı program ve fakülte, hatta lise öğrencilerine yönelik sosyal medya çalışmaları bulunmakla birlikte, ilahiyat fakültesi öğrencileri örnekleminde sosyal medya konusunu ele alan bir ölçek çalışmasına rastlanmamıştır. Çalışmamızın, geçerli-güvenilir bir ölçme aracı ortaya koyarak bu konuda bir boşluğu doldurması amaçlanmaktadır. Çalışmanın evreni, Türkiye’deki ilahiyat fakültelerinde öğrenim gören öğrencilerden oluşmaktadır. Örneklem, çeşitli şehirlerde yer alan 35 ilahiyat fakültesi arasından olasılık dışı örneklem belirleme türlerinden “Uygun Örnekleme Yöntemi” ile seçilmiştir ve 483 öğrenciden meydana gelmektedir. Örneklemi meydana getiren sosyal medya kullanıcısı katılımcılar, bir internet bağlantısı üzerinden anket formuna ulaşarak soruları yanıtlamıştır. Analizler sonucunda ölçeğin 21 madde ve 3 faktörden oluştuğu saptanmıştır. Bu 3 faktör toplam varyansın % 53.509’unu açıklamaktadır. Faktör 1- sosyal medya kullanımının bireysel/toplumsal sonuçları boyutu Cronbah’s Alpha değeri .869; Faktör 2- sosyal medya kullanımının zamanı/süresi/sıklığı boyutu Cronbah’s Alpha değeri .788 ve Faktör 3-. sosyal medya ortamlarına erişimin engellenmesinde ortaya çıkan duygu durum boyutu Cronbah’s Alpha değeri .850 olarak bulunmuştur. Ölçeğin Cronbah’s Alpha iç tutarlılık katsayısı .914 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Kapsam geçerliği sonuçları, faktör analizi ile gerçekleştirilen yapı geçerliği bulguları, alt boyutlar üzerinde ayrı ayrı gerçekleştirilen güvenirlik çalışmaları ve tüm ölçeğin iç tutarlılık katsayısı ile ilgili bulgular birlikte değerlendirildiğinde ilahiyat fakültesi öğrencileri örnekleminde gerçekleştirilen problemli sosyal medya kullanım ölçeğinin geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.
This chapter provides a brief overview of gaming disorder (GD) and its treatment. There are now over twenty different screens for assessing problematic gaming although relatively few have used nationally representative samples. The prevalence rates in these nationally representative studies have ranged from 1.2 percent to 8.5 percent depending upon country and screening instrument used. There have been a number of studies describing treatment of GD, although many of these tend not to distinguish between Internet Use Disorder and GD. In terms of treatment for GD, both psychological and pharmacological approaches have been adopted. More specifically, psychological treatment using a cognitive-behavioral framework (CBT) appears to be the most widely used. Furthermore, pharmacological treatment using opioid receptor antagonists, antidepressants, antipsychotics, opioid receptor antagonists, and psychostimulants has been reported in the literature. It is concluded that standardized and comprehensive methods of diagnosis are at present lacking, and that further research into GD is needed from clinical, epidemiological, cross-cultural, and neurobiological perspectives of GD.
Losing contact with nature has become a serious concern in recent years, not only because it depletes children and adolescents’ physical health and well-being, but also because it creates apathy towards natural environments. Most past research has developed scales to measure adult’s connection with nature (CWN), leaving adolescents’ CWN a less examined academic question. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study is therefore to understand what Taiwanese adolescents experienced and perceived as CWN and thus re-evaluate existing CWN definitions and assumptions proposed in western cultural contexts. We adopted phenomenology and grounded theory as guiding methods to interview 10 junior and senior high school students (age 16-18) in northern urban Taiwan through open and relational sampling. We developed a three-construct CWN model that consisted of sensory engagement, emotional attachment, and symbolic meaning-making. Our findings also indicated that adolescents’ CWN was distinct from children and adults, and cultural differences may exist. Rather than a stable personality trait, adolescents’ CWN continued to develop and change with educational interventions. Based on our findings, we suggest designing a specific CWN scale for adolescents for future research and propose pedagogical principles to help educators to strengthen adolescents’ CWN.
While many people use social network sites to connect with friends and family, some feel that their use is problematic, seriously affecting their sleep, work, or life. Pairing a survey of 20,000 Facebook users measuring perceptions of problematic use with behavioral and demographic data, we examined Facebook activities associated with problematic use as well as the kinds of people most likely to experience it. People who feel their use is problematic are more likely to be younger, male, and going through a major life event such as a breakup. They spend more time on the platform, particularly at night, and spend proportionally more time looking at profiles and less time browsing their News Feeds. They also message their friends more frequently. While they are more likely to respond to notifications, they are also more likely to deactivate their accounts, perhaps in an effort to better manage their time. Further, they are more likely to have seen content about social media or phone addiction. Notably, people reporting problematic use rate the site as more valuable to them, highlighting the complex relationship between technology use and well-being. A better understanding of problematic Facebook use can inform the design of context-appropriate and supportive tools to help people become more in control.
Objectives: The nine-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ-9) is a brief self-report screening instrument for problematic internet use. The main objective of the present study was to explore the psychometric properties of the PIUQ-9 among nine different language-based samples of European internet users (Italian, German, French, Polish, Turkish, Hungarian, English, and Greek).
Methods: The total sample comprised 5,593 internet users (38.1% men), aged between 18 and 87 years (M = 25.81; SD = 8.61). Via online recruitment, participants completed the PIUQ-9, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and items about time spent online.
Results: Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the bifactor model with one general factor (i.e., general problem) and two-specific factors (i.e., obsession and neglect + control disorder) yielded acceptable or good fit indices in all subsamples except for one. The common variance index in the bifactor model indicated that the general problem factor explained from 57.0 to 76.5% of common variance, which supports the presence of a strong global factor. According to the multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model, psychiatric symptoms had a moderate-to-strong direct effect on the general problem factor in all subsamples, ranging from β = 0.28 to β = 0.52 supporting the construct validity of the scale. Furthermore, in a majority of the subsamples, time spent online during the weekend had considerably higher effect sizes on the general problem factor than time spent online during weekdays.
Conclusion: The present study highlights the appropriate psychometric properties of the PIUQ-9 across a number of European languages and cultures.
Excessive use of the Internet and social media has been associated with behavioural addiction, which sparked the researchers’ interest in gaining a better understanding of this global phenomenon. The aim of this study was to fill a gap in knowledge by using just one sample to identify similarities and differences in relationships between technology addictions and personality characteristics, especially traits, self-esteem, and self-construal. The sample consisted of 512 undergraduate students. The results showed that Internet addiction and social media addiction shared many more similarities than differences. Agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experiences, emotional stability, self-esteem, the frequency of checking account, and Internet usage were predictors of both Internet addiction and social media addiction. Age, satisfaction with life, and interdependent self-construal did not predict Internet addiction or social media addiction, whereas real self and extraversion predicted Internet addiction only, and gender, posting updates, a number of friends, and independent self-construal predicted social media addiction only. These results provide some basis for an understanding of Internet and social media addiction profiles.
This research was conducted to investigate the effect of internet dependency on student- teachers’ loneliness of Admiyaman University. The study also examined the differences in internet dependency and loneliness among students and teachers of Adiyaman University of Turkey. The standard questionnaire of Jung (1996) was used to measure the internet dependency. Also, to measure the sense of loneliness variable, the standard questionnaire of Rosell et al. (1980) was used. The reliability of the questionnaires was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha test, which included: Internet addiction questionnaire 0.91 and loneliness questionnaire 0.86. Questionnaires were distributed among the subjects (172 student- teachers of Adiyaman University). The results showed that internet dependency on student- teachers’ loneliness of Adiyaman University had a significant positive effect (beta = 0.898). There was also a significant difference between the dependence on the internet and the feelings of the student- teachers of Adiyaman University of Turkey. Male student- teachers were more dependent on the internet, and female student- teachers also felt more lonely.
Contemporary technological advances have led to a significant increase in using mobile technologies. Recent research has pointed to potential problems as a consequence of mobile overuse, including addiction, financial problems, dangerous use (i.e. whilst driving) and prohibited use (i.e. use in forbidden areas). The aim of this study is to extend previous findings regarding the predictive power of psychopathological symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress), mobile phone use (i.e. calls, SMS, time spent on the phone, as well as the engagement in specific smartphone activities) across Generations X and Y on problematic mobile phone use in a sample of 273 adults. Findings revealed prohibited use and dependence were predicted by calls/day, time on the phone and using social media. Only for dependent mobile phone use (rather than prohibited), stress appeared as significant. Using social media and anxiety significantly predicted belonging to Generation Y, with calls per day predicted belonging to Generation X. This finding suggests Generation Y are more likely to use asynchronous social media-based communication, whereas Generation X engage more in synchronous communication. The findings have implications for prevention and awareness-raising efforts of possibly problematic mobile phone use for educators, parents and individuals, particularly including dependence and prohibited use.
Over the last decade, research on Internet addiction (IA) has increased. However, almost all studies in the area are cross-sectional and do not examine the context in which Internet use takes place. Therefore, a longitudinal study examined the role of conscientiousness (as a personality trait) and classroom hostility (as a contextual factor) in the development of IA. The participants comprised 648 adolescents and were assessed over a 2-year period (while aged 16-18 years). A three-level hierarchical linear model was carried out on the data collected. Findings revealed that (a) lower conscientiousness was associated with IA and this did not change over time and (b) although being in a more hostile classroom did not initially have a significant effect, it increased girls' IA vulnerability over time and functioned protectively for boys. Results indicated that the contribution of individual and contextual IA factors may differ across genders and over time. More specifically, although the protective effect of conscientiousness appeared to hold, the overtime effect of classroom hostility increased the risk of IA for girls. These findings are discussed in relation to the psychological literature. The study's limitations and implications are also discussed.
The current study explored the impact of internet exposure on the impulsivity of individuals who reported higher or lower levels of problematic internet behaviours. Levels of problematic internet use in 60 individuals were measured using the Internet Addiction Test. Participants were exposed to a choice assessment, in which they could choose between a small immediately-delivered outcome (impulsive), a medium-sized outcome with a medium delay (optimal), and a larger longer-delayed outcome (self-controlled). They were given 15 min access to the internet, and finally were presented with the choice test again. Of the sample, 28% (17/60) had internet-problems, with no difference being found between male and female rates of problematic internet use. Those reporting higher levels of internet-problems displayed no greater impulsive behaviours, prior to internet exposure, than those reporting fewer problems. After internet exposure, higher-problem users displayed greater impulsivity, reflected by a move from self-controlled to impulsive choices. These findings suggest that individuals reporting internet-related problems become more impulsive after exposure to the internet.
Abstract
Objective: It is known that problematic internet use (PIU) increasing especially among the youth and has become an important public health problem. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of PIU among the medical students and the relationship between PIU and selected socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. gender), loneliness, alexithymia and probability of suicide.
Method: A total of 328 subjects (44.2% males, 55.8% females) completed four instruments: Young Internet
Addiction Test (YIAT), UCLA loneliness scale (UCLA-LS), The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and
Suicide Probability Scale (SPS).
Results: PIU was detected in 6.4% (n=21) of the participants. Its prevalence was significantly higher in males than in females (p=0.009). We found significant positive correlation between loneliness, alexithymia, suicide probability and PIU. A significant positive relationship was also found between PIU and Hopelessness, Suicide Ideation and Hostility.
Conclusion: PIU was found at a higher rate in male gender and was found to be associated with loneliness,
alexithymia and probability of suicide. Prospective studies need to be based on different sampling groups to
understand the underlying mechanisms that affect PIU and to explore effective preventative treatment strategies.
Over the past decades, Internet use has grown substantially, and it now serves people as a supportive tool that is used regularly and-in large parts of the world-inevitably. Some people develop problematic Internet use, which may lead to addictive behavior and it is becoming important to explore the risk factors for compulsive Internet use. Data were analyzed on compulsive Internet use [with the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS)] from 5247 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) adolescent twins registered with the Netherlands Twin Register. The participants form a sample that is informative for genetic analyses, allowing the investigation of the causes of individual differences in compulsive Internet use. The internal consistency of the instrument was high and the 1.6-year test-retest correlation in a subsample (n = 902) was 0.55. CIUS scores increased slightly with age. Remarkably, gender did not explain variation in CIUS scores, as mean scores on the CIUS were the same in boys and girls. However, the time spent on specific Internet activities differed: boys spent more time on gaming, whereas girls spent more time on social network sites and chatting. The heritability estimates were the same for boys and girls: 48 percent of the individual differences in CIUS score were influenced by genetic factors. The remaining variance (52 percent) was due to environmental influences that were not shared between family members. Because a life without Internet is almost impossible nowadays, it is important to further explore the determinants of compulsive Internet use, including genetic risk factors.
© 2015 The Authors. Addiction Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.
The internet age bears new challenges that include health risks. It is agreed that excessive internet use may reach pathological levels. However, the concept of internet addiction lacks specificity and, therefore, warrants studies on its diagnostic and etiologic classification. This study was conducted to characterize the novel DSM-5 criteria for internet gaming disorder and the adapted criteria for the “social network disorder”. Based on the established association of handedness and substance use disorders, we also explored whether internet use related to laterality. For this study, 3,287 volunteers participated in the online survey and gave particulars concerning their internet use in general, internet gaming and use of social networks, laterality markers (hand, foot, eye, ear, rotational preference in gymnastics, and head turning asymmetry) and health status. Of the participants, 1.1 % fulfilled the criteria for internet gaming disorder, and 1.8 % fulfilled the criteria for social network disorder. The applied criteria were highly correlated with the time spent on the respective internet activities (p −56). The analyses of comorbidity and working hours support the thresholds of 5/9 criteria and ≥30 h/week spent on the internet for the classification as pathological (p −2). Moreover, we found that left-handedness related to more affirmed criteria and longer times spent on social networks (p ≤ 4 × 10−2). The provided criteria proved to be user-friendly, comprehensible and well accepted. The results contribute to a better understanding of pathological internet gaming and social network use and provide evidence that biological markers of substance use disorders are involved in internet addiction.
Problematic Internet use or excessive Internet use is characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges, or behaviors regarding computer use, and Internet access that leads to impairment or distress. Cross-sectional studies on samples of patients reported high comorbidity of Internet addiction with psychiatric disorders, especially affective disorders (including depression), anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
We have investigated the association between Internet addiction and social anxiety in 2 samples of 120 university students (60 males and 60 females in each sample).
We found a correlation between Internet addiction and social anxiety in the 2 samples (r = 0.411, P < .001; r = 0.342, P < .01) respectively. Secondly, we found no difference between males and females on the level of Internet addiction. Thirdly, we did not find a preference for social networks among participants with high levels of social anxiety.
The results of the study support previous evidence for co-occurrence of Internet addiction and social anxiety, but further studies need to clarify this association.
Background:
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of higher risk of Internet addiction (HRIA) with lifetime substance use, psychological and behavioral factors among Turkish 10(th) grade students.
Subjects and methods:
Cross-sectional online self-report survey conducted in 45 schools from the 15 districts in Istanbul, Turkey. A representative sample of 4957 10(th) grade students was studied between October 2012 and December 2012. Other than sociodemographic variables the survey included the Addiction Profile Index Internet Addiction Form-Screening Version (BAPINT-SV) and the Psychological Screening Test for Adolescents (PSTA).
Results:
The participants were classified into two groups as those with HRIA (15.96%) and those with lower risk of Internet addiction. The rate of HRIA was higher in the males. The findings indicated that HRIA is related with negative consequences in school, lifetime use of tobacco, alcohol and/or drug, suicidal thoughts, self-harming and delinquent behaviors.
Conclusions:
Male gender, lifetime use of tobacco, alcohol and/or drug, depression, attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms and lack of assertiveness predicted the HRIA in Turkish 10(th) grade students. Being aware of those with HRIA is important in prevention and management of Internet addiction as well as other important problems among students, such as substance use.
Problematic Internet use (PIU) or Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) is characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges, or behaviors regarding Internet use that lead to impairment or distress. Due to
the increased use of the Internet over the past 15 years, IAD has attracted attention of researchers and clinicians in the field. Young (1998) and Griffiths (1998; 2000) were the first who defined IAD and have done
extensive research. Internet addiction has also attracted increasing coverage in the popular media and among researchers, and this attention has paralleled the growth in computer use and Internet access (Shaw & Black, 2008). Phenomenologically, there appear to be at least three IAD subtypes: excessive gaming-gambling, sexual preoccupations (cybersex), and socializing or social networking, including e-mail and messaging. Internet addicts may use the Internet for extended periods, isolating themselves from other
forms of social contact, and focus almost entirely on the Internet rather than broader life events. Adolescents with problematic Internet use showed dysfunctional coping strategies with problems in school and home and
showed worse interpersonal relations (Milani, Osualdella, & Di Blasio, 2009). IAD can also be explained by a need to “escape from oneself,” which may account for the excessive playing of Internet games (Kwon, Chung, & Lee, 2011).
Background and aims:
Research into Internet addiction (IA) has increased greatly over the last decade. Despite its various definitions and general lack of consensus regarding its conceptualisation amongst researchers, instruments for measuring this phenomenon have proliferated in a number of countries. There has been little research on IA in Portugal and this may be partly due to the absence of standardised measurement tools for assessing IA.
Methods:
This study attempted to address this issue by adapting a Portuguese version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) via a translation-back translation process and Confirmatory Factor Analysis in a sample of 593 Portuguese students that completed a Portuguese version of the IAT along with questions related to socio-demographic variables.
Results:
The findings suggested that the IAT appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring IA among Portuguese young adults as demonstrated by its satisfactory psychometric properties. However, the present findings also suggest the need to reword and update some of the IAT's items. Prevalence of IA found in the sample was 1.2% and is discussed alongside findings relating to socio-demographic correlates. Limitations and implications of the present study are also discussed.
Conclusions:
The present study calls for a reflection of the IAT while also contributing to a better understanding of the basic aspects of IA in the Portuguese community since many health practitioners are starting to realise that Internet use may pose a risk for some individuals.
the increasing complexity of decision making about structural equation models and comprehensiveness of computer software for estimating them has created a significant burden for researchers in the social and behavioral sciences / researchers who choose to address substantive research questions using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach are faced with the task of sifting through the large amount of output routinely generated by SEM software and deciding how to present information in a way that permits a reasoned evaluation and understanding of their analysis / provide a set of general recommendations that promote effective and complete communication of results from SEM analyses (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This contribution is focused on how to write a research paper when structural equation models are being used in empirical work. The main question to be answered is which information should be reported and which results can be deleted without much loss of judgment about the quality of research and the validity of conclusions being made. The major conjecture is that all information should be reported, or referred to, that enables each member of the scientific community, at least in principle, to replicate the analysis as it is published. The recommendations are ordered in the framework of the empirical research cycle. They are meant for authors, in particular students employing structural equation models for their dissertation, as well as for editors and reviewers.
As the Internet became widely used, problems associated with its excessive use became increasingly apparent. Although for the assessment of these problems several models and related questionnaires have been elaborated, there has been little effort made to confirm them. The aim of the present study was to test the three-factor model of the previously created Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) by data collection methods formerly not applied (off-line group and face-to-face settings), on the one hand, and by testing on different age groups (adolescent and adult representative samples), on the other hand. Data were collected from 438 high-school students (44.5 percent boys; mean age: 16.0 years; standard deviation=0.7 years) and also from 963 adults (49.9 percent males; mean age: 33.6 years; standard deviation=11.8 years). We applied confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the measurement model of problematic Internet use. The results of the analyses carried out inevitably support the original three-factor model over the possible one-factor solution. Using latent profile analysis, we identified 11 percent of adults and 18 percent of adolescent users characterized by problematic use. Based on exploratory factor analysis, we also suggest a short form of the PIUQ consisting of nine items. Both the original 18-item version of PIUQ and its short 9-item form have satisfactory reliability and validity characteristics, and thus, they are suitable for the assessment of problematic Internet use in future studies.
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This chapter reviews the measurement instruments that have been developed for assessment of problematic Internet use and problematic online gaming (including video game addiction). Findings using these instruments have been inconsistent, mainly because of the lack of a consensual definition and solid theoretical background. The advantages of some of the existing scales are their brevity; ease of use; and good psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency, concurrent validity, and convergent validity. However, very few instruments have undergone a comprehensive psychometric evaluation and have had their factor structure confirmed. Some instruments are promising but must be further validated to meet all of the following criteria for an adequate measurement instrument: brevity; comprehensiveness; reliability and validity across different cultures, age groups, and different data collection methods; and clinical validity. Refinement of the existing tools or development of the new instruments is crucial for clinical practice and research efforts.
Objective: This study aims to address possible associations between excessive use of the Internet and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression. As most of the studies on this topic were conducted in Asia, the aim of this investigation is to review the literature on this subject from Germany and examine problematic Internet use for potential associations with the propensity for depression and ADHD in a new, distinct German sample. Methods: A review of the literature was conducted. Subsequently, a total of N=895 healthy participants from Germany (413 males, 482 females) took part in a new study. Participants filled in questionnaires on their Internet usage, propensity for depression and ADHD. Results: The review of the literature revealed predominantly positive associations between problematic Internet use and depression, whereas only one study on the relationship between problematic Internet use and ADHD from Germany was found. The results from the current study showed that male participants had significantly higher scores on the Internet Addiction Test (IA-T) than female participants. Finally, the IA-T scores of the participants were linked to both the propensity for depression (r=.247, p<.01) and ADHD (r=.335, p<.01). This association was stronger for ADHD and in particular for the subscale “attention deficit”, as revealed by a post-hoc analysis. Conclusion: The results of this study are consistent with most of the research on this topic in other cultural circles and highlight the role of ADHD and depression when it comes to problematic Internet use. This study provides a basis for consideration about the clinical implications and treatment of comorbid problematic Internet use.
Research into Internet addiction (IA) has grown rapidly over the last decade. The topic has generated a great deal of debate particularly in relation to how IA can be defined conceptually as well as the many methodological limitations. The present review aimed to further elaborate and clarify the following issues that are relevant to IA research in a number of areas including: (i) definition and characterization, (ii) incidence and prevalence rates, (iii) associated neuronal processes, and (iv) implications for treatment, prevention, and patient-specific considerations. It is concluded that there is no consensual definition for IA. Prevalence rates among nationally representative samples across several countries vary greatly (1% to 18.7%) most likely reflecting the lack of methodological consistency and conceptual rigor of the studies. The overlaps between IA and other more traditional substance-based addictions and the possible neural substrates implicated in IA are also highlighted. In terms of treatment and prevention, both psychological and pharmacological treatments are examined in light of existing evidence alongside particular aspects inherent to the patients’ perspective. Based on the evidence analyzed, it is concluded that IA may pose as a serious health hazard to a minority of people.
The goal of this study was to examine the mediating role of negative emotions in the link between academic stress and Internet addiction among Korean adolescents. We attempted to extend the general strain theory to Internet addiction by exploring psychological pathways from academic stress to Internet addiction using a national and longitudinal panel study. A total of 512 adolescents completed self-reported scales for academic stress, negative emotions, and Internet addiction. We found that academic stress was positively associated with negative emotions and Internet addiction, and negative emotions were positively associated with Internet addiction. Further, the results of structural equation modeling revealed that adolescents’ academic stress had indirectly influenced Internet addiction through negative emotions. The results of this study suggest that adolescents who experience academic stress might be at risk for Internet addiction, particularly when accompanied with negative emotions. These findings provided significant implications for counselors and policymakers to prevent adolescents’ Internet addiction, and extended the general strain theory to Internet addiction which is typically applicable to deviant behavior.
Read the paper online at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853215000061
Introduction: Recent research has examined the context in which preference for specific online activities arise, leading researchers to suggest that excessive Internet users are engaged in specific activities rather than ‘generalized’ Internet use. The present study aimed to partially replicate and expand these findings by addressing four research questions regarding (i) participants’ preferred online activities, (i) possible expected
changes in online behavior in light of hypothetical scenarios, (iii) perceived quality of life when access to Internet was not possible, and (iv) how participants with self-diagnosed Internet Addiction relate to intensity and frequency of Internet use. Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted using convenience and snowball sampling to recruit participants. A total of 1057 Internet users with ages ranging from 16 to 70 years (Mage = 30 years, SD = 10.84) were recruited online via several English-speaking online forums. Results: Most participants indicated their preferred activities were (i) accessing general information and news, (ii) social networking, and (iii) using e-mail and/or online chatting. Participants also reported that there would be a significant decrease of
their Internet use if access to their preferred activities was restricted. The study also found that 51% of the total sample perceived themselves as being addicted to the Internet, while 14.1% reported that without the Internet their life would be improved. Conclusions: The context in which the Internet is used appears to determine the
intensity and the lengths that individuals will go to use this tool. The implications of these findings are further discussed.
This study examined whether problematic Internet use was associated with substance use among young adolescents and assessed whether this association accounted for the use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and other drugs.
Using the Internet Addiction Test we divided a representative sample of 3,067 adolescents in Switzerland (mean age 14 years) into regular and problematic Internet users. We performed a bivariate analysis and two logistic regression models, to analyse substances separately and simultaneously, and developed a log-linear model to define the associations between significant variables.
Problematic Internet users were more likely to be female, to use substances, to come from non-intact families, to report poor emotional wellbeing and to be below average students. The first model showed significant associations between problematic users and each substance, with adjusted odds ratios of 2.05 for tobacco, 1.72 for alcohol, 1.94 for cannabis and 2.73 for other drugs. Only smoking remained significant in the second model, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.71.
Problematic Internet use is associated with other risky behaviours and may be an important early predictor of adolescent substance use. Therefore it should be included in the psychosocial screening of adolescents. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The primary objective of this paper is to develop and validate an instrument for massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) addiction. Three stages of instrument development were undertaken to achieve this objective: item generation, scale development, and instrument testing. The results of a confirmation factor analysis confirmed the existence of seven dimensions of MMOG addiction, namely Salience, Mood Modification, Tolerance, Withdrawal, Conflicts, Relapse, and Loss of Control. The final instrument exhibits adequate levels of reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and nomological validity. The instrument is expected to assist future empirical research on MMOG addiction. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Background:
Pathological internet use is of increasing significance in several industrial nations.
Sampling and methods:
We surveyed a representative German quota sample of 1,723 adolescents (aged 14-17 years) and 1 caregiver each. We conducted a latent profile analysis to identify a high-risk group for pathological internet use.
Results:
Overall, 3.2% of the sample formed a profile group with pathological internet use. In contrast to other published studies, the results of the latent profile analysis were verified not only by self-assessments of the youth's but also by external ratings of the caregivers. In addition to the pathological internet use, the high-risk group showed lower levels of family functioning and life satisfaction as well as more problems in family interactions.
Conclusions:
The results showed a considerable prevalence of pathological internet use in adolescents and emphasized the need for preventive and therapeutic approaches.
Compulsive Internet Use (CIU) refers to a maladaptive relationship with the tool, including a loss of control over the use, the use for mood change and withdrawal symptoms. Most studies have relied on student samples, thus little is known about its prevalence in adults. The first objective of this study was to examine CIU in adults that were either employed (N=260) or unemployed within the last year (N=256). Second, the drivers of CIU were examined, with a focus on attitudes that reflected the reality of long working hours and job insecurity that people experience in current workplaces. A high risk of CIU (63%) with no significant differences between employed and unemployed individuals was found. However, unemployed individuals were in the highest band of Internet use, a risk factor for CIU. Interestingly, unemployed 40-55years old females experienced higher CIU than their male counterparts. Regarding drivers of CIU, the job attitudes working excessively and compulsively were the strongest predictors, beyond emotion stability. This was particularly true at high levels of social support. In view of this, organizations should proactively evaluate the risks associated with encouraging working excessively as ill-health consequences associated with CIU could outweigh the benefits.
In the last decade, Internet usage has grown tremendously on a global scale. The increasing popularity and frequency of Internet use has led to an increasing number of reports highlighting the potential negative consequences of overuse. Over the last decade, research into Internet addiction has proliferated. This paper reviews the existing 68 epidemiological studies of Internet addiction that (i) contain quantitative empirical data, (ii) have been published after 2000, (iii) include an analysis relating to Internet addiction, (iv) include a minimum of 1000 participants, and (v) provide a full-text article published in English using the database Web of Science. Assessment tools and conceptualisations, prevalence, and associated factors in adolescents and adults are scrutinised. The results reveal the following. First, no gold standard of Internet addiction classification exists as 21 different assessment instruments have been identified. They adopt official criteria for substance use disorders or pathological gambling, no or few criteria relevant for an addiction diagnosis, time spent online, or resulting problems. Second, reported prevalence rates differ as a consequence of different assessment tools and cut-offs, ranging from 0.8% in Italy to 26.7% in Hong Kong. Third, Internet addiction is associated with a number of sociodemographic, Internet use, and psychosocial factors, as well as comorbid symptoms and disorder in adolescents and adults. The results indicate that a number of core symptoms (i.e., compulsive use, negative outcomes and salience) appear relevant for diagnosis, which assimilates Internet addiction and other addictive disorders and also differentiates them, implying a conceptualisation as syndrome with similar etiology and components, but different expressions of addictions. Limitations include the exclusion of studies with smaller sample sizes and studies focusing on specific online behaviours. Conclusively, there is a need for nosological precision so that ultimately those in need can be helped by translating the scientific evidence established in the context of Internet addiction into actual clinical practice.
The statistical tests used in the analysis of structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error are examined. A drawback of the commonly applied chi square test, in addition to the known problems related to sample size and power, is that it may indicate an increasing correspondence between the hypothesized model and the observed data as both the measurement properties and the relationship between constructs decline. Further, and contrary to common assertion, the risk of making a Type II error can be substantial even when the sample size is large. Moreover, the present testing methods are unable to assess a model's explanatory power. To overcome these problems, the authors develop and apply a testing system based on measures of shared variance within the structural model, measurement model, and overall model.
Overview Empirical example: Positive health behaviors Preparing to conduct LCA with covariates LCA with covariates: Model and notation Hypothesis testing in LCA with covariates Interpretation of the intercepts and regression coefficients Empirical examples of LCA with a single covariate Empirical example of multiple covariates and interaction terms Multiple-group LCA with covariates: Model and notation Grouping variable or covariate? Use of a Bayesian prior to stabilize estimation Binomial logistic regression Suggested supplemental readings Points to remember What's next
Objectives: The existence of exercise addiction has been examined in numerous studies. However, none of the measures developed for exercise addiction assessment have been validated on representative samples. Furthermore, estimates of exercise addiction prevalence in the general population are not available. The objective of the present study was to validate the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI; Terry, Szabo, & Griffiths, 2004), and the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS; Hausenblas & Downs, 2002b), and to estimate the prevalence of exercise addiction in general population. Design: Exercise addiction was assessed within the framework of the National Survey on Addiction Problems in Hungary (NSAPH), a national representative study for the population aged 18-64 years (N = 2710). Method: 474 people in the sample (57% males; mean age 33.2 years) who reported to exercise at least once a week were asked to complete the two questionnaires (EAI, EDS). Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated good fit both in the case of EAI (CFI = 0.971; TLI = 0.952; RMSEA = 0.052) and EDS (CFI = 0.938; TLI = 0.922; RMSEA = 0.049); and confirmed the factor structure of the two scales. The correlation between the two measures was high (r = 0.79). Results showed that 6.2% (EDS) and 10.1% (EAI) of the population were characterized as nondependent-symptomatic exercisers, while the proportion of the at-risk exercisers were 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Both EAI and EDS proved to be a reliable assessment tool for exercise addiction, a phenomenon that is present in the 0.3-0.5% of the adult general population.
This study evaluates the 16-item, four-factor Weight-Related Eating Questionnaire (WREQ), which assesses theory-based aspects of eating behavior, across diverse, nonclinical subgroups. A total of 621 men and women aged 18-81 years (34.3 ± 16.4) with a mean BMI of 25.7 ± 6.1 kg/m(2) (range 15.5-74.1 kg/m(2)) were recruited from general education classes at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa and an online survey panel of Hawai'i residents to complete a web-based survey. Participants were predominantly white (23%), Asian/Asian-mix (42%), or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (18%). The WREQ's factor structure was successfully replicated by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for the entire sample and by weight status, gender, age, and race with strong internal consistency. Four-week test-retest reliability (n = 31) for the subscales was excellent with interclass correlations of 0.849-0.932. Tests of population invariance confirmed the generalizability of the WREQ across all subgroups having provided no evidence that the factor structure, factor loadings, or indicator intercepts varied significantly between the groups. Multivariate regression analyses showed that emotional eating was independently associated with BMI (β = 0.272, P < 0.001) as well as moderate- and long-term weight change rates (weight gain) in young adults (β = 0.152, P = 0.042) and adults (β = 0.217, P = 0.001). Compensatory restraint was negatively associated with weight gain in adults (β = -0.133, P = 0.039). Routine restraint and emotional eating were highest among dieters. All associations remained significant after accounting for gender, age, and race. The hypothesized WREQ measurement model demonstrated very good construct validity, confirming the unbiased generalizability of the WREQ measure across sex, age, race, and BMI subgroups, and excellent criterion-related validity with respect to current BMI, weight change, and weight control status.
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