Abstract
The vulnerability that characterizes adolescents justifies the growing health concern about the impact of excessive use of ICT. Exploring the roll both psychological and social variables in excessive use of ICT in adolescents can help preventing risk behaviors. Examining the ICT use of 1,102 secondary school, baccalaureate and professional training course students (11–18 years old, M = 14.42, Sd = 1.78; 50.58% boys), we investigate the psycho-social profile of those adolescents who have self –reported an excessive use of ICTs. Personality factors were assessed using the NEO-FFI, and social context factors through the PWI (Personal Well-being Index); AF5 (Multidimensional Scale of Self Concept); SSA (Social Support Appraisals); ad hoc questions on self-perception of parental and sibling ICT consumption, and the existence of rules for ICT use in the home. 14.5% (n = 160) of adolescents match the criteria of excessive use. The self-reported excessive use is associated as much by personality factors as by family context. Risk factors in self-reported excessive adolescent ICT use are being female, impulsiveness, perceiving a high level of family support and a high use by parents and siblings. The family, academic, emotional and physical self-concepts are factors of protection. This study has provided us with a profile of adolescents who make a self-reported excessive use of ICT, which may be of help in preventing such use. The presence of these specific personality and socio-demographic factors indicate a greater vulnerability and may serve as indicators for parents, teachers and healthcare professionals to intervene and prevent excessive ICT use and other serious psychological problems related.
Highlights
Adolescents who have been born and raised in the “Information Society” or the “Digital Era” are the age group that most frequently connects to the Internet and makes greatest use of mobile telephones; as such, they are the focus of an increasing amount of research (Sánchez-Carbonell et al, 2008; Batalla et al, 2012)
Understanding excessive ICT use in terms of the time invested in this use and in the impact that it causes, this study aims to explore the psychosocial profile of those adolescents who self-reported an excessive ICT use
We aim to analyze: the sociodemographic characteristics of the group of adolescents identified as having excessive ICT use; the personality and social context variables that comprise the profile of self-reported excessive users; and which variables best predict excessive self-reported ICT use in the age group researched
Summary
Adolescents who have been born and raised in the “Information Society” or the “Digital Era” are the age group that most frequently connects to the Internet and makes greatest use of mobile telephones; as such, they are the focus of an increasing amount of research (Sánchez-Carbonell et al, 2008; Batalla et al, 2012). Following Šmahel and Blinka (2012), this study uses the term “excessive ICT use” to refer to time spent on ICT use and the impact of this These authors argue that this term is frequently associated with determining pathological extensive usage of ICTs. excessive presence online is often defined by components used for determining other kinds of addictive behavior, such as mood change, conflicts and tolerance. While Echeburúa (2012) concluded that a healthy social environment and family support are protective factors against addiction to new technologies and social networks, family conflicts arising from irresponsible ICT use are ever more frequent. We aim to analyze: the sociodemographic characteristics of the group of adolescents identified as having excessive ICT use; the personality and social context variables that comprise the profile of self-reported excessive users; and which variables best predict excessive self-reported ICT use in the age group researched
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