Internet use, abuse, and dependence among students at a southeastern regional university.
OBJECTIVE
To assess Internet use, abuse, and dependence.


METHODS
411 undergraduate students.


RESULTS
Ninety percent of participants reported daily Internet use. Approximately half of the sample met criteria for Internet abuse, and one-quarter met criteria for Internet dependence. Men and women did not differ on the mean amount of time accessing the Internet each day; however, the reasons for accessing the Internet differed between the 2 groups. Depression was correlated with more frequent use of the Internet to meet people, socially experiment, and participate in chat rooms, and with less frequent face-to-face socialization. In addition, individuals meeting criteria for Internet abuse and dependence endorsed more depressive symptoms, more time online, and less face-to-face socialization than did those not meeting the criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
Mental health and student affairs professionals should be alert to the problems associated with Internet overuse, especially as computers become an integral part of college life.
Fortson
Beverly L
BL
West Virginia University, USA. beverlyf@usca.edu
Scotti
Joseph R
JR
Chen
Yi-Chuen
YC
Malone
Judith
J
Del Ben
Kevin S
KS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011584:Psychology / Q000193:education; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data