PROBLEMATIC INTERNET USE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES: DOES TRAIT SELF-CONTROL MATTER?

Najafi Auwal Ibrahim,Salihu Ibrahim Dasuki,Abubakar Mohammed Alkali,Kabiru Maitama Kura

doi:10.32890/ijms.27.2.2020.10569

Abstract

Problematic internet use is prevalent among university students, and it has been associated with increased adverse health outcomes. The results of existing research are mixed regarding the effects of problematic internet use on health outcomes. To resolve this ambiguity, we drew upon the self-control theory and person-situation interaction model to propose trait self-control as a moderator in the relationship between problematic internet use and adverse health outcomes. The study participants comprised 273 students from both public and private universities in Nigeria. Results reveal that problematic internet use is a significant predictor of adverse health outcomes. However, we find no evidence to support our postulated Hypothesis that trait selfcontrol moderates the effects of problematic internet use on adverse health outcomes. Implications, limitations, and potential for future research are highlighted.

Highlights

The value of the Internet cannot be overestimated because it is being used in almost every field of human endeavour, including, teaching and learning, entertainment, business transactions, and communications (Akter & Wamba, 2016; Law, Leung, & Buhalis, 2009; Rolando, Salvador, & Luz, 2013; Sachdeva & Verma, 2015)
Note: Composite Reliability (CR) = Numbers in italics represent the square root of the Average Variance Extracted (AVE)
problematic Internet use (PIU) accounts for 37 percent of the variability in adverse health outcomes

Summary

Introduction

The value of the Internet cannot be overestimated because it is being used in almost every field of human endeavour, including, teaching and learning, entertainment, business transactions, and communications (Akter & Wamba, 2016; Law, Leung, & Buhalis, 2009; Rolando, Salvador, & Luz, 2013; Sachdeva & Verma, 2015). Extant literature provides evidence of the added value of the Internet, problematic Internet use (PIU) is a prevalent and severe health issue (Hassan, Alam, Wahab, & Hawlader, 2020; Yang, Sato, Yamawaki, & Miyata, 2013). Evidence from a meta-analysis study by Zhang, Lim, Lee, and Ho (2018) has shown that the prevalence of PIU among university students is roughly 30.1 percent. In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of PIU among University students is estimated to have reached 26.5 percent (Abdel-Salam, Alrowaili, Albedaiwi, Alessa, & Alfayyadh, 2019). In a very recent study in Nigeria by Omoyemiju and Popoola (2020), PIU is more prevalent among undergraduate students between 20 and 30 years of age

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