Loneliness and Problematic Internet Use Among Young Adults

Abstract

The popularity of the internet, due to its multifunctional nature, makes most individuals develop an uncontrollable obsessional pattern of usage, signifying negligence in other areas of life. With greater time spent on the internet, these individuals are devoid of quality time spent on real-time socializing, which might cause loneliness. Hence, the present study is aimed at exploring the relationship between loneliness and problematic internet use among young adults. The UCLA three-item questionnaire and Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire short form-6 were administered among students aged between 18-25 years (n=212). A statistically significant relationship was found between loneliness and problematic internet use. Differences in loneliness between various religions were obtained. The analysis revealed a significant relation between alcohol users and high loneliness as well as tobacco users and high problematic internet use. The study tried to understand how the digital age of internet has an impact on the loneliness experienced by young adults.