Problematic Internet Use

The present study reviewed current trends in the literature on problematic Internet use. The review included a total of 48 studies published within the last two years and covered by the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Despite frequently investigated in the literature, results of the studies suggest that there is still much to be unveiled regarding problematic Internet use and its relation to gender and cultural differences. In terms of gender, although more studies show that men are further vulnerable to problematic Internet use symptoms, results differ regarding the moderator effect(s) or differences in various cultural settings. Recent studies mostly employed quantitative methods; but, it is also noted that problematic Internet use studies increasingly focus on meta-analysis and literature reviews. Research also tends to investigate large-sample cross-cultural groups, but their results are far from achieving consensus. Studies mostly used cross-sectional approaches with self-report instruments and focused on adolescents and young adults who were students.

Studies on the role played by attachment attitudes among late adolescents who show Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is still lacking. Three self-report measures concerning attachment attitudes, childhood experiences of abuse, and Internet addiction were administered to 310 students (49% males) ages 18 to 19 attending the last year of high school. In order to select participants with PIU, an empirical cut-off score at the 75 th percentile of the distribution on the Internet addiction measure was derived. Students with PIU were more likely to be males and to have suffered childhood experiences of physical and sexual abuse; also, they scored higher than the other participants on scales assessing anxious and avoidant attachment attitudes. A logistic regression showed that the classification of participants in the PIU group was predicted by male gender, having suffered from physical and sexual abuse in childhood, and preoccupation with relationships. Keeping constant the effects of gender and childhood experiences of abuses in the equation model, increasing values of preoccupation with relationships were reflected in an exponential growth of the probability curve for PIU classification. Findings of the study support the hypothesis that insecure attachment attitudes (particularly, the preoccupation with relationships) are involved in the development of PIU among late adolescents.

That internet is developing fast and its cost is becoming cheaper rapidly increases the number of people using this technology. Although internet provides miscellaneous benefits for the users, it also causes them to encounter certain difficulties. Particularly, those young people, who leave their families to study at a university spend most of their time on the internet because of such personal and social problems as having low satisfaction from life, having social anxiety, not being able to communicate or establish relationships and feeling lonely. And this could lead to internet addiction in young people. The aim of this study is to discuss the internet addiction levels of freshmen and sophomores at university within the scope of educational theories and to predict addiction according to various variables. Survey method is used in the study. The study was carried out on 329 freshmen and sophomores studying at economics, science teaching, primary school mathematics education, primary school teaching and social sciences teaching departments of Bartın University in the second term of 2012-2013 academic year. As an end of the study, factors that cause to internet addiction and what can be done to remove these factors are discussed within theoretical framework.

Given the widespread use of the Internet, researchers have begun to examine the personal and social consequences associated with excessive online involvement. The present study examined college students' problematic Internet use (PIU) behaviors within the framework of problem-behavior theory. Its specific aim was to investigate the links between PIU with both internalizing (depression, social anxiety) and externalizing (substance use and other risky behaviors) problems. Relevant variables from the perceived environmental system, the personality system, and the behavioral system were entered in a canonical correlation analysis. The analysis yielded two distinct functions: the first function, titled traditional problem-behavior syndrome, characterized students who are impulsive, hold socially deviant attitudes and show a propensity to use tobacco and illicit drugs. The second function, titled problematic Internet-behavior syndrome, characterized students who are socially anxious, depressed, report conflictive family relations, and show a propensity toward PIU. Thus, PIU did not share the characteristics typically associated with the traditional problem-behavior syndrome consistent with problem-behavior theory, but showed correlates more consistent with internalizing rather than externalizing problems.

Background and aims To remedy problematic Internet use (PIU) and problematic online gaming (POG) in adolescents, much is expected from efforts by parents to help youths to contain their screen use. Such parental mediation can include (a) refraining from acting, (b) co-viewing or co-gaming with the teen, (c) active mediation, and (d) restrictive mediation. We evaluated if parental mediation practices are linked to PIU and POG in adolescents. Methods For a systematic literature review, we searched for publications presenting survey data and relating parental mediation practices to levels of PIU and/or POG in adolescents. The review’s selection criteria were met by 18 PIU and 9 POG publications, reporting on 81.002 and 12.915 adolescents, respectively. We extracted data on gaming problems, mediation interventions, study design features, and sample characteristics. Results No type of parental mediation was consistently associated with lower or elevated problematic screen use rates in th...

Nomophobia and Phubbing are negative phenomena linked to the proliferation of smartphones as well as unlimited Internet access. Individual and social changes in behaviour determined by the ubiquity of smartphones necessitate an analysis of these two types of problematic Internet use. Both types of behaviour are particularly noticeable among adolescents. The aim of this article is to show the extent of nomophobia and phubbing among adolescents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to link these phenomena to wellbeing and the influence of the family on the style of smartphone use among young people. The research was conducted in the first half of 2021 among adolescents aged 12-18 years (N=1083) using a triangulation of survey questionnaires such as NMP-Q The Nomophobia Questionnaire and Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire, Phubbing scale, and the Wellbeing level, as well as new media parenting style in the family. From the data collected, it was noted that: 1) Thinking about the phone while bored and not being able to 'keep in contact with members of the social circle are the most common factors of nomophobia; 2) About 1/3 of the respondents declare having symptoms of nomophobia; 3) More than 2/3 of teenagers have a phone in their environment all of the time; 4) Every fourth teenager very often receives negative comments from their immediate peers due to the style of smartphone use; 5) Smartphone use in the vicinity of other people is the norm for teenagers-an acceptable behaviour in contrast to the perception of this situation among some groups of adults; 6) Only 9.87% of adolescents have a high saturation of phubbing; 7) Most indicators related to nomophobia and phubbing are more frequent among girls than boys; 8) Only 16.43% of parents use dialogue methods related to education about new media; 9) Over 60% of parents do not employ any methods to reduce selected forms of problematic use of smartphones; 10) Parents are more active in educating younger than older adolescents about new media; 11) Satisfaction with activities in the offline sphere is a protective factor for phubbing.

This chapter is an attempt to pull together the three contexts sketched above: the multitude of practices experienced in one’s infra-ordinary use of social media; the sensationalist narratives mustered under buzzwords throughout news media narratives; and the scholarly representation of a variety of practices often described as deceiving, confrontational, offensive, negative, disruptive, abusive, unethical, non-normative, deviant or antisocial. A reader might be expected to ask: What is trolling? Why do some social media users troll others? Is trolling good or bad? How can trolling be stopped? Unfortunately, my contribution is not meant to answer any of these questions. As I summarize in the first half of this chapter, more than twenty years of research into problematic social media practices have already tackled many of these interrogatives, providing a wide variety of comprehensive answers, and producing a rich and detailed cartography of the possibilities of academic approaches to trolling. The broader theoretical question that this chapter addresses is, rather: Where next? How can we write about trolling, and about other problematic social media practices, while avoiding both the oversimplification of popular media narratives and the overdetermination that results from academic treatments?

Loneliness had played an important role since previous study showed that it was a potential detrimental factor for young people's mental health. For that, researcher in this country needed validated instruments in local language. This paper presents the correlation between PIU and the two typology types of loneliness with the instruments in Indonesian version. Sample of this study was 316 undergraduate students related to social networking sites. The activity was the biggest activity on the Internet in Indonesia. PIU was measured by GPIUS2 (Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2). The two typology types of loneliness were measured by SELSA (Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults). This research indicated that PIU has a significant correlation with only emotional loneliness, while social loneliness didn't correlate to PIU.

Rather than attempting to defend the existence of Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD)—or the title’s validity—this research study focused on the appearance of potential symptoms in the high school student population at a private international educational institution in the State of Kuwait by inquiring about their routine Internet usage behaviors. Through the distribution of an anonymous questionnaire to 188 high school students, the study revealed the emergence of several symptoms related to IAD; however, most of the addictive behaviors reported were not detrimental. In addition, demographic information acted as partial indicators: gender was trivial, while grade level presented new information that positively correlated low workloads and low stress levels with increased Internet usage.

Nel presente lavoro si presentano lo stato dell’arte sull’Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) e alcuni modelli teorici alternativi critici rispetto alla categoria di Dipendenza da internet. La rassegna della letteratura mostra che l’IAD è un concetto ombrello e che non è presente una definizione univoca. Parlare di una generica “dipendenza da internet” è poco utile nella società odierna nella quale una grande mole di attività viene svolta online. Nello studio vengono illustrate le criticità teoriche e metodologiche del costrutto univoco di IAD che hanno portato alcuni ricercatori a spostare il focus su specifiche psicopatologie relate a Internet. Sono importanti nuovi studi sistematici sulle specifiche attività disfunzionali svolte online in modo che le strategie di prevenzione e di trattamento non si risolvano in una semplicistica diminuzione dell’uso di Internet ma che orientino l’utente verso condotte di navigazione più funzionali.

The rise of the social media and Internet in the 21st century has brought forth an anxious feeling among users known as Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), a form of social anxiety caused by the concern of not being in touch with the events in the cyber world. According to Ryan and Deci’s Self-determination Theory (SDT), people have increased their social media and Internet use in order to satisfy basic psychological needs. Hence, FoMO may be involved in the relationship between social media/Internet use and the satisfaction of certain psychological needs wherein one is anxious of being left out. Given the considerable extent to which Filipinos use the social media and Internet, a gap exists regarding the role that FoMO might play in social media use (SMU) and problematic Internet use (PIU) among Filipinos. Thus, the present study explored the relationship among FoMO, SMU, and PIU among Filipinos. A total of 1,060 Filipinos completed a test battery comprising of three scales to measure the said variables: Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) scale, Social Networking Time Use Scale (SONTUS), and Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Statistical analyses showed that FoMO is significantly related with both SMU and PIU and that fear of missing out is able to predict both social media use and problematic Internet use. Limitations and recommendations were likewise discussed to guide future research.

The rise of the social media and Internet in the 21st century has brought
forth an anxious feeling among users known as Fear of Missing Out
(FoMO), a form of social anxiety caused by the concern of not being in
touch with the events in the cyber world. According to Ryan and Deci’s
Self-determination Theory (SDT), people have increased their social
media and Internet use in order to satisfy basic psychological needs.
Hence, FoMO may be involved in the relationship between social
media/Internet use and the satisfaction of certain psychological needs
wherein one is anxious of being left out. Given the considerable extent to
which Filipinos use the social media and Internet, a gap exists regarding
the role that FoMO might play in social media use (SMU) and
problematic Internet use (PIU) among Filipinos. Thus, the present study
explored the relationship among FoMO, SMU, and PIU among Filipinos.
A total of 1,060 Filipinos completed a test battery comprising of three
scales to measure the said variables: Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) scale,
Social Networking Time Use Scale (SONTUS), and Internet Addiction
Test (IAT). Statistical analyses showed that FoMO is significantly related
with both SMU and PIU and that fear of missing out is able to predict
both social media use and problematic Internet use. Limitations and
recommendations were likewise discussed to guide future research.

Internet based social-networking sites like Facebook are highly attractive, user-friendly, and increasingly popular. Current estimates indicate over 750 million users of Facebook alone. However, Internet addiction is an increasing problem amongst today’s youth and as yet, is understudied in the United States. This study looked at the relationship between this new social-networking tool and the increasing phenomenon of internet addiction symptoms using both a US college sample (age 19years) and a US high-school sample(age 14years). Findings indicate that SNS (Social Networking Site) activity maybe more predictive of addictive behaviors than general  internet use and that higher percents of symptomology occur in those users reporting SNS activity as their primary internet activity.
estimates indicate over 750 million users of Facebook alone. However, Internet addiction is an increasing problem amongst today’s
youth and as yet, is understudied in the United States. This study looked at the relationship between this new social-networking tool and the increasing phenomenon of internet addiction symptoms using both a US college sample (age 19years) and a US high-school sample
(age 14years). Findings indicate that SNS (Social Networking Site) activity maybe more predictive of addictive behaviors than general internet use and that higher percents of symptomology occur in those users reporting SNS activity as their primary internet activity.

Internet addiction is a recently recognized disorder which has received increasing attention worldwide over the past two decades. This focus has led to the development of several screening tools measuring different aspects of Internet use, and more particularly Internet addiction. However, a synthesis of the information regarding the validity and usefulness of these different scales is lacking and would help inform researchers and clinicians in their choice of measures when assessing for Internet addiction. The main goal of this study was therefore to identify all the existing measures of Internet addiction and to review the psychometric properties of the most frequently used ones. Five electronic databases were searched using the key words: internet use disorder, Internet addiction, problematic internet use, pathologic internet use, cyber dependence, and scale, test, questionnaire, tool, assessment and inventory. Forty-five tools assessing Internet addiction were identified, of which only seventeen had been evaluated more than once in terms of their psychometric properties. Most of the existing scales for Internet addiction require further validation work but some of them already demonstrate promising psychometric properties. Given the interest in this phenomenon, it seems important for the field to promote the use of validated and well-established measures.

Current study investigates the relationships among personality characteristics, psychological needs, problematic Internet use and problematic social media use. A theoretical model was specified, estimated, and evaluated based on the data collected from 436 college students (Mean Age = 20.93 years, SD = 2.11 years). First, structural equation modeling approach was used to validate the research model. The model suggests that personality has significant direct and indirect effects on problematic Internet use but it has only a significant indirect effect on problematic social media use through psychological needs. Further, there is also a significant direct effect of psychological needs on both problematic Internet use and problematic social media use. An increase in neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness leads to an increase in dominance, autonomy, affiliation, and achievement, whereas an increase in psychological needs leads to a decrease in problematic Internet use and problematic social media use. Implications of the findings are discussed for theory and practice in cyberpsychology.

Distress in online classrooms and problematic internet use are two issues that have caused student burnout and affected perceived learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the high pressure placed on students throughout COVID-19, it is critical to understand the influence of problematic internet use (PIU), psychological stress, academic burnout, and resilience on perceived learning (PL). A cross-sectional analytical study was chosen to collect data from 350 learners pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate business/management degrees in Karnataka, India. The data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) and Smart PLS 3. The present study reports a non-significant negative total effect of stress on PL, while there was a significant positive direct effect but a significant indirect negative effect of multiple mediators, namely PIU, burnout, and resilience. In the relationship between stress and PL, burnout has full competitive mediation, and the suppressive effect of burnout and resilience wipes out the beneficial benefit of stress on PL, resulting in reduced PL. As a societal problem, a change in educational policy and prevention strategies for students and organizations (reducing the number of courses, number of exams, and handling parental expectations) would be effective. Emotional intelligence to improve resilience, which assists students in sailing through a current challenging situation, and using IT for reducing negative and unexpected emotional outbursts should be encouraged.

It is known that the internet whose user number has been increasing day by day causes ethic problems besides its advantages. It is essential to get individuals adopt the habit of using the internet according to ethical rules since their primary education school ages in terms of preventing related problems in society. The general aim of this study is to determine the unethical internet usage behaviors of primary students in terms of various variables. The study group of this descriptive research consists of 6, 7 and 8 th grade students (n=1761) attending various primary education schools. The data collection instrument developed by the researchers contains items about demographic characteristics and unethical behaviors. Frequency (f), percentage (%) and Chisquare (X 2 ) test of independence were used in data analyses. Research findings revealed that the gender, the duration of internet usage and the situation of connecting the internet in a cafe are affecting almost all unethical behaviors which are exhibited and exposed. Accordingly the following suggestions were made; students, families and teachers should be informed about using the internet considering ethical rules; students' duration and places of internet usage and internet activities should be controlled by their parents; related legal and technical precautions should be taken; studies should be carried out in order to improve the internet cafes and investigate the causes of unethical internet behaviors among primary education school students.

Widespread use of the Internet in 21st century society is not risk-free. This paper studies the comorbidity of some problematic uses of Internet with depression in order to assess their correlation. With that aim, a meta-analysis of 19 samples obtained from 13 different studies (n=33,458) was carried out. The subjects of these studies are adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years (µ=15.68) from different cultures and continents (Europe, Euro-Asia, America and Asia). The effect size obtained from the use of a random-effects model (r=0.3, p<0.000) is significant, moderate and positive, thus confirming the relation between pathologic uses of the Internet and depression. Moreover, meta-regression test results showed that 9% of the variance (R2=0.09) is associated with the male gender, while age and culture are not significant variables. The variability rate of the studies is high (I2=87.085%), as a consequence of heterogeneity rather than publication bias, as Egger's regression test shows (1-tailed p-value=0.25; 2-tailed p-value=0.50, and σ=1.57). Therefore, the need for specific interventions in secondary education dealing with this issue is evident to ensure that it does not extend into adult life. Resumen El uso extendido de Internet en la sociedad del siglo XXI no está exento de riesgos. El presente trabajo estudia la comorbilidad entre los usos problemáticos de Internet y la depresión con la finalidad de determinar la existencia de relación entre ambas. Para ello se ha llevado a cabo un meta-análisis, que cuenta con 19 muestras recogidas en 13 investigaciones (n=33.748), con adolescentes de entre 12 y 18 años (µ=15,68) de diferentes culturas y continentes (Europa, Euro-Asia, América y Asia). El tamaño del efecto obtenido a partir de un modelo de efectos aleatorios (r=0,3, p<0,000) es significativo, positivo y moderado confirmando la existencia de relación entre usos patológicos de Internet y depresión. Por otra parte, la meta-regresión mostró que el 9% (R2=0,09) de la varianza es explicada por el sexo masculino, mientras que la edad y la cultura no son variables significativas. La variabilidad de los estudios es elevada (I2=87,085%) siendo fruto de la heterogeneidad y no del sesgo de publicación, tal y como indicó la prueba de regresión de Egger (p-value 1 tailed=0,25; p-value 2 tailed=0,50 y σ=1,57). Se advierte la necesidad de comenzar a generar proyectos de intervención en Educación Secundaria que traten esta problemática con el objetivo de que no se extienda a la vida adulta.

Prior research has stressed the negative effects employee technology addiction, or excessive use, may have in the workplace. This study explored personality, through use of the Five Factor Model (FFM), and problem and pathological technology (Internet and text-messaging) use. Personality was found to predict certain aspects of technology use. Specifically, conscientiousness was negatively related to problem Internet use. However, the FFM did not add to the prediction of pathological Internet use or problem and pathological text-messaging use. These findings suggest that some dimensions of the FFM may be useful in explaining why certain employees may be predisposed to developing problem use tendencies. Implications of the current findings as well as limitations and future directions are discussed.

This study was carried out to investigate whether the levels of university students’ problematic internet use
and of perceived communication skills differ with respect to their basic internet use purposes. The participants
were 411 university students [215 of whom were females (52.30%) and 196 of whom were males (47.70%)]. In
the study, the Problematic Internet Use Scale and the Communication Skills Evaluation Scale were applied. The
analysis of the data was carried out via multivariate analysis of variance. The findings revealed that university
students’ perceived communication skill levels did not differ with respect to their main internet use purposes
but that the levels of their problematic internet use did. In this respect, it was found that in terms of basic internet
use purpose, the problematic internet use levels of the university students who “use the internet for entertainment
purposes” and of those who “use the internet to establish social relationships with unfamiliar people”
were significantly higher than that of those who “use the internet to obtain information.” This result points out
that the use of the internet for entertainment and social interaction constitutes an important risk factor for the
emergence of the problematic internet use symptoms.

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Caplan (2010) tarafından geliştirilen Genelleştirilmiş Problemli İnternet Kullanımı Ölçeği 2 (GPİKÖ2)’nin Türkçe formunun dil eşdeğerliğinin, geçerliliğinin ve güvenirliğinin incelenmesidir. Ölçek, Maltepe Üniversitesi ve Marmara Üniversitesinde farklı programlara devam eden 388 öğrenciden oluşan çalışma grubuna uygulanmıştır. GPİKÖ2’nin İngilizce ve Türkçe formu arasındaki tutarlığını incelemek için yapılan Pearson korelasyon katsayıları sonucunda pozitif ve anlamlı değerlere ulaşılmıştır. Orijinali 5 faktörlü bir yapı içeren ölçek yapı geçerliliğini saptamak için yapılan faktör analizi sonucunda 4 temel boyut altında toplanmıştır. Orijinal ölçekte “Bilişsel
meşguliyet” ve “Zorunlu internet kullanımı” olarak yer alan iki faktör maddeleri değişmeden tek bir faktör altında toplanmış ve alt ölçek “Öz denetim yoksunluğu” olarak adlandırılmıştır. Ölçeğin bütününün iç tutarlılığı hesaplandığında Cronbach Alpha değeri .89 olarak bulunmuştur. Sonuçlar ölçeğin Türkçe formunun kullanılabilir olduğunu göstermektedir.

Kim, S. J., & Byrne, S. (2011). Conceptualizing personal web usage in work contexts: A preliminary framework. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(6), 2271–2283. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2011.07.006



As the internet became the primary method of task-related communication within organizations, a social phenomenon was born: internet users going online for non-work-related purposes when supposedly working. However, there is little consensus on how to conceptualize this broad range of phenomena. Not only do many conceptual terms exist in the literature without clear distinctions, but also the degree to which specific behaviors belong under each concept remains unclear. In this article, we analyze each broad concept on specific dimensions found in the literature, including formal definitions, causes, and outcomes. We then provide a typology integrating this knowledge. Based on an empirical investigation of this typology, an initial framework of personal web usage in work contexts is proposed.

This research investigated the impacts of gender and sensation seeking on predicting the causes of problematic Internet use by high school students. This study’s sample group included 458 students (262 girls and 196 boys) studying at Anatolian High Schools located in the Konak district of Izmir city. Participants filled out self-evaluation documents incorporating the Scale for Internet Use by Adolescents, the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale, and personal data forms. Hierarchical regression was used for data analysis, and the findings revealed that sensation seeking and gender accounted for 47% of the variance related to Internet addiction. Examination of these results indicated that the most powerful variable leading to problematic Internet use was the pursuit of new experience under the sub-dimension of thrill seeking, followed successively by boredom susceptibility, gender, thrill and adventure seeking, and disinhibition. Even though this research contributes to previous studies on the role of gender and sensation seeking in problematic Internet use, more research is needed on this subject.

בר-זוהר, ב' ויוספסברג בן-יהושע, ל' (2021). תוכנית התערבות קוגניטיבית-התנהגותית לטיפול בהתמכרות לאינטרנט. הוצאת מכון מופ"ת, מרכז המידע הבין-מכללתי.

בסקירת המידע מתוארים הרקע לעליית מדיום האינטרנט ותופעת השימוש הגובר בו כמעט בכל תחומי החיים, תוך התייחסות להיבטים של שימוש מווסת ויעיל אל מול שימוש מוגזם וכרוני שעלול להוביל להתמכרות. בסקירה מוצגים סוגים שונים של התמכרויות לאינטרנט ובראש ובראשונה התמכרות למשחקי וידיאו והתמכרות לרשתות חברתיות. במוקד הסקירה שתי קבוצות גיל הנוטות לשימוש יתר באינטרנט: ילדים ובני נוער בני 10–19 וצעירים-בוגרים בני 20–29. זאת ועוד, בסקירה יש התייחסות למקומם של ההורים ותפקידם בכל הקשור להתמכרות ילדיהם, וכן נידונים מושגי מפתח כגון חרדת החמצה וויסות רגשי. בסקירה מוצעות דרכי טיפול שונות להתמכרות לאינטרנט, המתאימות למוסדות חינוך ולקבוצות טיפול, נוסף על הטיפול הקוגניטיבי-התנהגותי השכיח.
לטיפול הקוגניטיבי-התנהגותי בתחום ההתמכרות לאינטרנט יש עדויות אמפיריות רבות. לפיכך בסקירת המידע הוגדרה שיטת הטיפול ההתנהגותית-קוגניטיבית, פורט כיצד היא יכולה לבוא לידי ביטוי באופן מיטבי בתוכניות התערבות עבור בני נוער וצעירים-בוגרים אשר מכורים לאינטרנט והוצגו שלושת שלביה העיקריים: שליטה בהתנהגות, תיקון קוגניטיבי והפחתה משמעותית ושיפור התנהגות.

The current analytic literature review portraits the background of the rise of the internet and its' rapid penetration, as well as the excessive internet use phenomenon that might lead to internet addiction disorder. By doing so, this review focuses upon different types of internet addiction, mainly video game addiction and social webs addiction, among two main age groups: Adolescents (age 10-19) and young adults (age 20-29). In addition, the review analyzes and presents the role of parents whose children were defined as internet addicts, addresses relevant key issues such as fear of missing out and emotion regulation, and outlines alternative treatment methods besides cognitive-behavioral therapy.
In this context, the present analytic review examines and highlights the most notable and empirically examined and proven treatment for internet addiction: Cognitive-behavioral therapy. To this end, the review defines cognitive-behavioral therapy, specifies its best practices and details its three main stages: Behavior modification, cognitive correction and harmful reduction and relapse management. Additionally, this review offers strategic interventions, treatments and programs for schools and groups.

Background. Internet addiction or problematic Internet use is a recent and increasingly recognized disorder which has been consistently associated with many psychiatric disorders, adding to the documented negative consequences of problematic Internet use. However, very few studies have examined the relationship between problematic Internet use and personality traits and none in a French sample. Moreover, those which have evaluated this relationship have mainly been conducted on small samples. Objective.The main goal of our study was to explore the relationship between problematic Internet use, time spent online and personality traits in a French sample, taking into account the presence of depressive symptoms, and gender. Methods. A sample of 276 participants aged from 18 to 50 (M = 28 ; SD = 8.9) completed a questionnaire assessing problematic Internet use, time spent online, the presence of ten personality traits and depressive symptoms. Results. Our results revealed significant differences between genders. Among men, problematic Internet use was associated with Personality Clusters A and B while in women, no Cluster or personality traits was associated with problematic Internet use. Time spent online was predicted by schizoid personality traits among men and avoidant personality traits among women. Discussion. Our results indicate that Cluster A (schizoid and schizotypal) and Cluster B traits (borderline and antisocial) play a more important role in problematic Internet use than Cluster C traits among men. Differences between men and women regarding the relationships between personality traits, time online and problematic Internet use may be related to differences in the activities engaged in by men and women online. We observed that communication websites use was more prevalent among women while erotic, gambling and shopping websites use was more prevalent among men suggesting that the characteristics of problematic Internet use may vary according to gender. Conclusion. Few studies have examined the relationship between problematic Internet use, time spent online and personality traits, and none among a French sample. These results suggest the importance of assessing the impact of personality traits on Internet use, particularly on time spent online, by differentiating results in terms of gender and online activities.

The COVID-19 outbreak situation brought into focus not only the safety but also the mental well-being of nursing students. At present, the level of fear of COVID-19 and associated factors among nursing students in the Philippines are not well understood. This cross-sectional online survey determined the relationship between Internet use and eHealth literacy with fear of COVID-19. One thousand three hundred and sixty-seven (n=1,367) answered an online survey using the adopted eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) administered from May 1 to 15, 2020. Descriptive statistics, tests for differences, and correlational analysis were performed. Results indicated that the composite score of the FCV-19S was 3.65, indicating moderate to high levels of fear. Fear of COVID-19 significantly differed based on sex, year level, and location. A significant inverse relationship was found between the average daily use of the Internet and fear of COVID-19. On the other hand, no significant association was noted between eHealth literacy and fear of COVID-19. The first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in a far-reaching impact on nursing students' psychological well-being. This study highlights the value of the Internet and its use during the outbreak may not always lead to higher fear related to COVID-19. Nursing schools may need to create strategies to promote regulated and responsible Internet use, address students' mental health concerns, and develop interventions to respond proactively to mitigate or reduce fear among nursing students during the pandemic.

Birçok ülkede, çocuklar için İnternet risklerini en aza indirmek ve aynı zamanda İnternet'in sunduğu fırsatları da en üst düzeye çıkarmak adına çalışmalar ve uygulamalar geliştirilmiştir. Türkiye'de de güvenli İnternet kullanımına yönelik birçok uygulama ve çalışma yapılmıştır. Gerçekleştirilen çalışmaların istenilen sonuçları ortaya çıkarması için, yapılan çalışmaların birlikte ele alınarak değerlendirilmesi önemli görülmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye'de güvenli İnternet kullanımı konusunda gerçekleştirilen uygulamalar sınıflandırılmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu sayede yapılan çalışmaların genel bir bakış açısı ile değerlendirilerek, benzer uygulamaların planlanması aşamasında önemli bir referans noktası oluşturmak amaçlanmıştır. Gerçekleştirilen çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden yararlanılmıştır. Veri toplama sürecinde doküman incelemesi ve bireysel mülakatlar yapılmıştır. Türkiye'de güvenli ve bilinçli İnternet kullanımlarını sağlamak için yapılan çalışmalar bilinçlendirme seminerleri, etkinlikler, farkındalık ve tanıtım kampanyaları, basılı ve görsel materyaller, ihbar hattı, teknik ve yasal önlemlerdir. Yapılan çalışmaların genellikle tek bir kurum veya kuruluş bünyesinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Ayrıca çalışmalar ülke genelinden ziyade, belirli bir bölge veya pilot illerde uygulanmaktadır.

In many countries, studies and practices have been developed to minimize the Internet risks for children and at the same time maximize the opportunities presented by the Internet. In Turkey, many studies and practices have been done for safe internet use. It is important to evaluate the studies carried out together, in order to obtain the desired results from studies. In this context, the studies on safe Internet use in Turkey have been tried to be classified. Thus, it is aimed to establish an important point of reference in the planning of similar practices planned to be done with a general perspective of the studies carried out. Qualitative research methods were utilized in the study. During the data collection process, document review and individual interviews were conducted. At the end of the document review, awareness raising seminars, activities, awareness and promotion campaigns, printed and visual materials, notice lines, technical and legal measures are the practices made in order to ensure safe internet use of especially children and young people in Turkey. The studies carried out are usually performed within a single institution or organization. In addition, studies are carried out across the country in a number of specific regions or pilot provinces.

This study examined the pattern of Internet use by undergraduate students at the University of Lagos, Main Campus, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria. It revealed that the level of Internet use is low among undergraduate students from both the Faculty of Education and Faculty of Law. It also revealed that though majority of the students browse the Internet many of them cannot design search strategies. However, the study showed that internet use has very high impact on the academic/career related activities of the students. The study recommends the provision of faculty computer laboratories equipped with internet facilities, installation of solar electric power back-up system, and the integration of Internet and computer literacy into the compulsory general studies programme of the University.

Bu araştırma, ergenlerin internette kimlik denemeleri yapma davranışlarını betimlemeyi ve ergenlerin psikolojik ihtiyaçlarının, kimlik statülerinin, heyecan arama ve yaşam doyumu düzeylerinin onların problemli internet kullanım düzeylerinin önemli bir yordayıcısı olup olmadığını ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubu, Eskişehir il merkezindeki resmî liselerde öğrenim gören 2729 öğrenciden oluşmuştur. Araştırmanın verilerini toplamak için Problemli İnternet Kullanım Ölçeği-Ergen, Temel İhtiyaçlar Ölçeği, Benlik Kimliği Statüleri Ölçeği, Arnett Heyecan Arama Ölçeği, Yaşam Doyumu Ölçeği ve Kişisel Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizi ise betimsel istatistikler ve hiyerarşik regresyon analizi ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmanın bulguları kimlik denemeleri yapma sıklıkları açısından, ergenlerin çok büyük bir bölümünün (%66,40’ı bazen ve %1,10’u çoğunlukla olmak üzere) internette başka biri gibi davranarak kimlik denemesi yaptıklarını göstermiştir. Ergenlerin internette çoğunlukla yaptıkları kimlik deneme biçimi sıklıkları bakımından ergenlerin en çok “daha zeki biri” ve “hayalî biri” gibi davrandıkları belirlenmiştir. Bazen ve çoğunlukla yapılan kimlik denemeleri sıklıkları birlikte ele alındığında ise ergenlerin en çok “daha zeki biri gibi”, “hayalî biri gibi”, “daha az utangaç biri” gibi davrandıkları görülmektedir. Ayrıca, ergenler çoğunlukla “insanları daha kolay tanımak için” ve “daha kolay konuşmak için” internette kimlik denemeleri yaptıklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Yine, araştırmanın regresyon analizi sonuçları dağınık, kararsız ve başarılı kimlik statüleri, güç ve sevme/sevilme (ait olma) psikolojik ihtiyaçları, heyecan arama ve yaşam doyumu niteliklerinin problemli internet kullanımında önemli yordayıcılar olduğunu ve bu değişkenlerin birlikte toplam varyansın %20’sini açıkladığını ortaya koymuştur.

This study investigates adolescents’ identity experiments on the internet and reveals whether adolescents’ levels of psychological needs, identity status, and sensation-seeking behavior and life satisfaction are significant predictors of problematic internet use. The study group consisted of 2729 students in public high schools in Eskisehir Province, Turkey. The data were collected through the following: Problematic Internet Use Scale–Adolescent, Basic Needs Inventory, Ego Identity Status Scale, Arnett Sensation Seeking Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, and the Personal Information Form. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis. Research findings showed that a large number of adolescents (66.40% sometimes; 1.10% often) experimented with identity on the internet by pretending to be someone else. Adolescents often tended to act like a more intelligent or imaginary person. Overall, adolescents generally pretend to be a more intelligent, less shy, and imaginary character. In addition, adolescents often reported that they experiment with identity to get to know people easily and speak with people more easily. The regression analysis results showed that diffusion, moratorium, and achievement identity statuses, psychological needs for power and belonging, and sensation-seeking behavior and life-satisfaction levels are important predictors of problematic internet use, with these variables explaining 20% of the total variance.

Problematic Internet Use (PIU) has of late come to the major attention of researchers of risky behaviours. For parents and teachers in turn, the various pathological forms of Internet use have become more and more noticeable. In recent years, the operationalisation of the term PIU has also been discussed and attempts to measure its various phenomena have been made. In our study, we used the quantitative method—a diagnostic survey designed on the basis of a tool of the Supreme Audit Office and Scientific and Academic Computer Network (Naukowa i Akademicka Sieć Kompureowa NASK), The survey was conducted in the first half of 2017 in Poland, among 3569 adolescents (median 16, SD = 1.28). The purpose of the research was to investigate the scale of PIU among Polish youths. For most young people, PIU is a major social problem. The majority also declare that more than half of their friends have problems with using electronic media (smartphones and the Internet in particular). On the basis o...

Abstract The problem of excessive Internet use has received increased interest from the public and scientists alike. Published research, however, remains inconclusive regarding whether the consequences of excessive Internet use on the individual&#39;s life are entirely negative, with some studies supporting such negative effects and others rebutting them. One explanation for these conflicting results may be related to the assumption of cultural homogeneity of Internet users embedded in many existing studies. This study draws on motivational and cultural theories to examine the indirect relationships (via obsessive Internet passion) between three specific Internet uses (for social interaction, entertainment, and Internet idling) and procrastination in two divergent cultures: the United States and Russia. We found that the indirect relationships between Internet use for social interaction and procrastination are culturally contingent, whereas the indirect links between the two other Internet uses and procrastination are culturally invariant. We discuss important implications of our research for theory and practice.

Children infected with HIV/AIDS are susceptible to untold problems, which worsen their biological, psychological and social functioning. The chronic medical conditions in children pose a range of potential challenges to the child and the family members and health care providers, especially during a pandemic. COVID has brought about a severe threat to their subsistence and, to no small extent, existence in this world. This study intends to identify various social work interventions necessary for these children during this pandemic situation. The study was conducted among some institutions providing care for children with HIV/AIDS in South India using Case study method. Data was collected from institutional caregivers of the children using telephonic interviews, generating themes and drawing conclusions from it. This study brings about innumerable challenges faced by those institutions providing adequate care, protection, and necessities for those children. The current pandemic situation prevents them from acquiring the necessary treatment and assistance for infected and affected children and obtaining desirable social support forms. Various governmental and non-governmental institutions must focus on social work intervention among these children, utilising necessities like food, clothing, medicines, regular medical checkups , counselling, motivation, life skill training, etc. Dedicated efforts of various organisations during recent years have resulted in a decline in HIV prevalence and number of people living with HIV/AIDS. We cannot change the virus, but we can change inequalities, power imbalances, marginalisation, taboos and stigma, and discrimination. We can change behaviours and societies.

Úvod: Pojem závislosť od internetu sa v literatúre často objavuje, je však príliš vágny. Pozornosť by sme mali upriamiť skôr na jednotlivé aplikácie, ktorých používanie internet umožňuje. Ciele: Cieľom práce bolo zistiť výskyt patologického a problematického používania internetu u skúmanej skupiny adolescentov. Zamerali sme sa na to, či sa čas strávený na počítači a internete pri jednotlivých vybraných aktivitách líši u probandov, ktorí používajú internet bezproblémovo, problematicky a patologicky. Výskumná vzorka a metódy: Štúdie sa zúčastnilo 1473 probandov (50 % mužov). Priemerný vek bol 15,1 roka. Použili sme nami zostavený dotazník pozostávajúci z troch otázok a Škálu závislosti od internetu. Výsledky: Patologicky používalo internet 0,5 % (N=7) probandov. Problematicky používalo internet 5 % (N=74) probandov. Skupina problematických používateľov internetu trávila v porovnaní s patologickými a bezproblémovými používateľmi v priemere signifikantne viac voľného času na počítači a internete (p<0,001). Problematickí používatelia trávili v porovnaní s patologickými a bezproblémovými používateľmi signifikantne viac času na sociálnych sieťach (p<0,001) a sledovaním seriálov a filmov (p<0,05). Záver: Pomerne malá časť adolescentov používa internet patologicky, respektíve problematicky. Problematickí používatelia trávia v porovnaní s bezproblémovými viac času používaním sociálnych sietí a sledovaním filmov a seriálov. Vysvetlenie týchto rozdielov si vyžaduje ďalšie skúmanie.

Kľúčové slová: Internet, závislosť od internetu, patologické používanie internetu, problematické používanie internetu, adolescenti

This study investigates adolescents' identity experiments on the internet and reveals whether adolescents' levels of psychological needs, identity status, and sensation-seeking behavior and life satisfaction are significant predictors of problematic internet use. The study group consisted of 2729 students in public high schools in Eskisehir Province, Turkey. The data were collected through the following: Problematic Internet Use Scale–Adolescent, Basic Needs Inventory, Ego Identity Status Scale, Arnett Sensation Seeking Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, and the Personal Information Form. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis. Research findings showed that a large number of adolescents (66.40% sometimes; 1.10% often) experimented with identity on the internet by pretending to be someone else. Adolescents often tended to act like a more intelligent or imaginary person. Overall, adolescents generally pretend to be a more intelligent, less shy, and imaginary character. In addition, adolescents often reported that they experiment with identity to get to know people easily and speak with people more easily. The regression analysis results showed that diffusion, moratorium, and achievement identity statuses, psychological needs for power and belonging, and sensation-seeking behavior and life-satisfaction levels are important predictors of problematic internet use, with these variables explaining 20% of the total variance.

This study examined the association of social anxiety, loneliness, and problematic Internet use (PIU) with the online solicitation of minors. Within a convenience sample of adult Internet users from Germany, Finland, and Sweden (N = 2,828), we compared the responses of participants who had not interacted sexually with strangers online (n = 2,049) with participants who sexually interacted with unknown adults online (n = 642), and both groups with adults who sexually solicited unknown minors online (n = 137). Online sexual interaction with adults was associated with higher levels of social anxiety, loneliness, and PIU compared with not sexually interacting with strangers online. Sexually soliciting minors online was associated with higher levels of social anxiety, loneliness, and PIU compared with sexually interacting with adults and not sexually interacting with strangers at all. Interestingly, compared with those with adult contacts, loneliness was specifically pronounced for partic...