Problematic Internet Use in High School Students in Guangdong Province, China

Abstract

BackgroundProblematic Internet Use (PIU) is a growing problem in Chinese adolescents. There are many risk factors for PIU, which are found at school and at home. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of PIU and to investigate the potential risk factors for PIU among high school students in China.Methodology/Principal FindingsA cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 14,296 high school students were surveyed in four cities in Guangdong province. Problematic Internet Use was assessed by the 20-item Young Internet Addiction Test (YIAT). Information was also collected on demographics, family and school-related factors and Internet usage patterns. Of the 14,296 students, 12,446 were Internet users. Of those, 12.2% (1,515) were identified as problematic Internet users (PIUs). Generalized mixed-model regression revealed that there was no gender difference between PIUs and non-PIUs. High study-related stress, having social friends, poor relations with teachers and students and conflictive family relationships were risk factors for PIU. Students who spent more time on-line were more likely to develop PIU. The habits of and purposes for Internet usage were diverse, influencing the susceptibility to PIU.Conclusions/SignificancePIU is common among high school students, and risk factors are found at home and at school. Teachers and parents should pay close attention to these risk factors. Effective measures are needed to prevent the spread of this problem.

Internet Addiction: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Research for the Last Decade

“…For instance, in some studies using adolescents, various forms of family conflicts and problems have been noted [64,65,81], indicating that stressors in the realm of family may reinforce the excessive engagement with the Internet as a form of dysfunctional coping. A secure and supportive family environment thus appears to be particularly relevant for adolescents as the lack of it increases the risk for Internet addiction.…”

“…A total of seven studies used the IAT for Internet addiction assessment in adolescents and children aged 8 to 24 years [61][62][63][64][65][66][67], with sample sizes ranging from 1,618 [65] to 17,599 participants [63]. Although the same measurement instrument has been used in these studies, various cut-offs have been applied to demarcate addiction or excessive use across studies.…”

“…Moreover, the following Internet use variables were found to be associated with Internet addiction in adolescents: age of first exposure to the Internet [195], Internet use for entertainment purposes [63], frequency and length of Internet use [45,63,64,76], Internet access at home [61], Internet usage at an Internet café [70,78], the use of online gaming [46,52,69,196], social applications [45,46,52], and other Internet applications [69]. In addition to this, parental guidance with regards to Internet behaviours was reported to be associated with Internet addiction, specifically little parental communication about Internet use, rules about Internet times [41], and a lack of rules regarding Internet use [50].…”

“…Furthermore, a variety of family variables were associated with Internet addiction. These included family conflict and dissatisfaction [64,65,81], parental bonding [69], perceived parental monitoring [75,81], and perceived positive attitude to adolescent substance use by parents [157].…”

O Uso de Internet e Redes Sociais e a Relação com Indícios de Ansiedade e Depressão em Estudantes de Medicina

“…O uso excessivo da internet pode levar a diversos problemas, como mau gerenciamento do tempo, prejuízos físico-psicológicos e conflitos nas atividades diárias ou nos relacionamentos com amigos e familiares 7,26,27 . Ao usar o tempo durante o qual estuda ou dorme para ficar conectado, o estudante se torna suscetível a mudanças de humor e a vários transtornos mentais 26 .…”