A Communication Study of Young Adults and Online Dependency during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

People use digital media and the Internet daily. The time that young people spend connected to digital devices will increase as technology advances, which could have severe health risks and behavioral dependence implications. In the context of the current pandemic, in which socializing, studying, and working is changing, this question has become particularly relevant. Therefore, we propose to investigate the perceptions of young university adults—understood as generation Z—regarding their digital media practices, particularly during the pandemic, and to study the consequences of a permanent connection to these formats on the development of an addiction to the Internet. Our quantitative method approach applied questionnaires to a sample of 407 young university adults studying in Portugal. Through this survey, we could target a specific user group, quantify their consumption, and measure their online experiences. The results point to an increase in dependence on the Internet during confinement. While it is true that carrying out academic work is one of the reasons for this growth, it is noteworthy that the respondents sought the online world in a significan way to pass the time and escape their routine. In addition, they confess to experiencing some consequences of excessive use, such as sleep disturbances and adverse emotional reactions—such as instabilities, depression, and nervousness—when not online. We conclude that the pandemic has intensified online dependence. However, above all that, it is necessary to look at the mental and general health consequences that this excessive use has brought, which may not be visible or manifested by the youth in the short term, and may come to have consequences in the long term.

Internet Addiction among Young Adult University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Peritraumatic Distress, Attachment, and Alexithymia

“…Other authors have underlined that young adults must undertake important developmental tasks (e.g., the redefinition of relationships with parents, peers, and society; the acquisition of identity and autonomy), which the use of the internet can help them to face [ 44 ]. However, many studies have shown that these phase-specific characteristics put them at a higher risk of the onset of IA [ 45 , 46 ] and that the pandemic has further exacerbated this increased risk [ 47 , 48 ], especially among female youths [ 49 ]. In this context, the Self-Medication Hypothesis [ 50 ] considered addictive behaviors as a maladaptive strategy aimed at obtaining relief from painful emotions or from experiencing/controlling emotions.…”

“…Overall, this body of research suggests that young adult university students may excessively use the internet as a strategy to cope with the distress resulting from insecure relationships with their attachment figures [ 72 , 73 ] and to seek social support from the virtual world [ 74 ]. Interestingly, the possible mediation role played by the young adults’ psychopathological symptoms on the relationship between the quality of their relationships with parents and peers and the IA levels has recently been suggested [ 46 , 48 , 75 ]. However, despite this evidence, to date no study has focused on university students in exploring these processes during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

The twisted path to sacredness: a grounded theory study of irrational religious orientation and its psycho-sociological implications

“…Generation Z's deep engagement with technology significantly influences their values, lifestyles, and worldviews, including their religious inclinations [1][2]. Studies by Davis and Venkatesh et al underscore their dependency on technology, driven by its perceived usefulness and ease of use [3][4][5].…”

A Study on the Relationship between Internet Overdependence and Anger Response among Young Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic: Moderating Effect on Negative Emotions

“…Under social distancing policies, the prevalence of Internet use and Internet-based addictive behaviors, such as Internet addiction, online gaming disorder, online gambling disorder, pornography addiction, and smartphone-use disorder, has soared in several countries [18,19]. Even though these changes are not limited to certain groups, young adults who were already familiar with the Internet and vulnerable to Internet dependence since before the pandemic also suffered from increased dependence on the Internet during the pandemic [20].…”