INTERNET ADDICTION AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AMONG ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

The present study aimed to find the relationship between internet addiction and emotional-behavioral problems among adolescents through a cross-sectional survey research design. A sample of 1000 students from Gujrat and Lalamusa, Pakistan, were chosen using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Data were gathered by using the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Emotional and Behavioral Problem Scale (EBPS). The findings disclosed that there is a significant correlation between internet addiction and emotional-behavioral problems among adolescents (r=.81, p=.01). Results show boys were more addicted to the internet than girls, hence the former experience more emotional-behavioral problems than the later ones. Moreover, adolescents studying in private institutes and using the internet for entertainment purposes were also more addicted to the internet and had higher levels of emotional-behavioral problems than the others. The results exhibited that internet addiction significantly predicted emotional-behavioral problems among adolescents [R 2 =.68; F (1, 998) = 2150.22, p=.01]. The outcome of the study highlighted the negative effects of excessive internet usage and concluded that internet addiction can trigger emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents. Hence, unhealthy use of the internet interferes with the healthy emotional and behavioral functioning of adolescents. Keywords: Internet Addiction; emotional-behavioral problems; adolescents; gender; social media