Quality of interpersonal relationships and problematic Internet use in adolescence.
International literature has identified a stable correlation between problems in the sphere of adolescents' personal relationships and potential Internet dependence. The objective of this research is to verify in an Italian context the relationship among problematic Internet use (PIU), the quality of interpersonal relationships, and the cognitive strategies habitually used by adolescents to face daily problems. The participants in the research were 98 adolescents ages 14 to 19 (M = 16.28 years). The following instruments were administered to the participants: the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Test of Interpersonal Relationships (TRI); and the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist (CCSC). Parents of the participants were administered the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Of the participants, 36.7% showed signs of PIU. These adolescents use the Internet for many hours per week; most utilize dysfunctional coping strategies and show worse interpersonal relations than peers who do not show signs of PIU.
Milani
Luca
L
Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica di Milano, Largo Gemelli 1, Milan, Italy. luca.milani@unicatt.it
Osualdella
Dania
D
Di Blasio
Paola
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D020407:Internet; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult