Problematic Internet Use among University Students and Its Relationship with Social Skills.

Miriam Romero-López,Isabel De Hoces,Trinidad García-Berbén,Carmen Pichardo

doi:10.3390/brainsci11101301

Abstract

Internet use has been steadily and unstoppably gaining ground in all areas of life, from recreational activities to the establishment of social relations. However, addictive use of the Internet is a problem that seriously affects some people. Factors that may influence the occurrence of inappropriate internet use include age and social skills. For this reason, the aim of this study is to analyze the influence of social skills and age on the development of problematic internet use in university students. The study involved 514 students enrolled at a university in Spain, who filled in two questionnaires, one on problematic internet use and the other on social skills. Multivariate multiple linear regression models revealed that some social skills variables (conversation and social ease, empathic and positive feeling skills, risk coping) predicted problematic internet use. In addition, age played a role in preference for online social interaction and deficient self-regulation. Younger students were more at risk of having obsessive thoughts related to internet use and of engaging in compulsive internet use compared to older students.

Highlights

At the end of the 1990s, authors such as Young [1] and Goldberg [2] suggested for the first time that the Internet can generate addictions
The results showed that adolescents with difficulties in social skills were the same adolescents who reported higher levels of technological addiction
They concluded that despite the benefits of the Internet in people’s lives, problematic Internet use by people with poor social skills can lead to the development of addiction

Summary

Introduction

At the end of the 1990s, authors such as Young [1] and Goldberg [2] suggested for the first time that the Internet can generate addictions. Davis [4] and the taxonomy proposed by Montang et al [5] differentiate between generalized and specific problematic Internet use disorders. Specific disorders include those who are dependent on a specific function of the Internet, such as excessive use of social networking sites or online gambling. On the other hand, involve a general, multidimensional overuse of the Internet and include behaviors such as wasting time online without a clear purpose. There is no abuse of specific content but rather an abuse of several channels with different content [4,5]

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion