Internet Addiction Scale Research Articles

Moderating effects of depressive symptoms on the relationship between problematic use of the Internet and sleep problems in Korean adolescents

sBackgroundAdolescence is a period of marked sleep pattern changes and sleep problems, which may result from both endogenous and exogenous factors. Among the various factors affecting adolescent sleep, depression and problematic Internet use (PIU) have received considerable attention. We examined if there is a different PIU effect on sleep between depressed group and non-depressed groups.MethodsData for a total of 766 students’ between 7th and 11th grades were analyzed. We assessed various variables related sleep to problems and depression and compared those variables between an adolescent group with problematic Internet use (PIUG) and an adolescent group with normal Internet use (NIUG).ResultsOne hundred fifty two participants were classified as PIUG, and 614 were classified as NIUG. Compared with the NIUG, the members of the PIUG were more prone to insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep-wake behavior problems. The PIUG also tended to include more evening types than the NIUG. Interestingly, the effect of Internet use problems on sleep problems appeared to be different according to the presence or absence of the moderating effect of depression. When we considered the moderating effect of depression, the effect of Internet use problems on sleep-wake behavior problems, insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness increased with increasing Young’s Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) scores in the non-depressed group. However, in the depressed group, the effects of Internet use problems on sleep-wake behavior problems and insomnia did not change with increasing Internet use problems, and the effect of Internet use problems on excessive daytime sleepiness was relatively decreased with increasing Internet use problems in the depressed group.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the effect of PIU on sleep presented differently between the depressed and non-depressed groups. PIU is associated with poorer sleep in non-depressed adolescents but not in depressed adolescents. This finding might be observed because PIU may be the biggest contributor to sleep problems in the problematic Internet user without depression, but in the problematic Internet user with depression, depression might be a more important contributor to sleep problems; thus, the influence of PIU on sleep effect might be diluted.

The relationship of internet addiction symptom severity with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and impulsivity among Turkish university students

OBJECTIVES: The first aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of impulsivity with Internet addiction symptom severity (IASS), and the second aim was to evaluate the mediator effect of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on this relationship among Turkish university students.METHODS: A total of 314 Turkish university students participated in this study. However, 268 students who answered “YES” to the any question concerning various traumatic experiences were included in the study. The students were assessed through sociodemographic questionnaire, the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale 11 – Short Form (BIS-11-SF).RESULTS: According to Internet addiction risk severity (IARS), the participants were classified into the three groups as high (25.0%, n = 67), mild (33.6%, n = 90), and no risk (41.4%, n = 111) of IA. Total score of BIS-11-SF and subscale scores (non-planning impulsivity [NPI], motor impulsivity [MI], and attention impulsivity [AI]) were higher in the group with high IARS. Scale scores were mildly correlated with each other. Finally, hierarchical regression analysis indicated that severity of MI, AI, and PTSD symptoms, especially hyperarousal symptoms, were the main predictors for IASS.CONCLUSIONS: There was strong relationship between impulsivity and IASS and this relationship persist even after severity of PTSD symptoms was entered in the analysis among Turkish university students. Severity of PTSD symptoms especially hyperarousal symptoms, may partially mediate the relationship between severity of impulsivity (especially MI and AI) and IASS.

INTERNET ADDICTION AND ITS IMPACT ON PHYSICAL HEALTH

Aims: Internet addiction, a recently emerged term in medical literature, has significant physical effects on the young generation. In this research, controversial effects of internet addiction on physical health have been investigated among the students of Trakya University School of Medicine, who constitute a part of the population at risk. Methods: The study included 327 medical students. The correlation between internet addiction and physical complaints associated with internet usage and its relation with gender, purpose and duration of internet usage were investigated. The data were obtained by using surveys and Internet Addiction Scale. To evaluate the data; descriptive statistics, Correlation, Mann-Whitney U tests, Cronbach alpha methods and survey with 16 questions were used for statistical analysis. Results: There is a statistically significant difference in terms of Internet Addiction Scale score between internet addiction and physical complaints such as headache, feeling of stiffness, backache, neck pain and insomnia. Internet Addiction Scale score and time spent on the internet showed a statistically significant correlation. Conclusion: Increase in internet usage leads to many physical health problems, which may cause serious and permanent damage to physical health. Therefore, the required attention must be given to this subject especially for the benefit of younger generations.

Internet addiction and its relation to satisfaction with life among a sample of secondary school students in Ris: إدمان الإنترنت وعلاقته بالرضا عن الحياة لدى عينة من طالبات المرحلة الثانوية بالرس

The present study aimed to identify the relationship of Internet addiction to life satisfaction on a sample of secondary school students in Alrass. In this study, the researcher used the relational descriptive method. The sample was randomly selected. The sample was 100 students, the researcher used tools such as: scale of Internet addiction designed by Sultan Ayed Farah al- Osaimi (2010), and the scale of life satisfaction designed by Majdi Mohammed al- Desouki (1998). The researcher reached several results, the most important of which are: 1- There is a correlation between the scores of the Internet addiction scale and the total score of the scale of life satisfaction. 2- There are no statistically significant differences between the means of Internet addiction scale and for its dimensions according to the variable of educational achievement level. 3- There are no statistically significant differences between the means of Internet addiction scale and for its dimensions according to the variable of income. 4- There are statistically significant differences between the means of the degree of life satisfaction scale and its dimensions according to the variable of educational achievement level. 5- There are statistically significant differences between the means of life satisfaction and its dimensions according to the variable of income.

The effects of technology use on working young loneliness and social relationships.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of technology use on working young loneliness and social relationships. The relational descriptive study was conducted with 1,312 young using a young information form, the Internet Addiction Scale, the Peer Relationship Scale, and the Smart Phone Addiction Scale. It was determined that young, who are exposed to violence, smoke, and work as unskilled labor force have a high dependence on the Internet and smartphones. Young with the Internet and smartphone addiction were found to have high levels of loneliness and poor social relations. It has been determined that young who are weak in the social aspect fill these deficiencies by using the Internet and telephone.

Internet Addiction and Shyness among Adolescents

This study evaluated the effect of internet addiction on shyness among adolescents in and around Mysore City. The sample consisted of equal numbers of (360 each) boys and girls aged between 16 to 18 years and was chosen from 16 different schools and Pre-university colleges in and around from Mysore. The students completed an Internet addiction scale (Young, 1998) and Shyness assessment test (D’Souza, 2006). Two way ANOVA was employed to find out the significance of difference between adolescents with normal, problematic and addict levels of internet addiction on shyness including gender effects. Results revealed that as the levels of internet addiction increased, shyness in various domains-cognitive/affective, physiological and action-oriented domains increased significantly. With addict and problematic level of addiction the shyness scores did not vary statistically. Female adolescents were found to be shyer than male adolescents in all the domains and total scores, except for physiological domain. Implications of the findings of the study have been delineated.

Prevalence of Internet addiction disorder in Chinese university students: A comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies

Background and aimsInternet addiction disorder (IAD) is common in university students. A number of studies have examined the prevalence of IAD in Chinese university students, but the results have been inconsistent. This is a meta-analysis of the prevalence of IAD and its associated factors in Chinese university students.MethodsBoth English (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase) and Chinese (Wan Fang Database and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) databases were systematically and independently searched from their inception until January 16, 2017.ResultsAltogether 70 studies covering 122,454 university students were included in the meta-analysis. Using the random-effects model, the pooled overall prevalence of IAD was 11.3% (95% CI: 10.1%–12.5%). When using the 8-item Young Diagnostic Questionnaire, the 10-item modified Young Diagnostic Questionnaire, the 20-item Internet Addiction Test, and the 26-item Chen Internet Addiction Scale, the pooled prevalence of IAD was 8.4% (95% CI: 6.7%–10.4%), 9.3% (95% CI: 7.6%–11.4%), 11.2% (95% CI: 8.8%–14.3%), and 14.0% (95% CI: 10.6%–18.4%), respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed that the pooled prevalence of IAD was significantly associated with the measurement instrument (Q = 9.41, p = .024). Male gender, higher grade, and urban abode were also significantly associated with IAD. The prevalence of IAD was also higher in eastern and central of China than in its northern and western regions (10.7% vs. 8.1%, Q = 4.90, p = .027).ConclusionsIAD is common among Chinese university students. Appropriate strategies for the prevention and treatment of IAD in this population need greater attention.

Examining the Predictive Role of Authenticity on Internet Addiction in Turkish High School Students

The aim of this research is to examine the predictive role of authenticity in internet addiction. The research was carried out with 420 high school students (280 females and 140 males). The data were obtained by using the Internet Addiction Scale and the Authenticity Scale. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were performed in which the dependent variable was internet addiction and the independent variables were subscales of authenticity. Correlation analysis showed that internet addiction was correlated negatively with authentic living and positively with self-alienation and accepting external influence. According to the results of the multiple regression analysis, self-alienation entered the equation first, accounting for 21% of the variance in predicting internet addiction. Authentic living entered on the second step accounting for an additional 7% variance. Accepting external influence entered on the third step accounting for an additional 3% variance. The standardized beta coefficients indicated the relative influence of the variables in last model with self-alienation, authentic living, and accepting external influence, all significantly influencing internet addiction and self-alienation was the strongest predictor.

Investigation of the Effects of Social Self-Confidence, Social Loneliness and Family Emotional Loneliness Variables on Internet Addiction

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between internet addiction levels and social loneliness, family emotional loneliness and lack of social self-confidence levels of high school students. The study was conducted with 328 high school students. One hundred and sixty-five of the participants (50,3 %) were females and 163 (49,7 %) were males. The data were obtained with Internet Addiction Scale, Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure, and Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale. The study results showed that internet addiction and lack of social self-confidence, social loneliness and family emotional loneliness were related. As the result of stepwise regression analysis, it was found that the variable which best predicts internet addiction is the lack of social self-confidence (R=0,649, R2=0,422), and that it was followed by social loneliness and family emotional loneliness respectively. The findings of the study were discussed in relation to the literature and some suggestions were presented.

Cyberchondria Scale (CS): Development, validity and reliability study

Objective: The aim of the current study is to develop culture specific, multidimensional and self-report Cyberchondria Scale (CS) which can be used to evaluate one’s emotional, cognitive and behavioral tendency to cyberchondria and to determine the psychometric properties of this scale. Method: The study was conducted with two different samples consisted of Internet users. To investigate the factor structure, the first sample was composed of 250 (49.6% women, 50.4% men) individuals aged between 18 and 65. The second sample in which confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted consisted of 360 (61.1% women, 38.3% men) individuals aged between 18 and 65. In addition to CS, Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) were used in this study. Results: The exploratory and CFA revealed a five-factor structure called “Factors Increasing Anxiety”, “Compulsion/Hypochondria”, “Factors Decreasing Anxiety”, “Doctor-Patient Interaction”, “Dysfunctional Internet Use”. The model obtained by CFA represented acceptable goodness of fit values and other reliability and validity values were found to be satisfactory. Conclusion: CS could be evaluated as a valid and reliable scale which would be used in clinical and health psychology studies conducted in Turkey.

Oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder co-occurrence increases the risk of Internet addiction in adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

ObjectivesThe aims of this cross-sectional study were to assess the prevalence of Internet addiction (IA) in a clinical sample of adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to detect the moderating effects of co-occurring oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) on the association between ADHD and IA.MethodsThe study group comprised 119 adolescent subjects who were consecutively referred to our outpatient clinic with a diagnosis of ADHD. The Turgay DSM-IV-Based Child and Adolescent Disruptive Behavioral Disorders Screening and Rating Scale (T-DSM-IV-S) was completed by parents, and subjects were asked to complete the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS).ResultsThe IAS results indicated that 63.9% of the participants (n = 76) fell into the IA group. Degree of IA was correlated with hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms but not with inattention symptoms. As compared to the ADHD-only group (without comorbid ODD/CD), ADHD + ODD/CD subjects returned significantly higher scores on the IAS.ConclusionsAs adolescents with ADHD are at high risk of developing IA, early IA detection and intervention is of great importance for this group. In addition, adolescents with ADHD + ODD/CD may be more vulnerable to IA than those in the ADHD-only group and may need to be more carefully assessed for IA.

Examination of the relationship between nursing student’s internet and smartphone addictions

Aim: The study examines the relationship between college nursing students’ smartphone addiction and internet addictions.Material and Method: The sample of this descriptive relationship-seeking study included 788 college nursing students. A personal information form, the Smartphone Addiction Scale and the Internet Addiction Scale were used as data collection tools.Results: The participants had high smartphone and internet addiction scores. The males were more prone to exhibit addictive behavior. The addiction scores of the students who cannot stand to be away from their phones were higher. Students involved in sports and students with reading habits had lower addiction scores. A strong positive correlation was found between students’ smartphone and internet addiction scores.Conclusions: Due to the strong correlation between smartphone and internet addiction, it was concluded that further research is needed to investigate addictive behaviors, particularly for smartphone addiction.

Internet addiction and attention‐deficit–hyperactivity disorder: Effects of anxiety, depression and self‐esteem

Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Behavioral disinhibition, poor neurocognitive skills and immediate reward preference in children with ADHD have been suggested as risk factors for Internet addiction (IA). The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the relationship between IA and depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in adolescents with ADHD, and to identify the features of Internet use that predict IA. We studied 111 patients with ADHD aged 12-18years, and 108 healthy controls. The ADHD patients and controls were asked to complete a sociodemographic data form, the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Children's Depression Inventory, Childhood Screening Scale for Anxiety in Children, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. IAS total score in the adolescents with ADHD was significantly higher than in the control group. Compared with the control group, the ADHD group depression scale score was significantly higher, and self-esteem score significantly lower (P < 0.05 for both). There was no difference between the groups in anxiety score. IAS score had a positive correlation with depression and anxiety scores, and a negative correlation with self-esteem score. The relationship between IA scale score and depression, anxiety and self-esteem scale scores were similar in the ADHD and the control group. In addition, IAS subscale and total scores were significantly higher in the ADHD group than the control group, even after controlling for the effects of self-esteem, depression and anxiety scores. Thus, ADHD is thought to be an independent risk factor for depression, anxiety and self-esteem, and, hence, for IA.

Clinical efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in the adjuvant treatment of internet addiction disorder

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in the adjuvant treatment of internet addiction disorder. Methods From January 2013 to April 2015, a total of 38 patients with internet addiction disorder were randomly selected and divided into study group(19 cases) and control group(19 cases) according to the odd and even order of hospitalize.The control group received psychological therapy, antianxiety therapy and antidepression therapy.The study group received acupuncture and moxibustion in addition to all therapies of the control group.The patients were treated for 8 weeks.Chiese Internet Addiction Scale(CIAS), Family Assessment Device(FAD), HAMD, HAMA were used to determine the internet addiction severity and social function of the two groups at baseline and the 8th weekend of treatment, and TESS at the 8th weekend of treatment. Results At the 8th weekend of treatment, the scores of CIAS, FAD, HAMA+ HAMD in the two groups were all significantly lower than baseline[(86.8±13.6)points vs.(38.3±11.5)points, t=11.872, (85.6±12.3)points vs.(54.6±18.2)points, t=7.123; (185.8±31.5)points vs.(80.6±29.4)points, t=10.643, (182.7±12.7)points vs.(110.5±32.3)points, t=9.068; (53.4±7.6)points vs.(21.7±9.7)points, t=11.215, (55.2±8.3)points vs.(35.2±8.3)points, t=7.428)](all P 0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture and moxibustion is effective and safe in the treatment of patients with internet addiction disorder. Key words: Acupuncture therapy; Internet addiction disorder(IAD)

The association between parental depression and adolescent\u2019s Internet addiction in South Korea

BackgroundA number of risk factors for Internet addiction among adolescents have been identified to be associated with their behavior, familial, and parental factors. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between parental mental health and Internet addiction among adolescents. Therefore, we investigated the association between parental mental health and children’s Internet addiction by controlling for several risk factors.MethodsThis study used panel data collected by the Korea Welfare Panel Study in 2012 and 2015. We focused primarily on the association between Internet addiction which was assessed by the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) and parental depression which was measured with the 11-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. To analyze the association between parental depression and log-transformed IAS, we conducted multiple regression analysis after adjusting for covariates.ResultsAmong 587 children, depressed mothers and fathers comprised 4.75 and 4.19%, respectively. The mean IAS score of the adolescents was 23.62 ± 4.38. Only maternal depression (β = 0.0960, p = 0.0033) showed higher IAS among children compared to nonmaternal depression. Strongly positive associations between parental depression and children’s Internet addiction were observed for high maternal education level, adolescents’ gender, and adolescent’s academic performance.ConclusionsMaternal depression is related to children’s Internet addiction; particularly, mothers who had graduated from the university level or above, male children, and children’s normal or better academic performance show the strongest relationship with children’s Internet addiction.

Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies on the Affective Network of Adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder.

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been suggested to be a mental health disorder. Attachment and emotional status in IGD patients are important for understanding the etiology and progression of IGD because both parameters are considered to be associated with the affective network. Equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) have been reported to improve emotional status and attachment in subjects. We hypothesized that EAAT would improve attachment in IGD adolescents with insecure attachment issues and increase functional connectivity (FC) within the affective network. Subjects completed a demographic questionnaire, the Korean Experiences in Close Relationships Scale Revised version (K-ECRS), the Child Depression Inventory, Young's Internet Addiction Scale, the Korean Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging at baseline at the end of EAAT. Fifteen IGD adolescents with insecure attachment issues and 15 healthy comparison adolescents with secure attachment agreed to participate in this study. After 7 days of EAAT, K-ECRS avoidance and anxiety scores improved in all adolescents. K-ECRS avoidance scores of the IGD group showed marked improvement compared with those of the healthy group. In all participants, FC from the left amygdala to the left parahippocampal gyrus, left medial frontal gyrus, and left inferior frontal gyrus, as well as from the right amygdala to the left caudate, right claustrum, and left inferior frontal gyrus increased. In IGD adolescents, FC from the left amygdala to the left frontal orbital gyrus, as well as from the right amygdala to the right corpus callosum also increased. These findings suggested that EAAT improves attachment, which could lead to a decrease in the severity of IGD symptoms in IGD patients with insecure attachment issues. In addition, EAAT increases FC within the affective network, which was associated with attachment not only in healthy adolescents but also in adolescents with IGD.

Effects of Internet and Smartphone Addictions on Depression and Anxiety Based on Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

The associations of Internet addiction (IA) and smartphone addiction (SA) with mental health problems have been widely studied. We investigated the effects of IA and SA on depression and anxiety while adjusting for sociodemographic variables. In this study, 4854 participants completed a cross-sectional web-based survey including socio-demographic items, the Korean Scale for Internet Addiction, the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale, and the subscales of the Symptom Checklist 90 Items-Revised. The participants were classified into IA, SA, and normal use (NU) groups. To reduce sampling bias, we applied the propensity score matching method based on genetics matching. The IA group showed an increased risk of depression (relative risk 1.207; p < 0.001) and anxiety (relative risk 1.264; p < 0.001) compared to NUs. The SA group also showed an increased risk of depression (relative risk 1.337; p < 0.001) and anxiety (relative risk 1.402; p < 0.001) compared to NCs. These findings show that both, IA and SA, exerted significant effects on depression and anxiety. Moreover, our findings showed that SA has a stronger relationship with depression and anxiety, stronger than IA, and emphasized the need for prevention and management policy of the excessive smartphone use.

Impulsive Internet Game Play Is Associated With Increased Functional Connectivity Between the Default Mode and Salience Networks in Depressed Patients With Short Allele of Serotonin Transporter Gene.

Problematic Internet game play is often accompanied by major depressive disorder (MDD). Depression seems to be closely related to altered functional connectivity (FC) within (and between) the default mode network (DMN) and salience network. In addition, serotonergic neurotransmission may regulate the symptoms of depression, including impulsivity, potentially by modulating the DMN. We hypothesized that altered connectivity between the DMN and salience network could mediate an association between the 5HTTLPR genotype and impulsivity in patients with depression. A total of 54 participants with problematic Internet game play and MDD completed the research protocol. We genotyped for 5HTTLPR and assessed the DMN FC using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The severity of Internet game play, depressive symptoms, anxiety, attention and impulsivity, and behavioral inhibition and activation were assessed using the Young Internet Addiction Scale (YIAS), Beck Depressive Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Korean Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder scale, and the Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Scales (BIS-BAS), respectively. The SS allele was associated with increased FC within the DMN, including the middle prefrontal cortex (MPFC) to the posterior cingulate cortex, and within the salience network, including the right supramarginal gyrus (SMG) to the right rostral prefrontal cortex (RPFC), right anterior insular (AInsular) to right SMG, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to left RPFC, and left AInsular to right RPFC, and between the DMN and salience network, including the MPFC to the ACC. In addition, the FC from the MPFC to ACC positively correlated with the BIS and YIAS scores in the SS allele group. The SS allele of 5HTTLPR might modulate the FC within and between the DMN and salience network, which may ultimately be a risk factor for impulsive Internet game play in patients with MDD.

Bupropion Shows Different Effects on Brain Functional Connectivity in Patients With Internet-Based Gambling Disorder and Internet Gaming Disorder.

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and gambling disorder (GD) share similar clinical characteristics but show different brain functional connectivity patterns. Bupropion is known to be effective for the treatment of patients with IGD and GD. We hypothesized that bupropion may be effective for the treatment of Internet-based gambling disorder (ibGD) and IGD and that the connections between the default mode network (DMN) and cognitive control network (CCN) would be different between ibGD and IGD patients after 12 weeks of bupropion treatment. 16 patients with IGD, 15 patients with ibGD, and 15 healthy subjects were recruited in this study. At baseline and after 12 weeks of bupropion treatment, the clinical symptoms of patients with IGD or ibGD were assessed, and brain activity was evaluated using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. After the 12-week bupropion treatment, clinical symptoms, including the severity of IGD or GD, depressive symptoms, attention, and impulsivity improved in both groups. In the IGD group, the functional connectivity (FC) within the posterior DMN as well as the FC between the DMN and the CCN decreased following treatment. Moreover, the FC within the DMN in the IGD group was positively correlated with changes in Young Internet Addiction Scale scores after the bupropion treatment period. In the ibGD group, the FC within the posterior DMN decreased while the FC within the CCN increased after the bupropion treatment period. Moreover, the FC within the CCN in the ibGD group was significantly greater than that in the IGD group. Bupropion was effective in improving clinical symptoms in patients with IGD and ibGD. However, there were differences in the pharmacodynamics between the two groups. After 12 weeks of bupropion treatment, the FC within the DMN as well as between the DMN and CCN decreased in patients with IGD, whereas the FC within the CCN increased in patients with ibGD.

The effects of using social network sites on academic performance: the case of Qatar

PurposeSocial network sites (SNSs) have been common applications attracting a large number of users in Qatar. Current literature remains inconclusive about the relationship between SNS usage and users’ academic performance. While one stream confirms that SNS usage may lead to addiction and seriously affect individuals’ academic performance, other studies refer to SNS as learning enablers. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it investigates the SNS usage profiles among the young generation in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) represented by Qatar; second, it examines the relationship between the identified SNS usage profiles and their respective users’ academic performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study follows a quantitative survey-based method that was adapted from Chen’s internet Addiction Scale to fit the context of social networks. Data were collected from students of two universities in Qatar, one private and another public. Respondents’ grade point average was also collected and compared across the different usage profiles to understand how SNS usage behavior affects academic performance.FindingsResults reveal that there is no linear relationship between SNS usage and academic performance. Therefore, this study further investigates SNS usage profiles and identifies three groups: passive (low usage), engaged (normal usage) and addicted (high usage). It was found that engaged users demonstrate significantly higher academic performance than their passive and addicted peers. Moreover, there is no significant difference in the academic performance between passive and addicted users.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is cross-sectional and based on self-reported data collected from university students in Qatar. Further research venues could employ a more general sample covering a longer period, differentiating between messaging tools (e.g. WhatsApp) and other pure SNS (e.g. Twitter), and to cover other aspects than just academic performance.Originality/valueThis study complements research efforts on the influence of technology on individuals and on the society in the GCC area. It concludes that engaged SNS users achieve better academic performance than the addicted or passive users. Contradicting the strong linear relationship between SNS and performance, as claimed by previous studies, is the main originality of this paper.