Predictors of the initiation and persistence of internet addiction among adolescents in Taiwan

Fong-Ching Chang; Chiung-Hui Chiu; Ching-Mei Lee; Ping-Hung Chen; Nae-Fang Miao

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.05.010

Predictors of the initiation and persistence of internet addiction among adolescents in Taiwan

Addict Behav. 2014 Oct;39(10):1434-40. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.05.010. Epub 2014 Jun 2.

Authors

Fong-Ching Chang¹, Chiung-Hui Chiu², Ching-Mei Lee³, Ping-Hung Chen⁴, Nae-Fang Miao⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan. Electronic address: fongchingchang@ntnu.edu.tw.
² Graduate Institute of Information and Computer Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan.
³ Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan.
⁴ The Graduate Institute of Mass Communication, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.

PMID: 24930050
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.05.010

Abstract

Purpose: The present study examined the psychosocial factors associated with the initiation and persistence of Internet addiction among adolescents in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 2315 students from 26 high schools were assessed in the 10th grade, with follow-up performed in the 11th grade, in Taipei, Taiwan. Self-administered questionnaires were collected in each year to assess the pattern of changes in Internet addiction and psychosocial factors.

Results: Of the 1602 students without an Internet addiction in the 10th grade, 253 (15.8%) had initiated Internet addiction by grade 11. Multivariate analysis results indicated that greater engagement in online activities (i.e., social network website use, online gaming), depression, and lower school bonding in grade 10 coupled with an increase in online activities, depression, and smoking from grades 10 to 11 predicted the initiation of Internet addiction. Of the 605 students with Internet addiction in the 10th grade, the addiction had persisted for 383 students (63.3%) in grade 11. An increase in the existence of depression and alcohol use from grades 10 to 11 predicted the persistence of Internet addiction.

Conclusions: Online activities, depression, and substance use were important predictors of youth initiation and of the persistence of Internet addiction.

Keywords: Alcohol use; Depression; Internet addiction; Smoking; Youth.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
Behavior, Addictive / epidemiology
Behavior, Addictive / psychology*
Depression / epidemiology
Depression / psychology*
Female
Humans
Internet*
Male
Multivariate Analysis
Parent-Child Relations
Risk Factors
Self Concept
Smoking / epidemiology
Social Networking
Surveys and Questionnaires
Taiwan / epidemiology
Video Games