This is the descriptive correlation study in an attempt to confirm the level of internet addiction of adolescents that has become a social issue as internet usage increases, to understand the connection among internet addiction, self-esteem and stress...
This is the descriptive correlation study in an attempt to confirm the level of internet addiction of adolescents that has become a social issue as internet usage increases, to understand the connection among internet addiction, self-esteem and stress, and to ascertain the difference of general characteristics of internet addiction.
The data has collected from December 21, 2006 to January 31, 2007 having involved four-hundred-forty boy and girl students in the first grade of middle and high schools in G city. The instruments of the study were the scale of internet addiction, self-esteem and stress.
The data were analyzed by SPSS WIN 12.0 PC program with frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation,-test, t-test, ANOVA, scheffe and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient.
The results were as follows:
1.General characteristics of the subjects, ratio of sex and ratio of number of middle versus high school students were almost same. And majority of students recognized that family economic condition and schoolwork was standard level, parent's marriage state was normal, parent's education was over high school graduation, family concord was either normal or peaceful, keeping good conversation with parents, and having good relationship with friends.
2.From those questioned for this study, the score of internet addiction was 50.9 point, self-esteem was 98.3 point, and stress was 51.9 point.
3.For the level of internet addiction, 3.5% was addicted, 48.0% indicated tendency toward addiction, and 48.5% showed free from addition.
4.There was a statistically meaningful difference between self-esteem and stress depending on level of internet addiction.
5.As Internet addiction level of those questioned showed reverse correlation with self-esteem and correlation with stress, it showed higher level of internet addiction as self-esteem point is lower and stress point is higher.
6.As a result of comparing general characteristics of internet addiction level, there was a meaningful difference depending on sex, family economic condition, parent's marriage status, and atmosphere of conversation with mother.
7.As a result of comparing internet addiction point with general characteristics of questioned, there was a statistically meaningful difference on sex, school, and family economic condition.
The result of the study showed the internet addiction had correlation to both self-esteem and stress, and direction on internet usage is necessary to prevent internet addiction of adolescents and also the way of increasing the sense of self-esteem and dealing with stress should be provided. And it is suggested that various support from family, school and society should be available to realize this finding.