Impact of Cybersex and Intensive Internet Use on the Well-Being of Generation Z: An Analysis Based on the EPOCH Model

Jessica Ranieri,Alessandra Martelli,Dina Di Giacomo,Valerio Fanelli,Federica Guerra

doi:10.1007/s41347-021-00197-4

Jessica Ranieri, Alessandra Martelli + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-021-00197-4

Copy DOI

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of Internet use on the well-being and health behaviours of Generation Z members by evaluating the associations between the Internet habits (i.e. intensive Internet use and cybersex use), aspects of psychological well-being, and negative emotions of Italian Generation Z members. Study participants comprised 113 Italian youth who were divided into two groups: a cybersex user group (n = 48) and an intensive Internet user group (n = 65). The psychological battery applied was composed of the EPOCH Measure of Adolescent Well-Being and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale test. This initial investigation suggests that there are no significant differences in positive psychological patterns between intensive Internet users and cybersex users. However, this study demonstrated gender differences in their levels of engagement. Overall, women appeared to be more focused on life activities, and men were more active and performance oriented. Despite this, intensive Internet use and cybersex use were not found to be related to emotional fragility. Our findings suggest that cybersex use and intensive Internet use may not necessarily be related to mental health risks; on the contrary, these might even be related to positive psychological patterns.

Highlights

Members of Generation Z, whom researchers generally classify as people born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s (Dimock, 2019), are typically young and skilful users of information and communication technology
This study aimed to assess the impact of Internet use on the well-being and health behaviours of Generation Z by evaluating the associations between the Internet habits, aspects of psychological well-being, and negative emotions of Italian Generation Z members
For the results regarding the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) performance, men showed a lower level of anxiety (p = 0.04)

Summary

Introduction

Members of Generation Z ( known as Gen Z, iGen, or centennials), whom researchers generally classify as people born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s (Dimock, 2019), are typically young and skilful users of information and communication technology. Spann et al (2019) analysed digital youth’s affect regulation during game-based learning and suggested that frustration, confusion, determination, and curiosity were the dominant affective states of the youth, and cognitive reappraisal and acceptance their major affective regulation strategies. They showed that during digital gaming, members of Generation Z tend to manage positive and negative emotions by engaging in cognitive reappraisal and are thereby able to alter the way they think about a game-related situation. More psychological investigations of the daily Internet habits of Generation Z are needed to more accurately determine the behavioural aspects of this generation’s Internet use

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion