EPA-1276 – Internet use and abuse: attachment and new forms of psychopathology

Abstract

DSM 5 (2013) solicits more empirical data on Internet Addiction (IA) before its inclusion in the Manual. The objective of the present study was to deepen the relation between internet use and abuse among adolescents and attachment variables. AIMS The aim of the study was to define a psychological profile of adolescents that may enable to discriminate the variables that mark the border between internet use and abuse. 435 adolescents (F=221; M=214) aged 13 to 18 years (mean=15,25; S.D.=1,75) completed the following measures: BFAS - The Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (Andreassen, et. Al. 2012); SPQ - Shorter Promis Questionnaire (Italian adaptaation Baiocco et.al. 2005); MPIQ - Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (Walsh et.al., 2010); UCLA - Loniless Scale (Russel, 1996); Self Disclosure Online (Schouten et.al. 2007); IPPA – Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armsed e Greenberg, 1989; SCL-90 - Symptom Check List (Derogatis, 1980) Camir (Pierrehumbert 1996). Data showed that ‘digital’ identity is common within the new multitasking generation of not-clinical adolescents, whereas internet abuse is linked to psychic vulnerability and to emotional neglect. Attachment security, as manifested by secure perception of attachment to parents and friends, the capacity to express emotions, the ability to balance online and offline friendships and psychological wellbeing predict an adequate use of Facebook, preventing internet abuse.