Are Malaysian Youths Overdependent on the Internet?: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Overdependence on the internet is a grave concern that has enveloped Malaysian youths which could lead to a variety of sequelae. This narrative review aims to determine the definition of internet overdependence and its associated factors, as well as the potential preventive and treatment strategies for internet overdependence. From the literature, internet overdependence is regarded as a 3-factor model encompassing salience, self-control failure, and serious consequences. Sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, and ethnicity, as well as psychosocial factors such as depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness, were found to be associated with internet overdependence among Malaysian youths. A multimodal treatment approach is recommended by the implementation of various types of treatments, integrating disciplines such as pharmacology, psychotherapy, and family counseling. Despite various terminologies being used and unclear conceptualization of its nomenclature, overdependence on the internet is prevalent among youths in Malaysia. Future research should go toward establishing a clear definition of its terminology and attaining more robust evidence on treatment strategies.

Internet-Related Instruments (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale, Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form, and Nomophobia Questionnaire) and Their Associations with Distress among Malaysian University Students

“…Given the importance of assessing various online addictive behavior uses among youth due to the various detrimental health outcomes, psychometric instruments to assess these potentially addictive behaviors are important to identify the severity. Although problematic internet use has been investigated in the past in Malaysia [ 15 , 16 ], these studies were conducted among children, medical students, and patients with depression. Therefore, there is still a lack of research conducted in understanding the addictive behaviors related to internet and smartphone use, especially among university students in Malaysia.…”

“…Therefore, there is still a lack of research conducted in understanding the addictive behaviors related to internet and smartphone use, especially among university students in Malaysia. As overdependence on the internet is prevalent among young people in Malaysia [ 16 ], there is a need to validate instruments that assess problematic use for prevalence profiles and prevent problematic internet use among Malaysian university students.…”

COVID-19: introduction of a new lifestyle and diet among the Malaysians

“…In Malaysia, the Generation Z cohort tends toward music and arts more than the older generation, who are more concentrated in the corporate field (Mothersbaugh & Hawkins 2016 ). Nik Jaafar et al ( 2021 ) discovered that Malaysia's young adults were born during the digital era, relying extensively on the Internet to do nearly all of their chores. Many Generation Z is college students, fresh graduates, or at the beginning of their career before COVID-19 hit, making them connected with insufficient income.…”

Tahap Kewarganegaraan Digital dalam Kalangan Remaja 14 Tahun di Malaysia

“…Hal ini juga menjadi kepentingan yang wajar kerana penggunaan internet semakin meningkat daripada 91.7% menjadi 95.5% (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2022) dan 62.5% pengguna tidak biasa dengan konsep identiti digital (Suruhanjaya Komunikasi Multimedia Malaysia, 2020). Separuh daripada bilangan peratus tersebut, iaitu 56.5% merupakan pengguna internet di bawah umur 29 tahun (Nik Jaafar et al, 2021).…”