A latent profile analysis of the interplay between PC and smartphone in problematic internet use

Abstract

As modern-day adolescents use the Internet on both personal computer (PC) and smartphone, this study examined the phenomenon of problematic internet use by taking account of Internet usage on both PC and smartphone together, based on the theoretical framework of substitution/complementarity of media use. For this, latent profile analysis, nonlinear canonical correlation analysis, and logistic/probit regression analyses were performed on 653 Korean adolescents. Latent profile analysis identified six classes of distinct problematic internet use patterns. In brief, two latent classes showed substituting patterns, two other classes showed complementing patterns, and the last two showed neither. According to nonlinear canonical correlation analysis, classification by latent profile analysis was mainly associated with individual variables such as ‘PC game,’ ‘instant messaging,’ ‘gender,’ and ‘decreased PC usage time.’ Further, logistic/probit regression analyses revealed that male adolescents were more likely to be included in the complementation class, because they played PC games more than female adolescents. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.