Predictiveness of identity status, main Internet use purposes and gender on university students' the problematic Internet use

Abstract

This study aims at revealing the relationships between the problematic Internet use of university students and their identity status, main Internet use purposes, and gender. A total of 464 university students participated in the study, and the research data were collected through the Problematic Internet Use Scale, the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status, and the Information Questionnaire. The results of the analyses carried out with hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the most important predictor of the problematic Internet use was the use of the Internet for the purpose of "establishing social relationships with unfamiliar people." In addition, it was found that the problematic Internet use was significantly predicted by "identity moratorium status", "identity achievement status" (negatively), the Internet use for "entertainment" purposes, and the Internet use for the purpose of "establishing relationships with friends and relatives", respectively. These findings show that, in general, the Internet use purpose and the identity status are important determiners in problematic Internet use. For this reason, taking the Internet motives of individuals and their identity status into account contributes to guidance and counseling services for the prevention of unhealthy Internet use and future researches