Abstract
Problematic Internet Use (PIU) has of late come to the major attention of researchers of risky behaviours. For parents and teachers in turn, the various pathological forms of Internet use have become more and more noticeable. In recent years, the operationalisation of the term PIU has also been discussed and attempts to measure its various phenomena have been made. In our study, we used the quantitative method—a diagnostic survey designed on the basis of a tool of the Supreme Audit Office and Scientific and Academic Computer Network (Naukowa i Akademicka Sieć Kompureowa NASK), The survey was conducted in the first half of 2017 in Poland, among 3569 adolescents (median 16, SD = 1.28). The purpose of the research was to investigate the scale of PIU among Polish youths. For most young people, PIU is a major social problem. The majority also declare that more than half of their friends have problems with using electronic media (smartphones and the Internet in particular). On the basis of the data collected, it is estimated that 60% of adolescents use media in a functional way, whereas 40% of young electronic media users show visible PIU symptoms, of which 5% do so at a destructive level (all symptoms). Gender does not co-occur with PIU; however, family structure (where both parents are present), the setting of rules for the use of electronic media, and the place of residence are all protective factors. There is a need for constantly improved tools for measuring PIU, as well as preventive programs focused on developing self-control and helping young people understand their own emotions.
Highlights
The saturation in our lives of new media and the continued development of networked services influence educational processes
It is worth emphasising that young people see nomophobia as a social problem that is much more important than, for example, gaming addiction, something that is included in the DSM-5 classification
Even though young people acknowledge the importance of Problematic Internet Use (PIU), there are many doubts at an academic level as to the clear classification of issues relating to Internet Addiction (IAD)
Summary
The saturation in our lives of new media and the continued development of networked services influence educational processes. The opportunity paradigm assumes that through ICT (Information and Communication Technologies), youths and adults can enrich their lives, have quick access to information, learn without limitations, develop their interests, save time, and generally benefit in many other ways. The risk paradigm assumes that new technologies have activated many risk areas that are hazardous for people with low digital literacy: children, youths, and digital immigrants [1,2,3]. The risk paradigm within which the pedagogical (and related) research is conducted, greatly emphasises the negative aspects of using digital media. It stands in opposition to the opportunities paradigm, which focuses on the positive effects of introducing ICT in the learning and teaching process. Two examples of research areas within the risk paradigm are Internet Addiction (IAD) and Problematic Internet Use (PIU). Among the numerous online threats that people might encounter, the most noticeable in recent years are
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