Executive Functions and Problematic Internet Use among University Students: The Mediator Role of Self-Esteem

Carmen Pichardo,Trinidad García-Berbén,Alba Ruiz-Durán,Miriam Romero-López

doi:10.3390/su131911003

Abstract

Information and communication technologies are transforming our daily lives in a wide variety of ways, such as the way we work, study, and interact with others. There are clear benefits to be gained from appropriate use, but a problem arises when addictive and problematic use of the Internet is experienced. In this sense, several predictive factors can be related to inappropriate or problematic Internet use. For this reason, the present study aimed to analyze whether inhibition, flexibility, emotional control (executive functions) and self-esteem directly influence all variables of problematic Internet use. Furthermore, it was examined whether executive functions, mediated by self-esteem, indirectly influence problematic Internet use. The study involved 514 university students who completed three scales, one for the assessment of problematic Internet use, one for self-esteem and one for executive functions. Mediation models showed that both executive functions and self-esteem had an influence on different problematic uses of the Internet. Specifically, it was found that flexibility and emotional control were the variables with the most direct effects, as they influenced all variables of problematic Internet use. However, when self-esteem was included as a mediator, inhibition was the variable with the most indirect effects.

Highlights

Data from the correlation analysis indicate that all problematic Internet use variables correlated significantly and negatively with all executive function variables, except the preference for online social interaction variable, which did not correlate with inhibition
Significant and positive correlations were found between all executive function variables and self-esteem
We analyzed whether executive functions, considered as independent variables, had direct effects on the different problematic uses of the Internet and indirect effects, as these cognitive functions were mediated by self-esteem

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Young [1] and Goldberg [2], in the late 1990s, were among the first authors to suggest that the internet can lead to addiction. Young defined problematic internet use as the inability of some people to control their own internet use, leading to disruption and impairment of their work, social and personal commitments [3]. Several studies have been concerned with analyzing which variables may determine problematic Internet use [4,5,6]

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Conclusion