Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T23:54:27.844Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Internet addiction in high school and university students: an evaluation in terms of various psychological, social and personal variables

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2020

Hatice Odaci
Affiliation:
Guidance and Psychological Counseling Branch, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Trabzon University, Trabzon, Turkey
Fatma Irem Değerli*
Affiliation:
Guidance and Psychological Counseling Branch, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Trabzon University, Trabzon, Turkey
Neslihan Cikrikci
Affiliation:
Guidance and Psychological Counseling Branch, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Turkey
Get access

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine internet addiction among high school and university students in terms of interpersonal relationships, automatic thoughts and problem-solving skills. The sample of the study comprised a total of 480 participants: 195 (40.6%) high school and 285 (59.4%) university students. Females constituted 53.3% (256) of the participants and males 46.7% (224). In addition to a Personal Information Form, the Interpersonal Relationship Styles Scale, Automatic Thoughts Scale, Problem Solving Inventory and Internet Addiction Scale, for which validity, reliability and adaptation studies were performed, were used for data collection. A significant difference was determined between the groups with no or limited symptoms of internet addiction in terms of inhibitory interpersonal relationship styles, automatic thoughts and problem-solving skills. Inhibitory interpersonal relationships, automatic thoughts and problem-solving skills were identified as predictive of internet addiction.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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

American Psychiatric Association (APA). (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., rev. ed.). Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
Arısoy, Ö. (2009). İnternet Bağımlılığı. In Tamam, L. (Ed.), Dürtü Kontrol Bozuklukları [Impulse Control Disorders] (pp. 343402). Ankara, Turkey: Hekimler Yayın Birliği.Google Scholar
Aslan, E., & Yazıcı, A. (2016). Internet addiction among university students and related sociodemografic factors. Turkish Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 19, 109117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aydemir, H. (2018). Examining the internet addiction levels of high school senior students. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6, 1725.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aydın, G., & Aydın, O. (1990). Otomatik düşünceler ölçeğinin geçerlik ve güvenirliği [The validity and reliability of automatic thoughts scale]. Psikoloji Dergisi, 7, 5157.Google Scholar
Ayhan, B., & Köseliören, M. (2019). Internet, online game and addiction. Online Journal of Technology Addiction and Cyberbullying, 6, 130.Google Scholar
Bayraktar, F. (2001). The role of internet usage in the development of adolescents (Unpublished master thesis). Ege Üniversitesi, İzmir, Turkey.Google Scholar
Beck, J.S. (2001). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.Google Scholar
Błachnio, A., & Przepiorka, A. (2019). Be aware! If you start using Facebook problematically you will feel lonely: Phubbing, loneliness, self-esteem, and Facebook intrusion. A cross-sectional study. Social Science Computer Review, 37, 270278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burnay, J., Billieux, J., Blairy, S., & Laroi, F. (2015). Which psychological factors influence internet addiction? Evidence through an integrative model. Computers in Human Behavior, 43, 2834.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caplan, S.E. (2003). Preference for online social interaction: A theory of problematic internet use and psychosocial well-being. Communication Research, 30, 625648.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castellacci, F., & Tveito, V. (2018). Internet use and well-being: A survey and a theoretical framework. Research Policy, 47, 308325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ceyhan, A.A., & Ceyhan, E. (2008). Loneliness, depression and computer self-efficacy as predictors of problematic internet use. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 11, 699701.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen, S.K., & Lin, S.S.J. (2016). A latent growth curve analysis of initial depression level and changing rate as predictors of problematic Internet use among college students. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 380387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chou, C., & Hsiao, M.C. (2000). Internet addiction, usage, gratification and pleasure experience: The Taiwan college student’s case. Computers and Education, 35, 6580.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chung, T.W.H., Sum, S.M.Y., & Chan, M.W.L. (2019). Adolescent internet addiction in Hong Kong: Prevalence, psychosocial correlates, and prevention. Journal of Adolescent Health, 64, 3443.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). New York: Routledge Falmer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, R. (2001). A cognitive-behavioral model of pathological internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 17, 187195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dobson, K.S., & Breiter, H.J. (1983). Cognitive assessment of depression: Reliability and validity of three measures. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92, 107109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dökmen, Z.Y. (2016). Toplumsal Cinsiyet – Sosyal Psikolojik Açıklamalar. İstanbul, Turkey: Remzi.Google Scholar
Batıgün, A.D., & Kılıç, N. (2011). The relationships between internet addiction, social support, psychological symptoms and some socio-demographical variables. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 26, 110.Google Scholar
Esen, E., & Siyez, D.M. (2011). Examining psycho-social variables that predict internet addiction among adolescents. Turkish Psychological Counseling and Guidance Journal, 4, 127138.Google Scholar
Flett, A.L., Haghbin, M., & Pychyl, T.A. (2016). Procrastination and depression from a cognitive perspective: An exploration of the associations among procrastinatory automatic thoughts, rumination, and mindfulness. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 34, 169186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraenkel, J.R., Wallen, N.E., & Hyun, H.H. (2012). How to evaluate research in education (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.Google Scholar
Goldberg, I. (1997). Ivan Goldberg discusses internet addiction. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://www.psycom.net/iasg.htmlGoogle Scholar
Gönül, A.S. (2002). Pathological internet use (Internet dependency / abuse). New Symposium, 40, 105110.Google Scholar
Griffiths, M. (1996). Internet addiction: An issue for clinical psychology? Clinical Psychology Forum, 97, 3236.Google Scholar
Griffiths, M. (2000). Does internet and computer ‘addiction’ exist? Some case study evidence. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 3, 211218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heppner, P.P., Baumgardner, A., & Jackson, J. (1985). Problem-solving self-appraisal, depression and attributional style: Are they related? Cognitive Therapy and Research, 9, 105113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heppner, P.P., & Petersen, C.H. (1982). The development and implications of a personal problem-solving inventory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 29, 6675.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hjemdal, O., Stiles, T., & Wells, A. (2013). Automatic thoughts and meta‐cognition as predictors of depressive or anxious symptoms: A prospective study of two trajectories. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 54, 5965.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hollon, S.D., & Kendall, P.C. (1980). Cognitive self-statements in depression: Development of an automatic thoughts questionnaire. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 4, 383395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hosťovecký, M., & Prokop, P. (2018). The relationship between internet addiction and personality traits in Slovak secondary school students. Journal of Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Informatics, 14, 83101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaltiala-Heino, R., Lintonen, T., & Rimpela, A. (2004). Internet addiction? Potentially problematic use of the internet in a population of 12–18 year old adolescents. Addiction Research and Theory, 12, 8996.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kurt, D.G. (2015). Suicide risk in college students: The effects of internet addiction and drug use. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 15, 841848.Google Scholar
Laconi, S., Tricard, N., & Chabrol, H. (2015). Differences between specific and generalized problematic Internet uses according to gender, age, time spent online and psychopathological symptoms. Computers in Human Behavior, 48, 236244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, W., O’Brien, J.E., Snyder, S.M., & Howard, M.O. (2015). Characteristics of internet addiction/pathological internet use in US university students: A qualitative-method investigation. Plos One, 10, 119.Google Scholar
McMillan, J.H., & Schumacher, S. (2006). Research in Education Evidence-Based Inquiry (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.Google Scholar
Odacı, H., & Kalkan, M. (2010). Problematic internet use, loneliness and dating anxiety among young adult university students. Computers and Education, 55, 10911097.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Özçınar, Z. (2011). The relationship between internet addiction and communication, educational and physical problems of adolescents in North Cyprus. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 21, 2232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Öztürk, Ö., Odabaşıoğlu, G., Eraslan, D., Genç, Y., & Kalyoncu, Ö.A. (2007). Internet addiction: Clinical aspects and treatment strategies. Journal of Dependence, 8, 3641.Google Scholar
Pontes, H.M., Kuss, D.J., & Griffiths, M.D. (2015). Clinical psychology of internet addiction: A review of its conceptualization, prevalence, neuronal processes, and implications for treatment. Neuroscience & Neuroeconomics, 4, 1123.Google Scholar
Romano, M., Truzoli, R., Osborne, L.A., & Reed, P. (2014). The relationship between autism quotient, anxiety and internet addiction. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 8, 15211526.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sezer, F., & İşgör, İ.Y. (2017). Life style and social support: The role of computer/internet use. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 9, 356369.Google Scholar
Sharma, A., & Sharma, R. (2018). Internet addiction and psychological well-being among college students: A cross-sectional study from Central India. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 7, 147151.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Siyez, D.M. (2015). The effect of approval dependence and empathy on excessive internet use through social benefit among university students. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry, 16, 3036.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Song, I., LaRose, R., Eastin, M.S., & Lin, C.A. (2004). Internet gratifications and internet addiction.: On the uses and abuse of new media. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 7, 384394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spada, M.M. (2014). An overview of problematic internet use. Addictive Behaviors, 39, 36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Şahin, N., Durak, A., & Yasak, Y. (1994, July). Interpersonal style, loneliness and depression. Paper presented at the 23rd International Congress of Applied Psychology, Madrid, Spain.Google Scholar
Şahin, N., Şahin, N.H., & Heppner, P.P. (1993). Psychometric properties of the Problem Solving Inventory in a group of Turkish university students. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 17, 379396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Şahin, N.H., & Şahin, N. (1992). Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 48, 334340.3.0.CO;2-P>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tateno, M., Teo, A.R., Ukai, W., Kanazawa, J., Katsuki, R., Kubo, H., & Kato, T.A. (2019). Internet addiction, smartphone addiction, and Hikikomori trait in Japanese young adult: Social isolation and social network. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 111.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI). (2015). Hanelerde bilişim teknolojileri kullanımı. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://www.tuik.gov.tr/PreTablo.do?alt_id=1028Google Scholar
Ümmet, D., & Ekşi, F. (2016). Internet addiction in young adults in Turkey: Loneliness and virtual-environment loneliness. Addicta: The Turkish Journal on Addictions, 3, 3155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willoughby, T. (2008). A short-term longitudinal study of internet and computer game use by adolescent boys and girls: Prevalence, frequency of use and psychosocial predictors. Developmental Psychology, 44, 195204.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wu, J.Y.W., Ko, H.C., Tung, Y.Y., & Li, C.C. (2016). Internet use expectancy for tension reduction and disinhibition mediates the relationship between borderline personality disorder features and internet addiction among college students: One-year follow-up. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 851855.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yao, M.Z., He, J., Ko, D.M., & Pang, K. (2014). The influence of personality, parental behaviors and self-esteem on internet addiction: A study case of Chinese college students. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 17, 104110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yao, M.Z., & Zhong, Z.J. (2014). Loneliness, social contacts and internet addiction: A cross-lagged panel study. Computers in Human Behavior, 30, 164170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yen, J.Y., Ko, C.H., Yen, C.F., Chen, S.H., Chung, W.L., & Chen, C.C. (2008). Psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with internet addiction: Comparison with substance use. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 62, 916.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Young, K. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 1, 237244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Young, K., & Rodgers, R. (1998). The relationship between depression and internet addiction. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 1, 2528.CrossRefGoogle Scholar