Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T09:11:59.428Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Internet and psychopathology: an analysis of the use of the Web by 1075 students at secondary school

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Gerardo Favaretto ,
Idana Morandin ,
Michele Gava  and
Fabio Binotto
Idana Morandin
Affiliation:
Dipartimenio di Salute Mentale, Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria no 7, Pieve di Soligo (Treviso)
Michele Gava
Affiliation:
Unità Controllo di Gestione, Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria no 7, Pieve di Soligo (Treviso)
Fabio Binotto
Affiliation:
Servizio per l'Informatica, Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria no 7, Pieve di Soligo (Treviso)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Aims – The purpose of this research is to make a contribution to analysing the complex issue of the relationship between Internet use and psychological disorders, and proposes a survey of the typical features and effects of such use among a sample of secondary school students. Pattern – The research was carried out on a sample of 1075 students aged 14-21 from two secondary schools, where students are prevalently male in one and female in the other; computer science is part of the teaching programme in both institutes. Instruments used – General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Goldberg's 28-item version, together with a form to collect individual and social data and information about the actual use of Internet, such as number of years, number of hours a day/a week, subjective experience, quantitative-qualitative perception of the connection. Results – There is a clear and significant correlation between weekly hours of use and GHQ scores. Conclusions – Analysis of our sample confirms certain statements found in the relevant literature concerning a possible relationship between the use of Internet and psychological disorders.

Declaration of Interest: none.

Keywords

InternetInternet Addiction DisorderInternet behavioursstudents and Internet
Type
Original Articles
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 13 , Issue 4 , December 2004 , pp. 249 - 254
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bibliografia

Angelozzi, A. & Favaretto, G. (1999). La psichiatria e la rete. In Psichiatria Online (a cura di Bollorino, F.). pp. 11–55. Apogeo: Milano.Google Scholar
Bricolo, F., Marconi, G.L., Conte, G.L., Di Giannantonio, M. & De Risio, S. (1997). Internet addiction disorder: una “nuova dipendenza”. Studio su un campione di giovani utenti. Bollettino Scienlifico e di lnformazione della Societa Italiana di Psichiatria 4, n. 1-2, 38–44.Google Scholar
Cantelmi, T., Talli, M., Del Miglio, C. & D'Andrea, A. (2000). La Menu in Internet. Psicopatologia delle Condotte On-line. Piccin: Padova.Google Scholar
Capiluppi, C.Dulli, S. & Fabbris, L. (1993). Statree 2.0. Cleup: Padova.Google Scholar
Davis, R.A., Flett, G.L. & Besser, A. (2002). Validation of a new scale for measuring problematic internet use: implications for pre-employment screening. CyberPsychology & Behavior 5. 331–345.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deirmenjian, J.M. (2002). Lost in cyberspace: the web work. CyberPsychology & Behavior 47, 1090–1092.Google Scholar
Fata, A. (2001). Internet addiction disorder. Una review. Retrieved September 2, 2004, from http://www.pol-it.org/ital/iadl.htmGoogle Scholar
Fontanesi, F., Gobetti, C., Zimmermann-Tansella, Ch. & Tansella, M. (1985). Validation of the Italian version of the GHQ in a general practice setting. Psychological Medicine 15, 411–415.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D.P. (1972). The Detection of Psychiatric Illness by Questionnaire. Oxford University Press: London.Google Scholar
Griffiths, M. & Wood, R.T. (2000). Risk Factors in adolescence: the case of gambling, videogame playing, and the Internet. Journal of Gambling Studies 16, 199–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Halpern, J.H. & Pope, H.G. (2001). Hallucinogens on the Internet: a vast new source of underground drug information. American Journal of Psychiatry 158, 39–43.Google Scholar
Lobo, A., Perez, Echeverria M.J. & Artal, J. (1986). Validity of the scaled version of the GHQ 28 in a Spanish population. Psychological Medicine 16, 135–140.Google Scholar
Mari, J.J. & Williams, P. (1985). A comparison of the validity of two psychiatric screening questionnaires (GHQ 12 and SRQ 20) in Brazil, using relative operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. Psychological Medicine 15. 651–659.Google Scholar
Pratarelli, M.E & Browne, B.L. (2002). Confirmatory factor analysis of internet use and addiction. CyberPsychology & Behavior 5, 53–60.Google Scholar
Stefansson, J.G. & Kristjansson, I. (1985). Comparison of GHQ and the Cornell medical Questionnaire. Ada Psvchiatrica Scandinavica 72, 482–87.Google Scholar
Turkle, S. (1997). La Vita sullo Schermo. Nuove Identita e Relazioni Sociali nell'Epoca di Internet. Apogeo: Milano.Google Scholar
Vallario, L., Martorelli, M., Cozzi, E., De Filippis, A. & Giorgi, R. (2003). Naufraghi nella rete. Nuove Tendenze della Psicologia 1, 123–132.Google Scholar
Wallace, P. (1999). The Psychology of the Internet. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang LS. & Chang, G. (2003). Internet over-users' psychological profiles: a behavior samplin analysis on Internet addiction. CyberPsychology & Behavior 6. 143–150.Google Scholar
Young, K.S. (1995). Internet addiction: the emergence of a new clinical disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior 3. 237–244.Google Scholar
Zanon, L., Benin, I., Fabbri, Bombi A. & Colombo, G. (2002). Trance dissociativa e internet dipendenza: studio su un campione di utenti della rete. Giornale Italiano di Psicopatologia 8. 4.Google Scholar