The predictors of internet addiction behaviours for Taiwanese elementary school students

Abstract

Although there has been considerable research which has explored factors related to internet addiction, few studies have investigated elementary school students’ involvement in this behaviour pattern. Participants in the present study were 1045 children in grades 3 to 6 from elementary schools in Taiwan. Students completed surveys on their use of the internet, and an internet addiction scale as well as a depression indicator. Results showed that children’s time and frequency of using the internet, gender, and depression accounted for 39.2% of the variance in internet addiction. However, when a narrower criterion was applied to children’s internet addiction, only 10.9% of students fulfilled this criterion. For this group, grade and conduct-social problems together accounted for 17.1% of the variance in internet addiction. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.