The Mediating Role of Coping with Stress in Problematic Internet Use and Cognitive Flexibility Relation

Abstract

Cognitive flexibility is a term encompassing three basic domains and meaning the ability to adjust individuals’ cognition depending on varying circumstances. Problematic internet use may be related to psychological structures. In addition, studies have shown that the internet is both a stress-making tool and a safe haven in which individuals can seek to cope with stress. Taken all together, the purpose of the study was to observe the mediating role of coping with stress in the relationship between problematic internet use and cognitive flexibility. Chosen by convenient sampling, the participants were 706 volunteered secondary school pupils from Turkey. All data were collected with Cognitive Flexibility Scale, Strategies for Coping with Stress Scale and Young Internet Addiction Test-Short Form. As the study results revealed, problematic internet use had a negative significant effect on cognitive flexibility without the inclusion of strategies for coping with stress. Accordingly, the prediction effect of problematic internet use on cognitive flexibility became non-significant after the inclusion of strategies for coping with stress.