In this article, we will discuss problematic Internet usage.
How much time do you spend on the Internet each day?
With COVID-19 becoming a worldwide problem, there have been many articles about the problem of time spent on the Internet.
The study I'm going to introduce here also investigates what kind of problems people who use the Internet in a problematic way have. I would like to introduce a questionnaire that I would like you to try as well.
Contents of the study
During the COVID-19 pandemic, strict blockades and quarantines were widely imposed by most governments to control the spread of the virus.
This study investigates the effects of quarantine and social isolation on mental health, as well as on loneliness and problematic Internet use.
As a method, we used a cross-sectional survey in the blockade phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A sample of 593 participants from the Middle East region (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait) was tested using the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and a shortened form of the Internet Addiction Test.
Results of regression analyses showed an association between loneliness and problematic Internet use (PIU), and an association between loneliness and the number of hours spent online.
Younger participants felt greater loneliness, and the quality of their relationships with those who were conducting blockades was also correlated with loneliness.
Those who reported even greater loneliness frequently obtained news about the pandemic from social networking sites.
In conclusion, our study highlights the impact of social characteristics of local culture on loneliness and PIU during COVID-19 lockdown.
Questionnaire Content
Test to determine Internet addiction
1) Did you use the Internet longer than expected?
2) Do you neglect household chores due to the time you spend on the Internet?
3) Do you prefer the excitement of the Internet to that of your family or partner?
4) Do you prefer excitement from the Internet to your family or partner?
5) How often are you warned about the time you spend on the Internet?
6)How often do you receive attention for the time you spend on the Internet?
7) How often do you check your e-mail?
8) Does your work performance or productivity decrease due to the Internet?
9) Do you keep your purpose of using the Internet a secret even if others ask you?
10)Do you block opinions that interfere with your life on social networking sites?
11) How often do you use the Internet to do things?
12)Do you think life without the Internet is boring and joyless?
13)Do you get angry or irritated when socializing with others over the Internet?
14)Do you have insomnia due to the Internet?
15) Even when you are not using the Internet, do you find yourself thinking about it or wanting to use it?
16) Do you think about the time remaining to use the Internet as "only a few more minutes"?
17)Do you think about how to use the Internet so as not to make mistakes in the use of time?
18) Do you try to hide the time you spend on the Internet?
19)Do you choose to spend more time using the Internet than going out with others?
20)Do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you don't use the Internet? Do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you don't use the Internet?
Please rate whether or not it applies to you on a scale of 0~5.
This is not for self-reporting or research purposes, so details will not be provided.
Test for loneliness
(1) I am not socializing well with others.
(2) I feel like I am part of a group of friends.
(3) I feel left out in the world.
(4) I feel isolated.
(5) I feel withdrawn and unhappy.
(6) Other people are around me, but they don't hang out with me.
Please rate whether or not this applies to you on a scale of 0 to 3.
Since this is not for self-reporting or research purposes, details will be omitted.
Alheneidi H, AlSumait L, AlSumait D, Smith AP. Loneliness and Problematic Internet Use during COVID-19 Lock-Down. Behav Sci (Basel). 2021;11(1):5. Published 2021 Jan 6. doi:10.3390/bs11010005
Summary
The study found that people who spend more than 6 hours a day on these surveys feel more addicted and lonely.
I guess that's true for most people. However, some people are busy forming communities on social networking sites to distract themselves from their loneliness.
In reality, even with these efforts, they still feel lonely, and this is not the root of the problem.We can now do things online, but we may not be able to distract people from their loneliness.
