Predictors of Severe Problematic Internet Use in Adolescent Students - Study Findings and Risk Factors

Oct 15, 2026

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Recent literature frames problematic Internet use as an emerging health concern among adolescents worldwide. This study identifies demographic, physical, and psychopathological risk factors linked to severe problematic Internet use. A sample of 1,347 adolescents completed an online questionnaire covering socio-demographics, physical activity, physical and mental health, and Internet-use habits. Results show 1.9% severe and 20.4% moderate problematic users. Multinomial regression highlights depressive symptoms, loneliness, low father’s education, and low physical activity as significant risks.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Prevalence and terminology of problematic internet use

Complexity and associated factors

Vulnerability in adolescence

Predictors of Severe Problematic Internet Use in Adolescent Students Andrea Lukács Faculty of Healthcare, University of Miskolc, 3515 Miskolc-Egyetemváros, Hungary ORCID: 0000-0002-1938-8071 Received: 4 Apr 2021 Accepted: 27 Apr 2021 Abstract Recent literature draws attention to the fact that problematic Internet use is a growing health issue among adolescents worldwide. This study aimed to find the potential demographic, physical and psychopathological risk factors associated with severe problematic Internet use of adolescents. A total of 1,347 adolescents (45 . 1% males) were recruited from five high schools in three settlements. Students completed an online questionnaire and provided data about socio-demographics, physical activity, physical and psychopathological health, as well as about their Internet use habits (Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire) . 1.9% of the respondents appeared to be severe, 20.4% moderate problematic Internet users. The complexity of the problem is manifested in the multifaceted relationships of factors. The multinomial regression analysis identified four significant risk factors for severe problematic internet use, namely depressive symptoms, loneliness, low level of father’s education level and low level of physical activity. The real severe problematic Internet use is not so common in adolescent students, however, together with moderate problematic Internet users, this number has significance. Psychopathological factors such as elevated depressive symptoms and loneliness should be considered when preventive programs are implemented and more attention should be taken on physical activity asan effective tool against addictive behavior. Keywords: adolescents, depressive symptoms, loneliness, physical activity, problematic Internet use INTRODUCTION Young people use the Internet as an integral part of their daily life with its advantages and disadvantages. Zoomers, or Generation Z have grown up in digital environment, have access to various smart electronic devices and can access Internet almost universally. According to the Internet Stats and Facebook Usage in Europe June 2019 Statistics, 89% of the Hungarian population is Internet user, especially adolescents and young adults ([https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats4.htm](https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats4.htm)) . It is expected that proportion of problematic Internet users will increase as the Internet in general is expanding. Based on the latest literature, there is evidence that a minority of adolescents shows problematic patterns of Internet use, leading to detrimental effects for the users (Anderson et al., 2017; Xu et al., 2014) . First, Ivan Goldberg psychiatrist drew attention to this maladaptive behavior in 1995 and called it “Internet addiction disorder”(later redefined as“pathological Internet-use disorder”), and put the diagnostic criteria (Wallis, 1997), however, it is still not mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) (In Appendix, Internet Gaming Disorder as behavioral addiction was included for further empirical and clinical discussion) . Young (1996, 1998) and Griffiths (1996) investigated this pathological problem in more depth and used term“Internet addiction” (IA) . There is a great debate about the terminology. There is a widespread use of excessive Internet use, compulsive Internet use, Internet addiction, pathological Internet use, Internetrelated disorders, problematic Internet use, and scientists use them interchangeably. In this study, problematic Internet use (PIU) was utilized for describing adolescents’ behaviour for two reasons. First, the concept of IA is not fully conceptualized; second, as a result of it, the cut-off point for addictive behavior isnot or not clearly defined. A series of studies draw attention to the complexity of the PIU. It is often comorbid with other psychiatric disorders (Ho et al., 2014; Ko et al., 2012;

FAQs

What was the goal of the study on problematic Internet use?

The study aimed to determine potential demographic, physical, and psychopathological risk factors associated with severe problematic Internet use in adolescents.

How common were severe and moderate problematic Internet users in the sample?

Among 1,347 adolescents, 1.9% were classified as severe and 20.4% as moderate problematic Internet users.

Which risk factors were identified for severe problematic Internet use?

Multinomial regression found four significant risk factors: depressive symptoms, loneliness, low father’s education, and low physical activity.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by nayy☆