Purposes, Causes and Consequences of Excessive Internet Use among Turkish Adolescents

Abstract

Problem Statement:Excessive internet use,particularly problematic and negative consequences of internet use, is rapidly increasing among children and adolescentsthroughout the World and in Turkey. While the internet provides potential advantages for users in terms of the academic support, sharing ideas & feelings, and freedom of expression, it also has some adverse effects such as wasting time, exhibiting antisocial behaviors, and causing relationship problems. Excessive use could also be manifested as absenteeism, academic failure and problems in interpersonal relationships with other students. In this context, determining the motivations behind the excessive use of the internet could be beneficial in an educational setting.

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to determine the aims, causes and consequences of excessive internet use among adolescents and examine the aims of excessive internet use in terms of gender and grade level.

Method: In this study, a quantitative method was used as the research design. As the research aims require in-depth opinions, data triangulation was also used. The study group consisted of 91 high school students who use the internet excessively. The study group were selected by screening1,587 students living in the Istanbul province during the 2012–2013 academic year who were internet users for “41 hours or more a week.” Data was collected by the Internet Use Purposes Scale (IPUS) and a semi-structured questionnaire.

Findings: The purposes of excessive internet use among these adolescents weresocialization, learning and general culture, meeting psychological needs, entertainment, and education. There are a significant differences between the opinions of the adolescents in the entertainment and learning &general culture sub-dimensions in terms of gender and in the psychological needs sub-dimension in terms of grade level. Causes of excessive internet use are grouped under the main categories oflearning and development needs, socialization need, psychological reasons and seeking entertainment. Consequences of excessive internet use fall under the main categories of social, physical health, and psychological and mental problems.

Conclusions and Recommendations: In view of the purposes, causes and consequences of excessive internet use in adolescents, the need to socialize and learn are emphasized in terms of purposes and causes. Boys use the internet excessively more often than girls for the aims of entertainment and information gathering. Psychological needs are prevalent in 9 and 12 grades; excessive use causes multifaceted adverse effects on adolescents, including social, physical, academic, psychological and mental problems. In this context, meaning of “knowledge” and “socialization” for the adolescents should be researched by the academia. Programmes should be designed to meet the students’ learning and psycho-social developmental needs at schools and in real life. Artistic, sports and cultural activities must be increased in real life and school settings. 

Keywords: Internet addiction, adolescent, guidance and psychological counseling, school psychology

Keywords

• Internet addiction, adolescent, guidance and psychological counseling, school psychology

Ergenlerin Aşırı İnternet Kullanım Amaçları, Nedenleri ve Sonuçları

Öz

Anahtar Kelimeler

• İnternet bağımlılığı, ergenlik, okul psikolojisi, rehberlik ve psikolojik danışma

Kaynakça

1. Aydın, Y. (2011). Liselerde bilgisayar ve internet kullanımının eğitim ve ögretimdeki olumsuz etkileri [Negative effects of computer and internet usage in ducation and training at high schools]. (Unpublished Masters Thesis). Marmara University, İstanbul, Turkey.
2. Balta, Ö., Ç. & Horzum, M. B. (2008). Web tabanlı öğretim ortamındaki öğrencilerin internet bağımlılığını etkileyen faktörler [The factors that affect internet addiction of students in a web based learning environment]. Ankara University, Faculty of Educational Sciences Journal, 41(1), 187-205.
3. Bargh, J. A. & McKenna, K. Y. A. (2004). The Internet and Social Life. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 1-23.
4. Baso, C. (2008). Cyberbullying: A resource for parents and educators. (Unpublished Research Paper), University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA.
5. Brey, P. (2006). Evaluating the social and cultural implications of the internet. SIGCAS Computers and Society, 36(3), 41-48.
6. Chou, C., & Hsiao, M. C. (2000). Internet addiction, usage, gratification, and pleasure experience: The Taiwan college student’s case. Computers and Education, 35(1), 65-80.
7. Çelik, S., Atak, H. & Eguzen, A. (2012). Kişilik özelliklerinin siber zorbalık üzerine etkisi [The effect of personality on cyberbullying among university students in Turkey]. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 49, 129-150.
8. Deniz, L. (2010). Excessive internet use and loneliness among secondary school students. Journal of Instructional Psychology. 4 (36), 20-23.

9. Donoso, V. & Roe, K. (2006). Are they really learning online? The impact of the internet on Chilean adolescents’ learning experiences. In Pearson, E. (Ed.), Bohman, P. (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia,Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2006. World conference on educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA). Orlando, Florida, 1679-1686. Retrieved April 2014, from http://www.researchgate.net/publication/228504781
10. Fılıpovıć, J. (2013). The attractiveness of different online formats motives and frequencies of use. Digiworld Economic Journal, 89(1), 105-115.
11. Griffiths, M. (2000) Does internet and computer “addiction” exist? Some case study evidence. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 3 (2), 211–218.
12. Griffiths, M., King, D. & Delfabbro, P.(2009). Adolescent gambling-like experiences: Are they a cause for concern? Education and Health, 27 (2), 27-30.
13. Hansen, S. (2002). Excessive internet usage or ‘internet addiction’? The implications of diagnostic categories for student users. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 18, 232-236.
14. Hazelhurst, S., Johnson, Y. & Sanders, I. (2011). An empirical analysis of the relationship between web usage and academic performance in undergraduate students. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the South African Computer Lecturer’s Association, Ballito, South Africa, 29-37.
15. Hinić, D.(2011). Problems With ‘Internet Addiction’ Diagnosis and Classification. Psychiatria Danubina, 23(2), 145–151.
16. Karaman, G. N. (2013). Ergenlerde problem davranışı yordayan değişkenlerin incelenmesi [Predicting the problem behavior in adolescents]. Egitim Arastırmaları, Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 52, 137-154.
17. Kurulgan, M. & Argan, M. (2007). Anadolu üniversitesi öğrencilerinin ınternet üzerinden bilgi arama davranışları [Anadolu University Students’ seeking information behaviors on internet]. Atatürk University, Journal of Social Sciences, 9 (1), 291-304.
18. Ling, C.S., Ramadass, S., Altaher, A. & Arjuman, N. C. (2011). Malaysian internet surfing addiction (MISA): Factors affecting the internet use and its consequences. International Conference on Computer Applications andIndustries Electronics, 585-590.
19. Livingstone, S. & Bober, M. (2004). Taking up opportunities? Children uses of internet for education, communication, participation[online] London: LSE Research Online. Retrieved May 2014 from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/418/
20. Livingstone, S. Haddon, L., Görzig, A.& Olafsson, K (2012). Risks and safety on the internet: the perspective of European children: full findings and policy implications from the EU Kids Online survey of 9-16 year olds and their parents in 25 countries. EU Kids Online, London, UK.Retrieved February 2012from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/33731/
21. Lobe, B., Livingstone, S., Olaffson, K. & Vodeb, H. (2011). Cross-national comparison of risks and safety on the internet: Initial analysis from the EU Kids Online survey of European children. EU Kids Online, London, UK. Retrieved August 2012 from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/39608/
22. Mehroof, M. & Griffiths, M. D. (2010). Online gaming addiction: The role of sensation Seeking, self-control, neuroticism, aggression, state anxiety and trait anxiety. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 13(3), 313–316.
23. Myers, J. J., McCaw, D. S. & Hemphill, L. S. (2011). Responding to cyberbullying: An action tool for school leader. California: A Sage Company.
24. Öztürk, Ö., Odabaşıoğlu, G., Eraslan, D., Genç, Y., & Kalyoncu, A. (2007). Internet Bagımlılıgı: Klinigi ve tedavisi : Clinical aspects and treatment strategies[Internet addiction:Clinical aspects and treatment strategies]. Journal of Dependence, 8, 36-41.
25. Smahel, D., Helpsher, E., Green, L., Kalmus, V., Blinka, L. & Olafsson, K. (2012). Excessive Internet Use among European Children. EU Kids Online, London School of Economics & Political Science, London, UK.
26. Senyuva, E. & Kaya, H. (2013). Türkiye’de hemşirelik öğrencilerinin internete ilişkin metaforları:Kalitatif bir çalışma [Metaphors for the ınternet used by nursing students in Turkey: A qualitative research]. Egitim Arastırmaları-Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 50, 87-106.
27. Stevens, S. P. & Morris, T. L. (2007). College dating and social anxiety: Using the internet as a means of connecting to others. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10, 680-688.
28. Tam, P. &Walter, G. (2013). Problematic internet use in childhood and youth: evolution of a 21st century affliction. Australas Psychiatry, 21, 533-536.
29. Wanajak, K. (2011). Internet use and its impact on secondary school students in Chang Mai Thailand. (Unpublished doctoral thesis), Edith Cowan University, Austuralia.
30. Watson, J. C.(2005). Internet Addiction diagnosis and assessment: Implications for counselors. Journal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory, & Research,33(2), 17-30.
31. Weinstein, A., Lejoyeux, M. (2010). Internet addiction or excessive internet use. The American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse. 36 (5), 277-283.
32. Xiong, J. (2011). Excessive internet use and major learning embarrassment of undergraduates. Advances in Biomedical Engineering, 3(5), 280-284.
33. Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the Net. New York: John Wiley & Sons