Internet addiction in high school and university students: an evaluation in terms of various psychological, social and personal variables

Abstract

AbstractThe purpose of this research was to examine internet addiction among high school and university students in terms of interpersonal relationships, automatic thoughts and problem-solving skills. The sample of the study comprised a total of 480 participants: 195 (40.6%) high school and 285 (59.4%) university students. Females constituted 53.3% (256) of the participants and males 46.7% (224). In addition to a Personal Information Form, the Interpersonal Relationship Styles Scale, Automatic Thoughts Scale, Problem Solving Inventory and Internet Addiction Scale, for which validity, reliability and adaptation studies were performed, were used for data collection. A significant difference was determined between the groups with no or limited symptoms of internet addiction in terms of inhibitory interpersonal relationship styles, automatic thoughts and problem-solving skills. Inhibitory interpersonal relationships, automatic thoughts and problem-solving skills were identified as predictive of internet addiction.