NCJ Number
227395
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 38 Issue: 6 Dated: July 2009 Pages: 765-776
Date Published
July 2009
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined the association between adolescents' daily Internet use and low well-being (i.e., loneliness, low self-esteem, and depressive moods).
Abstract
The study found that daily Internet use, in itself, was only marginally and indirectly linked with low well-being in adolescence and young adulthood. The "risks of Internet use" were dependent on individuals' tendencies toward compulsive Internet use (CIU), such as not being able to stop using the Internet, Internet use interfering with other duties or social contacts, and a constant preoccupation with Internet use. These findings were replicated separately for boys and girls. The study showed that the risk for negative consequences associated with adolescents' daily Internet use were partly dependent on personality constellations. For introverted, low-agreeable, and emotionally less stable youths, daily Internet use was more strongly associated with CIU; in turn, CIU was more strongly linked to feelings of loneliness. These findings confirm previous research that found CIU to be a stronger predictor of negative outcomes than the amount of time spent on the Internet. The current research was a 2003 Dutch study that used an online questionnaire that took approximately 20 minutes to complete. Out of the total sample of 17,500 respondents, 7,888 adolescents ages 11-21 were selected for analysis. The questionnaire measured daily Internet use, compulsive Internet use, loneliness, self-esteem, depressive mood, and personality traits. 4 tables, 3 figures, and 41 references