CYBER PSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR

Volume 6, Number 6, 2003

© Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Internet Addiction in Students: A Cause of Concern

KANWAL NALWA, Ph.D., and ARCHANA PREET ANAND, Ph.D.

ABSTRACT
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The Internet was originally designed to facilitate communication and research activities. How-
ever, the dramatic increase in the use of the Internet in recent years has led to pathological use
(Internet addiction). This study is a preliminary investigation of the extent of Internet addic-
tion in school children 16–18 years old in India. The Davis Online Cognition Scale (DOCS)1
was used to assess pathological Internet use. On the basis of total scores obtained (N = 100)
on the DOCS, two groups were identified—dependents (18) and non-dependents (21), using
mean ± ½ SD as the criterion for selection. The UCLA loneliness scale2 was also admin-
istered to the subjects. Significant behavioral and functional usage differences were revealed
between the two groups. Dependents were found to delay other work to spend time online,
lose sleep due to late-night logons, and feel life would be boring without the Internet. The
hours spent on the Internet by dependents were greater than those of non-dependents. On
the loneliness measure, significant differences were found between the two groups, with the
dependents scoring higher than the non-dependents.

INTRODUCTION Internet addiction is difficult, as there is no ac-

cepted set of criteria for Internet addiction listed in

T HE INTERNET is an exciting new medium that is

evolving into an essential part of everyday life
all over the world. It has opened a new domain in
the DSM-IV.3 Of all the diagnoses referenced in the
DSM-IV, pathological gambling was seen as most
akin to the pathological nature of Internet use. Using
social interactivity with the promise of increasing pathological gambling as a model, Young4 defined
efficiency and worldwide understanding. Though pathological Internet use (PIU) as an impulse con-
devised primarily to facilitate research, information trol disorder which does not involve an intoxicant.
seeking, interpersonal communication, and business Internet addiction is defined as a psychological de-
transactions, for some Internet users it has become pendence on the Internet and is characterized by an
the central focus of their lives and a temptation that increasing investment of resources on Internet-
is hard to resist. With the increasing importance of related activities, unpleasant feelings when off-line,
the Internet and online usage increasing dramati- an increasing tolerance to the effects of being on-
cally, pathological Internet use (Internet addiction) line, and denial of the problematic behaviors.5
is becoming more common in society. There is an Students appear to be most vulnerable to devel-
urgent need to recognize and respond to the reality oping a dependence on the Internet. The Internet’s
of Internet addiction and the threat of its rapid ex- promises to result in improvement in student profi-
pansion. ciency, and it becoming essential in certain courses of
The term “Internet addiction” was proposed by study has led to the use of the Internet on campuses;
Dr. Ivan Goldberg for pathological compulsive In- this is instrumental in making students susceptible
ternet usage. The proper detection and diagnosis of to pathological Internet use. The computer-driven

Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala, India.

653
 654 NALWA AND ANAND

society demands that students develop the ability 1. The Davis Online Cognition Scale (DOCS). This is
to operate in a technological environment. However, a 36-item self-report inventory measured on a
increasing reports on the psychologically addictive 7-point Likert type scale. It was used to identify
characteristics of Internet use have led to a growing dependents and non-dependents.
concern amongst educators and psychologists about 2. The UCLA Loneliness Scale. This is a 20-item self-
the impact of the Internet on children’s well being. report inventory measured on a 4-point scale.
Young4 found that 58% of students reported a de- 3. A Semi-Structured Questionnaire. A questionnaire
cline in study habits, a significant drop in grades, was developed to seek information regarding (a)
missed classes, or being placed on probation due to length of time spent using the Internet; (b) hours
excessive Internet use. Research has revealed that spent per day; (c) application used; (d) delay of
addictive use of the Internet is associated with sig- work to spend time online; (e) loss of sleep due
nificant social, psychological, and occupational im- to late-night logons; (f) feeling that life without
pairment.6–8 However, further research is required the Internet would be boring; (g) failing to con-
to increase understanding of this disorder. trol online time; and (h) feeling upset/irritated
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when cannot login at the predetermined time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS
Design
The present study was designed to ascertain the The present study is a preliminary attempt to ex-
extent of Internet addiction in students. On the basis plore the issue of Internet addiction in school chil-
of the total scores of 100 students on the DOCS, dren in India. A major limitation is the small sample
two groups were identified—dependents and non- size, and hence generalizability of results must be
dependents, using mean ± 1 2 SD as the criterion for interpreted with caution.
selection. Significant behavioral and functional usage dif-
ferences emerged between dependents and non-
dependents, the implications of which are quite grim.
Participants
These differences may result in personal, familial,
The participants were 100 randomly selected pub- and occupational problems in the future.
lic school children in the age group of 16–18 years Dependents often delayed work to spend time
old. From this initial sample, a selection of depen- online (Table 1, t = 2.28, p < 0.05). Poor time man-
dents was made on the basis of the total scores on agement and lack of control may be the reasons for
the DOCS. The selected sample contained 18 de- this. A survey at the University of Texas at Austin
pendents and 21 non-dependents. by counselors found that, of 531 valid responses,
14% met the criteria for Internet addiction. A cam-
pus seminar called “ Its 4 a.m. and I can’t—Uh, won’t
Tools used
log off” was held to increase awareness about the
The tools used in this study were as follows: risk factors of Internet misuse among students.

TABLE 1. MEANS, SDS, AND T-RATIOS OF D EPENDENTS AND NON-DEPENDENTS ON

INTERNET USAGE AND LONELINESS

Dependents Non-dependents
Mean SD Mean SD t-ratio

Delay work to spend time online 2.66 1.28 1.90 0.77 2.28*
Loose sleep due to late night logons 2.66 1.28 1.47 0.81 3.5**
Life without Internet would be boring 3.66 1.28 2.61 1.28 2.54*
Fail to check/control online time 2.88 1.08 2.61 1.02 .80
Feel upset/irritated when fail to logon at predetermined time 3.1 1.29 4.1 1.21 2.55*
Loneliness 47.5 9.15 37.7 11.13 2.99**

*p < 0.05.
**p < 0.01.
 INTERNET ADDICTION IN STUDENTS 655

Dependents also reported losing sleep due to TABLE 2. LENGTH OF USAGE OF INTERNET OF
late-night logons (Table 1, t = 3.5, p < 0.01). Sleep DEPENDENTS AND NON-DEPENDENTS IN PERCENTAGE
patterns are disrupted due to late-night logons. This
can cause excessive fatigue, which would impair Length of usage Dependents Non-dependents
one’s functioning in the academic and occupational 6 months 16.6% 19.04%
realm. An investigation by the Alfred University 6 months to 1 year 22.2% 14.28%
Provost as to why students with SATs of 1200–1300 1–2 years 38.8% 61.9%
had recently been dismissed revealed that 43% of <2 years 22.2% 4.76%
these students failed due to extensive patterns of
late-night logons on the university computer system.9
Dependents also reported that life would be bor-
ing without the Internet (Table 1, t = 2.54, p < 0.05).
On the loneliness scale, significant differences spent 1–2 h per day, 28% spent 2–4 h, and 5.5%
emerged, with the dependents scoring higher than spent more than 4 h. Amongst the non-dependents,
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the non-dependents (Table 1, t = 2.99, p < 0.01). 29% spent less than 30 min per day online, 62% spent
Morahan and Schumaker10 found that pathological 1–2 h, and 9% spent 2–4 h. This does suggest that ex-
users reported significantly more loneliness as mea- cessive usage may be a characteristic of those who
sured by the UCLA loneliness scale. Loytsker and develop dependence on the Internet.
Aiello11 found that higher levels of proneness to bore-
dom, loneliness, social anxiety, and private self-con- Applications used. No major differences emerged
sciousness all predict Internet addiction. Research12,13 in the applications being used by dependents and
has revealed that addictive use of the Internet directly non-dependents. The main applications being used
leads to social isolation, increased depression, familial by both dependents and non-dependents are Email,
discord, divorce, academic failure, financial debt, and Chat Rooms, Search Engines, Games, Online Gam-
job loss. Young and Rodgers14 found that dependents bling, E-Cards and Jokes, and Auction or shopping
ranked high in terms of being self-reliant, having a sites. The main difference remains in the length
strong preference for solitary activities, tending to re- and time of usage between dependents and non-
strict their social outlets, and being more private indi- dependents.
viduals. It is possible that those who suffer from
Internet addiction do not experience the same feel-
ings of alienation others feel when spending long DISCUSSION
periods of time sitting alone. Also, the Internet’s inter-
active capabilities may help the online user to feel a The advantages of the Internet make it an excel-
sense of connectedness among other users despite lent research tool; however, students captivated by
being physically alone. The director of computer ad- the opportunities afforded by the Internet surf ir-
diction services at Mclean Hospital of Harvard Med- relevant web-sites, engage in chat-room gossip, and
ical School asserted that the problem of Internet play games at the cost of healthy productive activi-
addiction centers around using the computer “as a ties. Increase in academic impairment, poor integra-
tool to evade, procrastinate and escape.” Among the tion in extracurricular activities, and other problems
most vulnerable are children who are lonely and due to excessive Internet use require that strategies
bored or who are from families where nobody is at be developed and implemented to treat pathologi-
home to relate to after school.15 cal Internet usage. The computer and the Internet
must be viewed as a valuable supplemental tool,
rather than an end-all solution.
Usage differences
Length of usage. Table 2 reveals that, amongst
the dependents, 17% had been online for 6 months, TABLE 3. HOURS PER DAY SPENT ON INTERNET BY
22% for 6 months to 1 year, 39% for 1–2 years, and DEPENDENTS AND NON-DEPENDENTS IN PERCENTAGE
22% for more than 2 years. Amongst non-dependents,
19% had been online for 6 months, 14% for 6 months Hours per day Dependents Non-dependents
to 1 year, 62% for 1–2 years, and 5% for more than
Less than 30 min 16.6% 28.57%
2 years.
1–2 h 50% 61.9%
2–4 h 27.7% 9.5%
Hours per day. Table 3 reveals that 17% of depen-
<4 h 5.5% —
dents spent less than 30 min on line per day, 50%
 656 NALWA AND ANAND

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Source Book (Vol. 17). Sarasota, FL: Professional Re-

source Press, pp. 19–31.
This paper was presented at the XXV Interna- 9. Brady, K. (1997). Dropout rise a net result of comput-
tional Congress of Applied Psychology, Singapore, ers. The Buffalo News p. A1.
10. Morahan-Martin, J., & Schumaker, P. (1997). Inci-
July 2002.
dence and correlates of pathological internet use.
Presented at the 105th Annual Meeting of the Ameri-
can Psychological Association, Chicago.
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Dr. Archana Preet Anand
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