Loneliness and generalized problematic Internet use: Parents’ perceived knowledge of adolescents’ online activities as a moderator

This study examined adolescents’ perceptions of parents’ knowledge of their online activities as a moderator of the relationship between loneliness and generalized problematic Internet use (PIU). The purpose of this study was to address two gaps in research. First, previous research has only investigated these relationships from a main effects perspective; the present study extended research by examining generalized PIU from an interaction effects perspective. Second, it is timely to examine the relationship between loneliness and generalized PIU in an adolescent sample which has not been previously explored. A total of 1098 adolescents (49.2% male, 50.8% female) from Grade 8 and Grade 9 classes participated in this study. The key finding was that perceived parental knowledge was a moderator of the relationship between loneliness and generalized PIU; parental knowledge was better able to differentiate adolescents’ level of generalized PIU at lower rather than at higher levels of loneliness. This moderator effect was stronger in magnitude for parents who had no awareness of their adolescents’ online activities compared to parents who were in the know about their adolescents’ online activities. These findings emphasize the importance of prevention and early intervention work with early adolescents and their parents with respect to adolescent loneliness and generalized PIU.     

Structure and function of maladaptive cognitions in Pathological Internet Use among Chinese adolescents

This study empirically investigated the structure and function of maladaptive cognitions related to Pathological Internet Use (PIU) among Chinese adolescents. To explore the structure of maladaptive cognitions, this study validated a Chinese Adolescents’ Maladaptive Cognitions Scale (CAMCS) with two samples of adolescents (n1 = 293 and n2 = 609). The results of the exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that CAMCS included three distinct factors, namely, “social comfort,” “distraction,” and “self-realization.” To examine the function of maladaptive cognitions, this study tested an updated cognitive-behavioral model in the third sample of 1059 adolescents. The results of structural equation model analyses verified both the direct effect of maladaptive cognitions on PIU and their mediating role in the relationships between distal factors (social anxiety and stressful life events) and PIU among Chinese adolescents. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings were discussed.     

The influence of juvenile preference for online social interaction on problematic Internet use: The moderating effect of sibling condition and the moderated moderating effect of age cohort

Previous studies have demonstrated that the preference for online social interaction (POSI) is one of the most important factors affecting problematic Internet use (PIU). As self-worth orientation theory suggests, however, only-child could buffer the effect of POSI on PIU, given the fact that children without siblings (the only-child) typically enjoy more resources from parents than do children with siblings. As children grow, particularly after school age, they would become more susceptible to the peers' influence than parents'. Thus, the buffering effect of only-child would decrease along with age due to the lessening effect of parents. To examine the moderating effect of sibling condition (only-child vs. children with siblings) and moderated moderating effect of age cohort (adolescent vs. emerging adult) on the relationship between POSI and PIU, we collected data from 12,051 Chinese students and measured their POSI, PIU, sibling condition, age and other demographics. The results showed that (a) the PIU score of only-child was significantly lower than that of children with siblings; (b) the POSI significantly predicted the PIU; (c) sibling condition moderated the relationship between POSI and PIU, and age cohort further moderated the moderation of sibling condition; (d) age cohort moderated the relationship between POSI and PIU. The implications for the prevention of Internet addictive behaviors among adolescents were discussed.     

Temperament and adolescent problematic Internet use: The mediating role of deviant peer affiliation

Problematic Internet use (PIU) creates psychological, social, school and/or work difficulties in a person's life. This study examined the unique roles of four dimensions of temperament (effortful control, sensation seeking, anger/frustration, and shyness) on adolescent PIU, as well as the mediating role of deviant peer affiliation (DPA) on these pathways. Participants were 2758 Chinese adolescents (46% male; mean age = 13.53 years, SD = 1.06) selected by stratified and random cluster sampling from 10 middle schools in southern China. After covariates were controlled, structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated that effortful control negatively predicted PIU, while sensation seeking, anger/frustration and shyness positively predicted PIU. SEM also identified that DPA partially mediated the pathway from all four temperament dimensions to PIU. These findings provide evidence for the relationship between specific temperament dimensions and adolescent PIU, and highlight DPA as one explanation for the prevalence of PIU.     

Toward a comprehensive theory of problematic Internet use: Evaluating the role of self-esteem,anxiety, flow,and the self-rated importance of Internet activities

Problematic Internet use (PIU) has long been a matter of public concern. Study 1 examined the correlates of a well-validated measure of Internet addiction [Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the net. New York: John Wiley and Sons] with 315 students (39% male). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that low self-esteem, unrealistic optimism, and the importance of 7-positive activities (I7PA) all contributed to the prediction of PIU. The inclusion of controls for aspects of Internet uses and demographic characters showed a clear distinction between PIU and frequent Internet use. Subjects who anticipated that negative outcomes were more likely to happen to them than to peers were none-the-less more likely to engage in PIU. The more important positive activities were, the greater the PIU. SEM model suggested that unrealistic optimism was best treated as part of PIU and that low self-esteem and the I7PA were the powerful predictors of PIU. Study 2 tested SEM models of psychosocial characteristics with 279 students (48% male). Anxiety and flow were added as predictors and the felt safety for social contacts was added to Global PIU following Caplan [Caplan, S. E. (2002). Problematic Internet use and psychosocial well-being: Development of a theory-based cognitive-behavioral measurement instrument. Computers in Human Behavior, 18, 553–575]. The more complex model provided excellent fit and showed that low self-esteem, anxiety, and the I7PA were positively related to PIU. The relationship both of flow and sensation-seeking was mediated by the 17PA. Research on the topic has been relatively atheoretical. We propose a theoretical template to guide future research on PIU.     

Stressful life events and problematic Internet use by adolescent females and males: A mediated moderation model

In a sample of 660 adolescents (M age = 14.14 years; 55% females), this study examined a mediated moderation model in which temperamental effortful control and sensation seeking moderated the relationship between stressful life events and problematic Internet use (PIU), and this moderating effect was mediated by maladaptive cognitions. Findings revealed that effortful control buffered the risk of stressful life events for females’ PIU, and this effect was mediated through maladaptive cognitions. The risk-buffering effect of effortful control for males’ PIU was not significant, although it buffered the risk of maladaptive cognitions for PIU. The risk-enhancing effect of sensation seeking was not significant in both female and male adolescents. In addition, males scored higher on risks but lower on protective factors of PIU than females, which explain the gender difference in PIU. The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.     

Beyond peer contagion: Unique and interactive effects of multiple peer influences on Internet addiction among Chinese adolescents

This study examined the roles of different aspects of peer context in the peer contagion of Internet addiction among 956 Chinese adolescents (11–19 years, 473 boys and 419 girls). Framed by peer socialization perspectives, the present study examined the unique effects of close peers’ social acceptance and normativeness of Internet addiction on adolescents’ Internet addiction beyond the putative effects of close peers’ Internet addiction. The interactive effects of close peers’ social status and friendship quality with close peers’ Internet addiction on adolescents’ Internet addiction as well as gender differences also were examined. Results showed that male adolescents who were affiliated with peers having lower levels of social acceptance were more likely to develop heightened levels of Internet addiction. Adolescents who were situated in a class with higher levels of Internet addiction also tended to have higher levels of Internet addiction. In addition, male adolescents who perceived their peers possessing higher social status were more vulnerable to peer contagion of Internet addiction. In general, findings suggest the importance of considering multiple facets of peer influences beyond the peer contagion of Internet addiction. Implications for prevention and intervention efforts are discussed.     

‘You talking to me?’ The influence of peer communication on adolescents’ persuasion knowledge and attitude towards social advertisements

This article examines how peer communication among adolescents (14–16 years) affects the evaluation of social advertising (i.e. targeted ad that adopts the social proof heuristic by using an individual’s social ties as endorsers for a brand) on social networking sites (SNSs). More precisely, the focus lies on how engaging in online peer chatting on these social platforms alters persuasion knowledge and attitude towards the ad. In order to test this, two between-subjects experiments were conducted in which adolescents chatted with peers on a mock SNS that contained a social ad. In Experiment 1, results reveal that a social ad generates a more positive attitude among adolescents when they have engaged in online peer communication, and at the same time, triggers less persuasion knowledge. In Experiment 2, the depth of the relationship between the chatters (tie strength) plays a significant moderating role as peer communication with strong ties yields greater effects, compared to communication with weak ties. These findings reveal important social influence dynamics that may alter the elaboration of persuasive communication, leading to valuable theoretical and practical implications.     

Problematic internet use and study motivation in higher education

The current study explored the relationship between problematic internet use (PIU) and motivation to learn, and examined psychological and social factors mediating this relationship. Two hundred and eighty-five students in an Italian University were recruited for the current study. There was a negative relationship between PIU and motivation to study: a negative impact on learning strategies, meaning that the students found it harder to organize their learning productively; and PIU also positively associated with test anxiety. The current results also demonstrated that there was partial mediation of this effect of PIU on learning strategies in terms of loneliness. This suggest at those with high levels of PIU may be particularly at risk from lower motivations to study, and, hence, lower actual generalized academic performance due to a number of consequences of PIU.     

Problematic Internet use and psychosocial well-being: development of a theory-based cognitive–behavioral measurement instrument

The paper presents results from an exploratory study that: (1) developed a theory-based measure of PIU and (2) administered the instrument to a sample of undergraduate students to assess the associations among PIU and several psychosocial variables including, depression, self-esteem, loneliness, and shyness. A new instrument, the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale (GPIUS) was designed to operationalize Davis's [Computers in Human Behavior, 17 (2001), 187] theoretical construct of generalized PIU. The GPIUS and several measures of psychosocial well-being were administered to 386 undergraduate students. Results from this preliminary study indicate that the GPIUS is both reliable and valid. A factor analysis identified seven unique sub-dimensions of the GPIUS, including: mood alteration, perceived social benefits available online, negative outcomes associated with Internet use, compulsive Internet use, excessive amounts of time spent online, withdrawal symptoms when away from the Internet, and perceived social control available online. All GPIUS subscales were correlated with psychosocial health variables including: depression, loneliness, shyness, and self-esteem. A regression analysis identified several important psychosocial and cognitive–behavioral predictors of negative outcomes associated with generalized PIU. Results also suggest that one's preference for computer-mediated social interaction, as opposed to face-to-face interaction, plays a role in the etiology, development, and outcomes of generalized PIU.     

The impact of role stress fit and self-esteem on the job attitudes of IT professionals

We used person–job fit theory to examine the relationships between the match in IT developers’ preferred and perceived actual role stress (role stress fit) with job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Self-esteem was considered as either a potential moderator or mediator of those relationships. Results from surveys completed by IT developers in 12 Fortune 500 companies indicated that role stress fit was positively related to both job satisfaction and organizational commitment and that self-esteem significantly moderated the relationship between role stress fit and job satisfaction. The results of our research has provided insight into staff assignment and the design of coping interventions.     

Problematic internet use,psychopathology, personality,defense and coping

Many international studies in the field of Internet use and Problematic Internet Use (PIU) have shown strong and frequent relationships with psychopathology. However, few researches have investigated the relationships between PIU and personality variables such as defense, coping and pathological traits. The aim of the present study was to explore the rate of PIU among French users and its relationships with psychopathological (depressive symptoms, self-esteem, pathological personality traits) and psychological variables (defense mechanisms and coping strategies). A sample of 786 participants, aged between 18 and 35 years old (M = 23.7; SD = 4.5) has been recruited online and completed several scales assessing PIU, time spent online, socio demographic, psychological and psychopathological variables. More than 20% of the sample had PIU. Compared to non-problematic users, they had significant higher scores of all personality disorder clusters, non-adaptive coping and depressive symptoms. Among the total sample, PIU was predicted by Clusters B and C personality traits, immature and autistic fantasy defense styles, non-adaptive coping strategies and depressive symptoms. Significant gender differences have been retrieved. Psychological and psychopathological variables, including personality traits should be further explored, and gender differences always taken into account when assessing PIU.     

Adolescents’ comments in social media: Why do adolescents receive negative feedback and who is most at risk?

Receiving negative peer feedback in social media may have negative consequences for adolescents’ psychosocial development and well-being. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to investigate online behavior (i.e., online social exploration, risky online self-presentation) that predicts receiving negative online peer feedback. The second aim was to examine three types of precursors that may predict this online behavior and, indirectly, negative feedback: (a) developmental (i.e., sex, age), (b) dispositional (i.e., sensation seeking, inhibitory control), and (c) social precursors (i.e., peer problems, family conflict). We collected survey data among 785 Dutch adolescents (10–15 years old). Our results showed that adolescents who engaged in online social exploration and risky online self-presentation more often, were more likely to receive negative peer feedback. Online social exploration was more prevalent among the older adolescents and adolescents characterized by higher sensation seeking and more family conflict. In addition, risky online self-presentation was more prevalent among adolescents high in sensation seeking. Consequently, these adolescents’ online behavior, indirectly, made them more at risk of receiving negative peer feedback in social media.     

Understanding adolescent students’ use of Facebook and their subjective wellbeing: a gender-based comparison

Adolescence is marked by many changes, and adolescents seek peer support to compensate for the concomitant psychological and social challenges they face. In this respect, Facebook has become one of the primary tools adolescents use to build and maintain social relationships. The current study examines the determinants of Facebook use and its relationship with adolescents’ subjective wellbeing, stratified by gender. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1,121 adolescent students (aged 12–17 years) consisting of 625 boys and 586 girls. The results indicated that the total number of Facebook friends, the need to belong and the perceived waste of time were correlated with adolescents’ use of Facebook; in turn, Facebook use was positively related to the subjective wellbeing of both male and female students. Gender differences were also observed; the need to belong and the positive relationship between Facebook use and subjective wellbeing were both stronger for male students than female students.     

Psychosocial causes and consequences of pathological gaming

Pathological use of computer and video games has been associated with indicators of psychosocial well-being, such as loneliness, low self-esteem, low social competence, and low life satisfaction. However, few studies have decisively demonstrated whether these indicators of psychosocial well-being are causes or consequences of pathological gaming. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a two-wave panel study among 851 Dutch adolescents (543 gamers). Causal relations were analyzed using autoregressive structural equation models. These analyses indicated that social competence, self-esteem, and loneliness were significant predictors of pathological gaming six months later. Thus, lower psychosocial well-being can be considered an antecedent of pathological gaming among adolescent gamers. Our analyses further indicated that loneliness was also a consequence of pathological gaming. This suggests that displacement of real-world social interaction resulting from pathological use of video games may deteriorate existing relationships, which could explain the increase in adolescent gamers’ feelings of loneliness.     

Does being on Facebook make me (feel) accepted in the classroom? The relationships between early adolescents' Facebook usage,classroom peer acceptance and self-concept

The present study aimed to explore the relationships between classroom peer relations, self-concept, and the use of social networking sites in early adolescents. The differences between Facebook users and non-users in their (teacher-assessed and sociometric) classroom peer acceptance and the peer relations, academic and global self-concept were investigated. In addition, the incremental predictive power of students' Facebook usage indicators for their peer relations self-concept beyond their actual classroom acceptance was tested, as well as the moderating role of early adolescents' gender classroom peer acceptance in the relation between Facebook usage and peer relations self-concept. 404 early adolescents (47.3% males; 82.9% Facebook users) participated in the study. No differences were found between users and non-users in their social preference, teacher-assessed peer acceptance, and academic and general self-concept. However, Facebook users reported significantly higher peer relations self-concept. No significant differences were found between Facebook users classified in different sociometric groups. Measures of Facebook usage explained incremental variance in peer-relation self-concept beyond classroom peer acceptance measures. In addition, a significant interaction effect between emotional connectedness to Facebook and gender was found; being highly emotionally connected to Facebook was beneficial only for girls’ peer relations self-concept. These results shed light on commonalities and differences in Facebook and classroom connectedness.     

All my online-friends are better than me – three studies about ability-based comparative social media use,self-esteem,and depressive tendencies

ABSTRACT

We conducted three studies to assess short-term and long-term effects of social comparative SNS use on self-esteem and depressive tendencies. In Study 1 (N?=?75) we found in an exposure experiment including two experimental groups and one control group that social comparative internet use decreased participants’ performance-oriented state self-esteem as a short-term effect. In Study 2 and 3 (Ns?=?809, 145) results of the serial multiple mediator model indicated that passive Facebook use is associated with higher depressive tendencies mediated by a higher ability-related social comparison orientation and lower self-esteem as long-term effect. To obtain more generalisable findings, we transferred the serial multiple mediator model successfully from private to professional SNS use (Study 3).     

The impact of daily stress on adolescents’ depressed mood: The role of social support seeking through Facebook

This study examined relationships among daily stress (i.e., school- and family-related stress), social support seeking through Facebook, perceived social support through Facebook, and depressed mood among adolescents (N = 910). Structural equation modeling showed that daily stress positively predicted adolescents’ seeking of social support through Facebook. In addition, when social support was sought on Facebook and subsequently perceived, social support seeking through Facebook decreased adolescents’ depressed mood. However, when social support was sought on Facebook, but not perceived, social support seeking through Facebook increased adolescents’ depressed mood. When comparing these relationships with similar relationships in a traditional social support context, results showed that the exacerbating impact of social support seeking on depressed mood exclusively transpires in a social networking site context. The discussion focuses on the understanding and explanation of these findings, and directions for future research.     

Symbolization of mobile phone and life satisfaction among adolescents in rural areas of China: Mediating of school-related relationships

Mobile phone is popular among residents in rural areas of China, especially among the adolescents. The aim of the present research was to investigate how the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol affected life satisfaction of adolescents living in rural areas of China. Teacher-student relationship and student-student relationship as important interpersonal relationship indicators of adolescents were included as mediator variables. Participants were 656 adolescents (316 girls, M_age = 14.43 ± 1.67 years), and they were surveyed on the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol, teacher-student relationship, student-student relationship, and life satisfaction in the present research. Results showed that the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol reduced life satisfaction. What's more, attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol could reduce life satisfaction via teacher-student relationship, as well as via teacher-student relationship and student-student relationship in sequence. We concluded that the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol is a new risk factor of adolescents' development.     

Family factors in Internet addiction among Chinese youth: A review of English- and Chinese-language studies

Approximately 513 million Chinese citizens used the Internet in 2011, with adolescents reporting comparatively high levels of use. Although numerous studies (reviewed herein) indicate that Internet Addiction/Pathological Internet Use (IA/PIU) is endemic among Chinese youth and trending upward, no prior review has examined family correlates of IA/PIU in Chinese youth. Thus, our principal aim was to evaluate methodological features and substantive findings of all studies examining family correlates of IA/PIU in Chinese youth. Internet, demographic, psychosocial, and psychiatric/behavioral correlates of IA/PIU, and prevalence estimates for adolescent IA/PIU, were also examined using the large set of studies evaluated in association with our principal aim. Comprehensive bibliographic searches identified 42 pertinent investigations. Youth with IA/PIU reported greater global dissatisfaction with their families; less organized, cohesive and adaptable families; greater inter-parental and parent–child conflict; and perceived their parents as more punitive, and less supportive, warm, and involved compared to non-IA youth. IA/PIU youth were significantly more likely to have divorced parents, live with a single parent, and be an only child than non-IA/PIU youth. IA/PIU is prevalent among Chinese youth and associated with diverse family, psychosocial and psychiatric/behavioral impairments, but rarely is the focus of prevention and treatment interventions.