Impulsivity in internet addiction: a comparison with pathological gambling

Internet addiction has been considered to be associated with poor impulse control. The aim of this study is to compare the trait impulsivity of those suffering from Internet addiction with that of individuals suffering from pathological gambling. Twenty-seven patients diagnosed with Internet addiction (age: 24.78±4.37 years), 27 patients diagnosed with pathological gambling (age: 25.67±3.97 years), and 27 healthy controls (age: 25.33±2.79 years) were enrolled in this study. All patients were men seeking treatment. Trait impulsivity and the severity of the Internet addiction and pathological gambling were measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11, the Young's Internet Addiction Test, and the South Oaks Gambling Screen, respectively. The Beck Depression Inventory and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were also administered to all subjects. Our results show that those suffering from Internet addiction showed increased levels of trait impulsivity which were comparable to those of patients diagnosed with pathological gambling. Additionally, the severity of Internet addiction was positively correlated with the level of trait impulsivity in patients with Internet addiction. These results state that Internet addiction can be conceptualized as an impulse control disorder and that trait impulsivity is a marker for vulnerability to Internet addiction.     

Family factors of internet addiction and substance use experience in Taiwanese adolescents.

The aim of the study is to examine the differences in the diversity of family factors between adolescents with and without Internet addiction and substance use experience. A total of 3662 students (2328 boys and 1334 girls) were recruited from seven junior high schools, six senior high schools, and four vocational high schools in southern Taiwan. Internet addiction and substance experience were classified according to the score of Chen Internet Addiction Scale Questionnaires for Experience of Substance use. The family factors assessed included perceived family satisfaction, family economic status, parents' marriage status, care-givers, the frequency of intra-family conflict, families' habitual alcohol use, and perceived parents' or care givers' attitude toward adolescents' substance use. This study demonstrated that the characteristics of higher parent-adolescent conflict, habitual alcohol use of siblings, perceived parents' positive attitude to adolescent substance use, and lower family function could be used develop a predictive model for Internet addiction in the multiple logistic regression analysis. The former three family factors were also sufficient in themselves to develop a predictive model for substance use experience. The results revealed that adolescent Internet addiction and substance use experience shared similar family factors, which indicate that Internet addiction and substance use should be considered in the group of behavioral problem syndromes. A family-based preventive approach for Internet addiction and substance use should be introduced for adolescents with negative family factors.     

工科院校大学生网络成瘾与人格特征的关系

目的了解工科院校大学生网络成瘾现状及其与人格特征的关系,为多方面理解网络成瘾及其矫治提供依据。方法采取随机抽样的方法从西安市某工科院校抽取学生共262人,用网络成瘾量表和艾森克人格量表对研究对象进行测试。结果网络成瘾检出率为41.8%;男生网络成瘾程度显著高于女生;大三、大四学生网络成瘾程度显著高于大一学生,大三学生成瘾程度显著高于大二学生和大四学生;大学生的网络成瘾程度与神经质、精神质呈显著的正相关,与掩饰性呈显著的负相关,与内外向的相关不显著。结论人格特征在一定程度上可以预测网络成瘾的程度。     

青少年网络成瘾人格特征研究

本研究采用问卷调查法,对某初级中学363名初中生的网络成瘾状况与人格特征进行研究。结论表明:初中生网络成瘾检出率为5.79%;初中生在网络成瘾存在性别差异,男生比女生更易成瘾。网络成瘾学生与非成瘾学生在《卡特尔十四种人格因素问题》中的忧虑性、自律性、适应性与焦虑性、孤独倾向、身体症状和冲动倾向等因子上差异显著。与非成瘾学生相比,成瘾学生的自制能力较差,成瘾学生可能更经常体验到孤独、焦虑和不满,并且在生活中较容易出现适应不良现象。     

累积生态风险与青少年网络成瘾:心理需要满足和积极结果预期的中介作用

青少年网络成瘾与个体所处的生态背景密切相关。目前已有不少研究探讨家庭、学校、同伴背景中单个或少数风险因素对青少年网络成瘾的影响,但少有研究关注多个背景中生态风险因素的累积对青少年网络成瘾的影响及其心理机制。本研究基于累积风险模型和动机心理学理论,考察累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾的影响及基本心理需要满足(个体在现实生活中需要被满足的情况)和积极结果预期(个体对网络使用诱因大小的判断)在其中的并行和/或链式中介作用。被试为5所中学的998名青少年。结构方程模型分析表明:(1)在控制了人口学变量后,累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾具有显著的正向预测作用(呈"负加速模式")。(2)累积生态风险通过显著降低基本心理需要满足(表现出"梯度效应"),进而促进青少年网络成瘾。(3)累积生态风险通过显著提升积极结果预期(呈"负加速模式"),进而促进青少年网络成瘾。(4)累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾的影响被基本心理需要满足和积极结果预期两条并行路径完全中介。上述结果表明,累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾具有重要影响,且这种影响是通过需要和诱因两种动机力量一"推"一"拉"的合力来实现。     

Internet addiction,adolescent depression,and the mediating role of life events: Finding from a sample of Chinese adolescents

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of life events in the relation between Internet addiction and depression using an adolescent sample in China. A total of 3507 urban adolescent students were asked to complete the questionnaires including Young's Internet Addiction Scale, Adolescent Self‐Rating Life Events Checklist, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scales, and demographic characteristics. Path analyses demonstrated that life events fully mediated the relationship between Internet addiction and adolescent depression. Specificity for the mediating role of life events was demonstrated in comparison to alternative competing mediation models. The findings support our hypothesis that the effect of Internet addiction on adolescent depression is mediated by the life events. Further research is required to test the temporal relationship between Internet addiction and adolescent depression and explore mechanisms underlying the pathways leading to adolescent depression.     

大学生网络成瘾：背景性渴求与同伴网络过度使用行为及态度的交互作用

基于整体-交互作用模型,选取北京市某高校所有大一学生2511名为被试开展问卷调查,考察了大学生网络使用背景性渴求的特点及其与网络成瘾之间的关系,并就网络使用背景性渴求与同伴网络过度使用行为与态度对网络成瘾的交互作用进行了检验。结果发现:(1)与非网络成瘾大学生相比,网络成瘾大学生的网络使用背景性渴求更高,所感知到的同伴网络过度使用行为更多,同伴对网络过度使用的态度更积极;(2)网络使用背景性渴求各维度、感知到的同伴网络过度使用行为可正向预测大学生的网络成瘾;(3)背景性渴求中的积极结果预期与同伴对网络过度使用的态度对网络成瘾存在显著的交互效应:在低积极结果预期条件下,同伴对网络过度使用的态度可以负向预测网络成瘾程度,而在高积极结果预期条件下,同伴态度对网络成瘾的预测作用不显著。结论:外因在内因比较微弱的条件下发挥更为明显的作用。     

Analysis of college students' online life-styles and their psychological profiles in South Korea

This study examines the relationships between the online life-styles of South Korean students as Internet users and Internet use, their tendency toward Internet addiction, and the level of cyber ethics. A sample of 324 students, aged between 18 and 23 years, from a medium-sized university in South Korea was asked to complete a survey. They were categorized into three groups depending on their online life-styles: a Social group (SG), an Individual group (IG), and a Loner group (LG). In the following analyses, no group difference was found in hours of Internet use on either weekdays or weekends, but the SG reported higher engagement in interaction-oriented activities (e.g. blogging, games, and instant messenger services) than the LG. As for tendency toward Internet addiction, all three groups belonged to the first phase of the "at-risk" classification in Korea. Interestingly, the IG characteristics of sensation seeking and independence reported the lowest scores in cyber ethics, while the LG characteristics of apathetic attitude toward the Internet reported the highest scores in cyber ethics. This preliminary study showed that Internet users impose different meanings and values on their Internet experiences, which contribute to their use of Internet services, their tendency toward Internet addiction, and their level of cyber ethics.     

Implicit and explicit self-esteem in the context of internet addiction

Previous research has repeatedly found that people suffering from some clinical disorders (e.g., bulimia nervosa, depression) possess low explicit (i.e., conscious, deliberate) self-esteem while at the same time displaying high implicit (i.e., unconscious, automatic) self-esteem. This phenomenon has been termed damaged self-esteem and was proposed to be an indicator of psychological distress. Although Internet addiction has been found to be associated with low levels of explicit self-esteem, as well as with high levels of psychological distress, its relation to implicit self-esteem has, to our knowledge, not been investigated thus far. We therefore hypothesized that the phenomenon of damaged self-esteem could also be found amongst people suffering from Internet addiction, and conducted two studies using the Initial Preference Task as a measure of implicit self-esteem. As expected, we found that individuals scoring high on Internet addiction possess low explicit and high implicit self-esteem. This effect was, however, only found for the first name initial of the Initial Preference Task, leading to the conclusion that first and last name initials might tap into different parts of implicit self-esteem.     

The Effects of Self‐Diagnostic Information on Risk Perception of Internet Addiction Disorder: Self‐Positivity Bias and Online Social Support1

This article demonstrates how self‐diagnostic information (presence of symptoms on an inventory) influences the risk perception of Internet addiction disorder (IAD). The authors also highlight 2 tendencies—self‐positivity bias and online social support—that are characteristics of risk perception of IAD. In 3 studies, it was found that if no contextual information was provided, respondents estimated their risk of IAD as higher than when contextual information (symptoms) was provided. They were also less prone to self‐positivity (i.e., the disposition for people to estimate their risk as lower than others). Finally, our research provides evidence that online social support moderates these effects.     

Internet-addicted kids and South Korean government efforts: boot-camp case

Computer overuse has been a serious problem for the past several years. One aspect of the information age has been the novel concerns deriving from advanced IT technology--which include Internet addiction, gambling, and so on. These Internet-based problems have emerged in many countries, including South Korea. In an effort to solve this problem, the South Korean government has created a variety of programs designed to cure teenagers' Internet addictions, most notably the Jump Up Internet Rescue School, a camp designed to cure Internet-addicted or online game-addicted children. In this study, we review this boot-camp program and present a brief review of the literature concerning Internet addiction and habit theory. Additionally, we provide some useful implications for the Korean government and other countries, practitioners, and researchers. It is also anticipated that the findings from this study will provide us with a better understanding of how case-study-based research into Internet addiction curative programs can be regarded as a burgeoning field of Internet-related research.     

Hostility in the real world and online: the effect of internet addiction, depression, and online activity

Hostility online has not been evaluated by an empirical investigation. This study aims to evaluate (a) the difference between hostility in the real world and that online and (b) whether the difference is associated with Internet addiction, depression, or online activities. A total of 2,348 college students (1,124 males and 1,224 females) were recruited and completed the Chen Internet Addiction Scale, the Center for Epidemiological Studies' Depression Scale, and the questionnaire for online activity. Further, the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory-Chinese version-short form was utilized to evaluate hostility in both real and virtual worlds. The results demonstrated that the levels of all four dimensions of hostility were lower when getting online than those in the real world. Subjects with Internet addiction had higher hostility both in the real world and online as do subjects with depression. Further, college students with Internet addiction had increased expressive hostility behavior and those with depression had decreased hostility cognition, hostility affection, and suppressive hostility behavior when getting online. Lastly, the buffering effect of the Internet on hostility was attenuated among subjects paying the most online time in chatting, and those using the Internet mainly for online gaming had higher expressive hostility behavior not only in the real world but also online. These results suggest that attention should be paid to interventions concerning aggressive behavior among subjects with Internet addiction or online gaming and chatting. On the other hand, depressed college students would be less hostile after entering the Internet. It is suggested that the Internet would be one possible interactive media to provide intervention for depression.     

Internet addiction disorder and chatting in the Czech Republic.

This study analyzes connections between online chatting and the Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). In the research are compared two groups of respondents--Czech online chat users and Czech university students. The set of answers designed by Kimberly Young, of the University of Pittsburgh, was the common base for research. The research showed that IAD is known among university students, that some of them spend an enormous time on the Internet, and that many of them feel it is a problem. The research also clearly showed that the most serious chat users more often have problems with IAD than other university students.     

父母自主支持、父母心理控制和青少年网络成瘾的关系：一项交叉滞后研究

对1222名青少年进行六个月的追踪测查,以探讨父母自主支持、父母心理控制和青少年网络成瘾之间的相互预测关系。结果表明：（1）前、后测父母自主支持均与网络成瘾呈负相关。（2）前、后测父母心理控制均与网络成瘾呈正相关。（3）前测父母自主支持可以预测后测网络成瘾,前测网络成瘾也可以预测后测父母自主支持。（4）前测父母心理控制可以预测后测网络成瘾,但前测网络成瘾不能显著预测后测父母心理控制。本研究揭示了父母因素与青少年行为之间的相互作用,这对改善青少年网络成瘾有一定的实践意义。     

The psychometric properties of the internet addiction test.

There is growing concern about excessive Internet use and whether this can amount to an addiction. In researching this topic, a valid and reliable assessment instrument is essential. In her survey of Internet addiction, Young designed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), which provides a basis for developments. The IAT has high face validity, but it has not been subjected to systematic psychometric testing. This study sought to replicate and expand Young's survey, and to examine the IAT more systematically. A questionnaire that existed as a Web page was devised, consisting of the IAT and 15 other questions regarding the respondents' demographic information and Internet usage. Participants were recruited through the Internet, yielding 86 valid responses (29 males and 57 females). Factor analysis of the IAT revealed six factors--salience, excessive use, neglecting work, anticipation, lack of control, and neglecting social life. These factors showed good internal consistency and concurrent validity, with salience being the most reliable. Younger and more recent users reported more problems, mainly concerning the neglect of work and social life. We expected interactive Internet functions to be more addictive; however, this was not found to be so. Overall, the IAT is a valid and reliable instrument that may be used in further research on Internet addiction.     

Social activities, self-efficacy, game attitudes, and game addiction

This study examines whether social activities with parents, online and offline social self-efficacy, and attitudes toward gaming are associated with the degree of game addiction among adolescents. Using data from a survey of 600 middle- and high-school students in South Korea, we tested the relationships of personal characteristics (grade point average and time spent on gaming each day), social self-efficacy (both on- and offline), general social activities (with parents, friends, and teachers), gaming activities with parents, and attitudes toward gaming (those of self, parents, friends, and teachers) with the degree of game addiction. In addition, we conducted ANOVA tests to determine the differences among three groups: non-addicts (NA), possible (mild or moderate) addicts (PA), and Internet addicts (IA). The results show that social self-efficacy in the real world (offline) was negatively related with the degree of game addiction, whereas social self-efficacy in the virtual world (online) indicated a positive association. Social activities with parents are negatively associated with game addiction, although no relationship is found between gaming activities with parents and game addiction. Parental attitude toward gaming has a negative relationship with the addiction. Results and implications are discussed.     

大学生因特网成瘾障碍的研究

本研究根据目前广泛认可的因特网成瘾障碍(Internet Addiction Disorder,IAD)诊断标准自编问卷,调查了上海市6所高校370名大学生的上网情况。结果表明:(1)自编问卷质量的各指标皆良好,问卷具有较好的稳定性和准确性。(2)上海市大学生IAD的发生率大约为8.1%。(3)男生比女生、理科比文科、大二年级比其它年级的学生陷入网络的程度深。(4)上网者每周的上网时间、使用网络工具的数量、上网动机的数量与使用网络的程度相关。(5)IAD者在网络使用的特点上明显不同于非IAD者(N-IAD者)。     

青少年创伤后应激障碍症状与网络成瘾症状的关系：惩罚敏感性和孤独感的中介及性别的调节

汶川地震9.5年后,对汶川县和都江堰市767名中学生进行调查,考察惩罚敏感性和孤独感在创伤后应激障碍症状和网络成瘾症状之间的多重中介作用及性别差异。结果发现：（1）PTSD症状正向预测网络成瘾症状,并分别通过惩罚敏感性、孤独感的单独中介作用及两者的链式中介作用显著预测网络成瘾症状;（2）女性的PTSD症状显著正向预测网络成瘾症状,并分别通过惩罚敏感性和孤独感间接影响网络成瘾症状;男性的网络成瘾症状仅被PTSD症状正向预测。     

同伴网络过度使用行为和态度、网络使用同伴压力与大学生网络成瘾的关系

基于社会学习理论和同伴规范影响理论,通过整群取样的方法从北京市两所高校中共选取3068名大一新生为被试,以问卷方式测查了大学生感知到的同伴网络过度使用行为和态度以及网络使用过程中的同伴压力和自身的网络成瘾程度;探讨了同伴的网络过度使用行为、态度对自身网络成瘾的影响及网络使用同伴压力在这一关系中的中介作用。结果表明:(1)大学生中的网络成瘾者所感知到的同伴网络过度使用行为、态度及网络使用时同伴压力均显著高于非网络成瘾者;(2)同伴网络过度使用行为、态度以及网络使用同伴压力均与网络成瘾的总分及五个维度得分呈显著正相关;(3)同伴网络过度使用行为可以正向显著地直接预测大学生网络成瘾的程度,同时也会通过网络使用的同伴压力这一中介变量间接地预测大学生的网络成瘾程度;但同伴的网络过度使用态度不能直接预测自身的网络成瘾程度,而是通过同伴压力间接地影响自身的网络成瘾程度。结论:网络使用过程中的同伴压力在同伴网络过度使用行为影响自身网络成瘾程度关系中起部分中介作用,而在同伴网络过度使用态度影响自身网络成瘾程度关系中起完全中介作用。     

网络成瘾者工作记忆水平受影响的机制:来自ERP的证据

本研究采用事件相关电位技术(ERP),以N-back范式为实验任务,考察20名网络成瘾大学生和23名对照组大学生的工作记忆水平,结果发现:对照组的工作记忆具有一定加工优势的趋势,正确率高于成瘾组,反应时低于成瘾组,但均未达到显著差异。网络成瘾组与对照组工作记忆加工时,网络成瘾组P2波幅更高,N2波幅更低,N2潜伏期更长,说明与网络成瘾组相比,对照组工作记忆水平更高。