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Internet and addiction (Inference Statistic)?

Motivation

Are there any significant differences in the other questions of the questionnaire between the group of participants who answered that they were addicted or dependent (10.6%) to the Internet to the group of participants who answered no or don't know?

Statistical evaluation

All analyses were performed using StatView V4.02 for the Macintosh. Test for significant interactions among the answers were performed using, the chi-squared test for independence of categorical data, analysis of variance for continuous data with categorical data, Kruskal-Wallis test and analysis of variance for nominal data with categorical data with significance being determined at p<=0.05. Examined where all data with the following criteria: Hours of each Internet service and total computer use smaller than 120, number of persons in the different smaller than 150.

Results

In the following Internet Addicts are abbreviated as IA, Non Addicts as NA, and Don't know as DK.

Significant different answers

Internet: Social questions

1.3 IA have met more new acquaintances on the Internet ( IA: 16.7, DK: 11.4, NA 5.5 people, p<0.0001).

1.5 IA are feeling more negatively influenced by the Internet in occupation, finance and social topics (p<0.001).


Internet: Usage

2.2 IA had a stronger increase in Internet usage change in the last year (p=0.0073).

2.3 IA are spending more hours per week in IRC (IA: 5.7, DK: 1.6, NA 0.5 hours, p<0.0001) and in WWW (IA: 8.6, DK 5.5, NA: 4.77, p = 0.05).

2.9, 2.10 IA are participating more often in self-help groups on the Internet (p=0.004) and are asking more for medical, psychological or religious advice (p=0.006).

2.12 IA use fewer conventional methods to research a topic, if they have not been able to find the topic on the Internet (p=0.0273).


Internet: Feelings

3.1 IA more often feel a stronger necessity to use the Internet, when they are not online (IA: sometimes, NA: rarely, p<0.001).

3.2 IA anticipate their next Internet session more often (IA: sometimes, NA: rarely, p<0.001).

3.3.c.2 IA feel more nervous when their access to the Internet is restricted (IA: sometimes, NA: rarely).

3.4 IA feel guilty or depressed more often after using the Internet for a long time (p<0.001).

3.5 By IA the Internet more often plays a role in their dreams (p<0.001).

3.6 IA are thinking more often about what is happening on the Internet itself when they are not using it (p<0.001).


Internet: Experience

4.1 IA often spend more time on the Internet than originally planned (p<0.001).

4.2 IA lie more often to their friends about the time they have spent on the Internet (IA: often, NA: sometimes, p<0.001).

4.3 IA more often deliberately restrict their Internet usage due to previously excessive use (p<0.001).

4.5 IA lose track of time more often when using the Internet (p<0.001).

4.6 Colleagues complained more often about spending to much time online on the Internet (p<0.001).


Personal data

5.4b IA are spending more hours per week on their computer in their spare time (IA: 18.4, DK: 11.5, NA: 9.1 hours, p<0.0001).

5.10 IA buy more often Internet related books or magazine (p<0.001).

5.13 IA know more other Internet Addicts (IA: 5.1, DK: 1.8, NA: 0.5 people, p<0.0001).

No significant different answers

Internet: Social questions

1.1 With how many different people are being communicated.

1.3 How many of the new acquaintances have been met personally.


Internet: Usage

2.1 For how long the Internet has been used.

2.3 Any other Internet service than IRC and WWW.

2.11 Searching a topic on the Internet which is interesting.


Personal data

5.1 gender.

5.2 age.

5.3 living situation (living alone against other).

5.4a hours per week for using computers for work.

5.5 if the Internet is necessary for profession/education.

5.8 country ( CH, USA, Other).

Conclusion

10% of the respondents considered themselves as addicted to or dependent on the Internet. Some of the questions were based on the addiction criteria from the Internet addiction researchers and the common symptoms of addiction. The results show a significant difference in the answers from addicted versus non-addicted users. This leads to the conclusion that addictive behaviour can exist in Internet usage. On the other hand, the answers based on the common symptoms of addiction questions are not so strong in the addicted group that one can speak of an addiction, in which for example continued, persistent use of the Internet appears in spite of negative consequences. Interestingly, people consider themselves as addicted or dependent to the Internet independent of gender, age or living situation.

For certain tests there were too few questionnaire data, e.g. whether there is a significant difference between occupation or education and addiction/non-addiction.