Internet Addiction In Young People - Essay Example

What are the causes and impacts of internet addiction in young people? Name Tutor Name Course Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Methodology 3 Discussions and Findings 4 Defining the constructs 4 Causes of Internet Addictions 5 Consequences 8 Conclusion 10 References 10 Introduction Rapid internet penetration has had a huge impact on psychosocial research. Indeed, there has been a growing interest in internet’s addictive potential, it causes and impacts over the last two decades (Griffiths, 1998; Osborne, 2013; Morahan-Martina and Schumacher, 2000). This calls for a need to investigate the causes and effects of internet addiction hence the research question: What are the causes and impacts of internet addiction in young people? In this paper, a literature review is conducted to answer the research question. Methodology The criteria for reviewing the articles entailed internet search of peer reviewed articles published between 1998 and 2013. Articles published in English were targeted. Key words used included “internet addiction”, “youth internet addiction”, “youth internet addiction causes”, and “youth internet addition consequences.” In all, 9 articles were reviewed. The areas reviewed included level of research, methods of research, findings and limitations. A key research barrier encountered was that most researches used small sample size and limited geographic scope making the findings less generalisable. Discussions and Findings Defining the constructs Kim and Kim (2002) observed that the term addiction can be used in explaining compulsive internet usage since the symptoms of internet addiction have similar features as those of alcohol and tobacco addiction. Similarly, Young (2004) outlined a practicable definition of internet addition by drawing conclusions from 10 peer reviewed articles. According to Young (2004), an effective definition for internet addition should be one that has workable model and allowing people to understand the consequences. Like Kim and Kim (2002), Young (2004) agreed that internet addiction is a behaviour-oriented addiction. In defining internet addiction, Brian and Wiemer-Hastings (2005) reached similar conclusion to that of Young (2004). He further discussed that the concept is not yet a DSM IV diagnosis, although its definition can still be derived from DSM IV criteria for obsession and addiction. Recent observations were made by Sahin (2011) who posited that internet addiction is yet to be defined as disorder in DSM-IV-TR. Sahin (2011) also related internet addiction to other compulsive behaviours such as pathological gambling disorder. In Sahin’s (2011) view, the concept of internet addiction refers to overuse of the internet as a result causing problems in professional, social and individual aspects. Koc (2011) also explored Young’s (2004) assumptions in defining internet addiction as a concept that should explore the causes and effects of the addition. Koc (2011) referred to internet addiction as a pathological use of the internet and an individual’s inability to control the urge to use the internet, hence causing social, psychosocial or work- and school-related difficulties. Causes of Internet Addictions A study by Young (2004) investigated the new clinical phenomenon of internet addition in young people and its impacts. According to Young (2004), internet addiction among young people (particularly students) is caused by free and unlimited access to the internet, lack of monitoring and censoring of their internet activities, having unstructured time, encouragement to pursue internet researches from faculty, new freedom from parental control, social alienation and intimidation and a substitute to drug abuse. A major strength of Young’s (2004) study is that the researcher did extensive document analysis of 48 primary and secondary documents that explored the causes and impacts of the internet. The researcher used document analysis as a research method. A major limitation to the study is that no follow up researches were done to validate the findings of the document analysis. Additionally, Young (2004) failed to examine theoretical perspectives explaining motivations for internet addition. The researcher also failed to relay his findings clearly, making his conclusion much equivocal. Similar observations were made by Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009), who examined loneliness and social alienation as the causal effects. Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009) used an assumption that the major motivator for internet addition is the need to relieve psychosocial problems. The study found that young people who are lonely or who lack effective social skills are likely to develop strong compulsive internet use resulting to undesirable life outcomes, such as poor productivity at work and poor social relationships. Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009) used direct approach and unstructured surveys (online survey) to collect data. In total, 635 students based in the same area participated in the survey. The small sample size and limited area of survey makes the study less generalisable. The study however effectively used theoretical perspectives to examine motivators for internet abuse among young people. In a different study, Kim and Kim (2002) made similar observations to that of Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009) and Young (2004). Kim and Kim (2002) found that internet addiction is closely linked to personal factors in addition to the sense of alienation that can be measured by isolation, loneliness and powerlessness. Kim and Kim (2002) also observed that alienation is in actual fact not a personal factor per se. Rather, it is a psychosocial problem. Kim and Kim (2002) examined internet addition based on the perspective of consumer studies in Korea. The study used a structured survey through the use of questionnaire research instrument. A major strength is that the study effectively used theoretical perspectives to examine motivators for internet abuse among young people. Kim and Kim (2002) investigated young people aged between 15 and 39 years in Korea. In total, 600 questionnaires were distributed while only 557 responses were received. Since the study had a limited geographic scope and a small sample size compared to billions of internet users globally, the findings are less generalisable. Kim and Kim (2002) further used regression analysis to discover the comparative influence of factors related to internet addiction. A related study was that of Brian and Wiemer-Hastings (2005), who found that internet addiction is encouraged by the tendency to spend more hours using the internet for personal recreation and to seek social aspects of the internet more satisfying and pleasant that the social aspects of real life. Brian and Wiemer-Hastings (2005) used unstructured survey, where survey questions were collected anonymously using an online survey. In all, 91 responses were received. The small sample size is less generalisable, compared to the number of internet users worldwide. Another weakness of the study is that the researchers failed to explore the social aspects found on the internet that encourage addiction in depth. Additionally, no theoretical perspectives were also explored. Like Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009), Young (2004), Brian and Wiemer-Hastings (2005) and Kim and Kim (2002), Kapahi et al’s (2013) findings suggested that the youth are susceptible to internet addiction because of impulsive surfing, ease of use, ease of access and task-relevant factors such as working online or distant learning. Kapahi et al’s (2013) conducted an online survey where an online questionnaire was created base on Internet Addiction Test (IAT) that covered the key features of pathological internet use factors and impacts of internet addition. In all, 203 participants aged between 18 and 25 years were surveyed in Malaysia. The small sample and limited geographic scope means that the findings are less generalisable on a global level. A study by Brian and Wiemer-Hastings (2005) observed that consequences of internet addiction by the youth are negative in nature, and are related to substance addition, such as alcohol and tobacco. In respect to this, Brian and Wiemer-Hastings (2005) observed that internet addiction can lead to consequences such as failure in school work and problems in relationships. Similar findings by Koc’s (2011) suggested that young people who use the internet six or more hours a day typically have psychiatric symptom such as Somatization, depression, sensitivity, hostility, anxiety, obsessive compulsive, phobic anxiety and paranoid ideation. In which case, internet addiction is correlated to psychiatric symptoms. Koc (2011) aimed to examine the correlation between psychopathology and student’s internet addition. Koc (2011) surveyed 174 students Sakarya University, Turkey. Additionally, the researcher used data drawn from a national survey of university students in Turkey. The small sample size and limited geographical scope makes the study less generalisable. Related studies were made by Mazaline and Susan (2004), who observed that in males, higher levels of social anxiety were higher than females, while less mature identity statuses were related with more frequent internet use. In females, it was found that they were less socially anxious compared to males, and that they spent less time using the internet. Consequences The researchers found that there are a number of emotional constructs related to young people’s internet addition, among them including stress, anxiety and depression. A study by Akin and Iskender (2011) that investigated the correlation between internet addiction and stress, anxiety and depression found that compulsive use of the internet can disrupt normal lives of individuals and the people surrounding that particular individual. Such is associated with increased frequency of depression. Through the use of correlation analysis, Akin and Iskender (2011) found that internet addiction was indeed related to anxiety, stress and depression. Akin and Iskender’s (2011) path analysis results further showed that internet addiction has a direct impact on stress, anxiety and depression. Akin and Iskender (2011) surveyed 300 university students in Turkey. The limited geographical scope and small sample size demonstrate that the findings were less generalisable in comparison to the number of the youth using the internet. Akin and Iskender’s (2011) further observed that the youth are most susceptible to internet addiction and that that are likely to be vulnerable to anxiety, depression and stress. These findings are comparable to Kapahi et al’s (2013) who found that the youth are most vulnerable to internet addiction and its psychosocial consequences. In a related study, Kapahi et al’s (2013) found that the youth (aged between 18 and 25 years) were most vulnerable to internet addiction, specifically those going to universities or colleges. Kapahi et al (2013) also explored the causes and impacts of internet addition to young people. The purpose of Kapahi et al’s (2013) research was to identify the internet use among Malaysian youth and the correlation to internet addiction. Kapahi et al (2013) also found the consequences of internet addiction to be problems in social relationships, specifically low self-esteem. Others included loss of concentration, loss of productivity, insomnia, physical changes and withdrawal syndrome. Contradictory evidence also exists suggesting the benefits of internet addition to personal and social wellbeing. Mazaline and Susan (2004) pursued a different approach in exploring the consequences of internet addiction. The researchers focused on the benefits of internet addiction for personal and social wellbeing. Mazaline and Susan (2004) observed that the likelihood of social isolation of the young people can be compensated by internet addition based on the possibilities of the internet to enhance social relationships. These observations are related to Kapahi et al’s (2013), who found that internet addiction may not be actually harmful as it is subject to an individual’s actions, intentions and self-discipline that determine the real harm to the individual or society. According to Mazaline and Susan (2004), physical proximity of young people (particularly adolescents) is largely responsible for peer rejection or acceptance, making the internet healthy for restoring personal social identities in young people. The study investigated internet usage and social anxiety among young people aged between 18 and 25 years. Mazaline and Susan (2004) used a structured survey method through the use of questionnaires to survey 161 respondents in Melbourne, Australia. The small sample size implies that the findings are less generalisable. Additionally, the researchers needed to shed light on the causal pathways of their findings, which could have been explored using longitudinal methods of study. Koc (2011) made similar findings in at a Turkish University, when he found that addicted internet users who perceive lower social support and anxiety problems find it easier to create new social relationships online. Similar findings by Sahin’s (2011) explored the levels of internet addiction among different age groups of users. Conclusion Based on the literatures review, it can be concluded that the youth are most vulnerable age group to internet addiction and its psychosocial consequences. Internet addiction among young people is caused by free and unlimited access to the internet, lack of monitoring and censoring of their internet activities, having unstructured time, encouragement to pursue internet researches from faculty, new freedom from parental control, social alienation and intimidation and a substitute to drug abuse. Internet addiction however has negative and positive consequences. For instance, while it can disrupt normal lives of individuals and the people surrounding that particular individual, it may not be actually harmful as it is subject to an individual’s actions, intentions and self-discipline that determine the real harm to the individual or society. References Brian, D & Wiemer-Hastings, P. (2005). "Addiction To The Internet And Online Gaming." Cyberpsychology & Behavior 8(2) 110-113 Griffiths, M. D., 2000. “Does internet and computer ‘‘addiction” exist? Some case study evidence.” CyberPsychology and Behavior, 3, 211–218. Kapahi, A. Ling, C., Ramadass, S. Abdullah, N. (2013). "Internet Addiction in Malaysia Causes and Effects." iBusiness 5: 72-76 Kim, S. & Kim, R. (2002). "A Study of Internet Addiction: Status, Causes, and Remedies." Journal of Korean Home Economics Association English Edition 3(1) 1-19 Kim, J., LaRose, R. & Peng, W. (2009). "Loneliness as the Cause and the Effect of Problematic Internet Use: The Relationship between Internet Use and Psychological Well-Being." Cyberpsychology & Behavior 12(4), 451-455 Koc, M. (2011). "Internet Addiction and Psychopatology." The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 10(1): 143-148 Mazalin, D. & Moore, S. (2004). "Internet Use, Identity Development and Social Anxiety Among Young Adults." Behaviour Change 21(2): 90-102 Morahan-Martina, J. & Schumacher, P. (2000). “Incidence and correlates of pathological internet use among college students.” Computers in Human Behavior, 16, 13-29 Osborne, R. & Reed, T. (2013). "Differential psychological impact of internet exposure on internet addicts." Plus One 8(2). retrieved: Sahin, C. (2011). "An Analysis Of Internet Addiction Levels Of Individuals According To Various Variables." The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 10(4): 60-66 Young, K. (2004). "A New Clinical Phenomenon and Its Consequences." American Behavioral Scientist, 48(4), 402-415 Read More

Recent observations were made by Sahin (2011) who posited that internet addiction is yet to be defined as disorder in DSM-IV-TR. Sahin (2011) also related internet addiction to other compulsive behaviours such as pathological gambling disorder. In Sahin’s (2011) view, the concept of internet addiction refers to overuse of the internet as a result causing problems in professional, social and individual aspects. Koc (2011) also explored Young’s (2004) assumptions in defining internet addiction as a concept that should explore the causes and effects of the addition.

Koc (2011) referred to internet addiction as a pathological use of the internet and an individual’s inability to control the urge to use the internet, hence causing social, psychosocial or work- and school-related difficulties. Causes of Internet Addictions A study by Young (2004) investigated the new clinical phenomenon of internet addition in young people and its impacts. According to Young (2004), internet addiction among young people (particularly students) is caused by free and unlimited access to the internet, lack of monitoring and censoring of their internet activities, having unstructured time, encouragement to pursue internet researches from faculty, new freedom from parental control, social alienation and intimidation and a substitute to drug abuse.

A major strength of Young’s (2004) study is that the researcher did extensive document analysis of 48 primary and secondary documents that explored the causes and impacts of the internet. The researcher used document analysis as a research method. A major limitation to the study is that no follow up researches were done to validate the findings of the document analysis. Additionally, Young (2004) failed to examine theoretical perspectives explaining motivations for internet addition. The researcher also failed to relay his findings clearly, making his conclusion much equivocal.

Similar observations were made by Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009), who examined loneliness and social alienation as the causal effects. Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009) used an assumption that the major motivator for internet addition is the need to relieve psychosocial problems. The study found that young people who are lonely or who lack effective social skills are likely to develop strong compulsive internet use resulting to undesirable life outcomes, such as poor productivity at work and poor social relationships.

Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009) used direct approach and unstructured surveys (online survey) to collect data. In total, 635 students based in the same area participated in the survey. The small sample size and limited area of survey makes the study less generalisable. The study however effectively used theoretical perspectives to examine motivators for internet abuse among young people. In a different study, Kim and Kim (2002) made similar observations to that of Kim, LaRose and Peng (2009) and Young (2004).

Kim and Kim (2002) found that internet addiction is closely linked to personal factors in addition to the sense of alienation that can be measured by isolation, loneliness and powerlessness. Kim and Kim (2002) also observed that alienation is in actual fact not a personal factor per se. Rather, it is a psychosocial problem. Kim and Kim (2002) examined internet addition based on the perspective of consumer studies in Korea. The study used a structured survey through the use of questionnaire research instrument.

A major strength is that the study effectively used theoretical perspectives to examine motivators for internet abuse among young people. Kim and Kim (2002) investigated young people aged between 15 and 39 years in Korea. In total, 600 questionnaires were distributed while only 557 responses were received. Since the study had a limited geographic scope and a small sample size compared to billions of internet users globally, the findings are less generalisable. Kim and Kim (2002) further used regression analysis to discover the comparative influence of factors related to internet addiction.

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