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CORK Bibliography: Internet Addiction

89 citations. January 2010 to present

Prepared: December 2011

Achab S; Nicolier M; Mauny F; Monnin J; Trojak B; Vandel P et al. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games: Comparing characteristics of addict vs non-addict online recruited gamers in a French adult population. BMC Psychiatry 11: article 144, 2011. (45 refs.)

Background: Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) are a very popular and enjoyable leisure activity, and there is a lack of international validated instruments to assess excessive gaming. With the growing number of gamers worldwide, adverse effects (isolation, hospitalizations, excessive use, etc.) are observed in a minority of gamers, which is a concern for society and for the scientific community. In the present study, we focused on screening gamers at potential risk of MMORPG addiction. Methods: In this exploratory study, we focused on characteristics, online habits and problematic overuse in adult MMORPG gamers. In addition to socio-demographical data and gamer behavioral patterns, 3 different instruments for screening addiction were used in French MMORPG gamers recruited online over 10 consecutive months: the substance dependence criteria for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, fourth revised edition (DSM-IV-TR) that has been adapted for MMORPG (DAS), the qualitative Goldberg Internet Addiction Disorder scale (GIAD) and the quantitative Orman Internet Stress Scale (ISS). For all scales, a score above a specific threshold defined positivity. Results: The 448 participating adult gamers were mainly young adult university graduates living alone in urban areas. Participants showed high rates of both Internet addiction (44.2% for GIAD, 32.6% for ISS) and DAS positivity (27.5%). Compared to the DAS negative group, DAS positive gamers reported significantly higher rates of tolerance phenomenon (increased amount of time in online gaming to obtain the desired effect) and declared significantly more social, financial (OR: 4.85), marital (OR: 4.61), family (OR: 4.69) and/or professional difficulties (OR: 4.42) since they started online gaming. Furthermore, these gamers self-reported significantly higher rates (3 times more) of irritability, daytime sleepiness, sleep deprivation due to play, low mood and emotional changes since online gaming onset. Conclusions: The DAS appeared to be a good first-line instrument to screen MMORPG addiction in online gamers. This study found high MMORPG addiction rates, and self-reported adverse symptoms in important aspects of life, including mood and sleep. This confirms the need to set up relevant prevention programs against online game overuse.

Acier D; Kern L. Problematic Internet use: Perceptions of addiction counsellors. Computers & Education 56(4): 983-989, 2011. (43 refs.)

Despite a growing number of publications on problematic Internet use (PIU), there is no consensus on the nature of the phenomenon, its constituent criteria, and its clinical threshold. This qualitative study examines the perceptions of addiction counsellors who have managed individuals with PIU in Quebec (Canada). Four focus groups were conducted with 21 addictions counsellors working in public addiction rehabilitation centres. Discussion groups were digitally recorded, transcribed using a word processor, and analyzed using N'vivo 8.0 software. The results present the perceptions of counsellors regarding case management issues, including problematic applications, clinical picture, number of hours of Internet use for assessment, and for treatment.

Alavi SS; Maracy MR; Jannatifard F; Eslami M. The effect of psychiatric symptoms on the Internet addiction disorder in Isfahan's University students. Journal of Research In Medical Sciences 16(6): 793-800, 2011. (37 refs.)

BACKGROUND: Internet addiction disorder is an interdisciplinary phenomenon and it has been studied from different viewpoints in terms of various sciences such as medicine, computer, sociology, law, ethics, and psychology. The aim of this study was to determine the association of psychiatric symptoms with Internet addiction while controlling for the effects of age, gender, marital status, and educational levels. It is hypothesized, that high levels of Internet addiction are associated with psychiatric symptoms and are specially correlated with obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a total number of 250 students from Isfahan's universities were randomly selected. Subjects completed the demographic questionnaire, the Young Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ) and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revision (SCL-90-R). Data was analyzed using the multiple logistic regression method. RESULTS: There was an association between psychiatric symptoms such as somatization, sensitivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, phobias, and psychosis with exception of paranoia; and diagnosis of Internet addiction controlling for age, sex, education level, marital status, and type of universities. CONCLUSIONS: A great percentage of youths in the population suffer from the adverse effects of Internet addiction. It is necessary for psychiatrists and psychologists to be aware of the mental problems caused by Internet addiction.

Batigun AD; Kilic N. The relationships between internet addiction, social support, psychological symptoms and some socio-demographical variables. Turk Psikoloji Dergisi 26(67): 1-13, 2011. (49 refs.)

The main aim of the present study is to find out the purpose and prevalence of the internet usage among university students, and to study some individual variables such as personality factors, psychological symptoms and social support in relation to internet addiction. In addition, the relationships between internet addiction and demographical variables have been explored. The sample consisted of 1198 university students, 672 female and 525 male, from state and private universities in Istanbul and Ankara. Internet Addiction Scale, Big Five Personality Inventory, Social Support Inventory, Brief Symptom Inventory and demographical information form had been used as measurement devices. It has been found that, the mean duration the students spent for Internet in a day is 1.53 (SD = .79) hour; 18.89 percent of the students could be defined as Internet addict and male students were found to have higher addiction scores than female students. In addition, the students from higher SES were found to have higher Internet addiction scores than the students from lower SES. The regression analyses results showed that the daily time spent for internet (duration) and using Internet for social interaction, being in higher SES, to have lower life satisfaction and lower self-control and to have higher neuroticism, anxiety and somatization predict internet addiction among university students.

Blau I. Application use, online relationship types, self-disclosure, and internet abuse among children and youth: Implications for education and internet safety programs. Journal of Educational Computing Research 45(1): 95-116, 2011. (57 refs.)

This study explores the relationships between Internet abuse (IA)-self-disclosure, online application usage, and relationship types-traditional long-distance, purely virtual, and migratory mixed-mode. An online questionnaire was administered to 2884 children and youth. According to the hypotheses, applications differed in their relationships with participant IA and self-disclosure: the usage of some applications was related to both IA and self-disclosure; the usage of others related only to IA or neither to IA nor self-disclosure. IA and self-disclosure correlated with problematic participant online activities (e.g., sending photos of one to online acquaintances, visiting sites with inappropriate contents), but did not affect educational activities (e.g., studying online with classmates, preparing homework, or getting information). Participants reported the highest level of online communication in traditional long-distance relationships, lower level in purely virtual, and the lowest level in migratory mixed-mode relationships. Participant IA and self-disclosure positively influenced online communication, but not interactions with the relationship type.

Bowen MW; Firestone MH. Pathological use of electronic media: Case studies and commentary. Psychiatric Quarterly 82(3): 229-238, 2011. (20 refs.)

Since its formal introduction barely a dozen years ago, internet addiction (IA) has been both increasingly researched and much debated. The majority of studies have been conducted on large populations through internet surveys, with the most popular instrument for assessing IA being the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). However, both the large scale anonymous survey approach and the design and application of the IAT yield limited clinical insights. IA and the recently proposed more encompassing term of Pathological Use of Electronic Media (PUEM) require more exquisite understanding for essential and timely incorporation into DSM-5 nosology. This study presents four cases modifying the IAT for application within a structured individual interview. The findings are discussed in regard to both the clinical benefit of the procedure and considerations of PUEM for its role in DSM-5.

Brand M; Laier C; Pawlikowski M; Schachtle U; Scholer T; Altstotter-Gleich C. Watching pornographic pictures on the internet: Role of sexual arousal ratings and psychological-psychiatric symptoms for using internet sex sites excessively. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 14(6): 371-377, 2011. (54 refs.)

Excessive or addictive Internet use can be linked to different online activities, such as Internet gaming or cybersex. The usage of Internet pornography sites is one important facet of online sexual activity. The aim of the present work was to examine potential predictors of a tendency toward cybersex addiction in terms of subjective complaints in everyday life due to online sexual activities. We focused on the subjective evaluation of Internet pornographic material with respect to sexual arousal and emotional valence, as well as on psychological symptoms as potential predictors. We examined 89 heterosexual, male participants with an experimental task assessing subjective sexual arousal and emotional valence of Internet pornographic pictures. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and a modified version of the IAT for online sexual activities (IATsex), as well as several further questionnaires measuring psychological symptoms and facets of personality were also administered to the participants. Results indicate that self-reported problems in daily life linked to online sexual activities were predicted by subjective sexual arousal ratings of the pornographic material, global severity of psychological symptoms, and the number of sex applications used when being on Internet sex sites in daily life, while the time spent on Internet sex sites (minutes per day) did not significantly contribute to explanation of variance in IATsex score. Personality facets were not significantly correlated with the IATsex score. The study demonstrates the important role of subjective arousal and psychological symptoms as potential correlates of development or maintenance of excessive online sexual activity.

Brezing C; Derevensky JL; Potenza MN. Non-substance-addictive behaviors in youth: Pathological gambling and problematic internet use. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America 19(3): 625-+, 2010. (130 refs.)

Adolescence is characterized by participation in multiple novel and potentially risky behaviors. Amongst these behaviors are gambling and use of the Internet, and excessive engagement in these activities (as seen in pathological gambling and problematic Internet use) may be accompanied by serious impairments in school, mental health, and social functioning. This article reviews the potential impact of pathological gambling and problematic Internet use in youth, the relevance of subsyndromal levels of participation, and how prevention and treatment strategies may be considered and tested within a developmental framework.

Broekaert E; Soyez V. Qualitative research transformations: The strange case of the video addiction challenge tool. (editorial). Substance Use & Misuse 45(5): 778-781, 2010. (8 refs.)

Canan F; Ataoglu A; Nichols LA; Yildirim T; Ozturk O. Evaluation of psychometric properties of the Internet Addiction Scale in a sample of Turkish high school students. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 13(3): 317-320, 2010. (34 refs.)

The Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) is a self-report instrument based on the seven substance dependence criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and two additional criteria recommended by Griffiths. The IAS was administered to 300 high school students along with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Submissive Acts Scale (SAS). For test-retest reliability, the IAS was administered a second time 7 days after the first administration. An interitem reliability reduced the initial scale from 31 to 27 items (with Cronbach's alpha of 0.94). The factor analysis suggests the existence mainly of one factor in the IAS. Correlation analyses indicated that BDI and SAS were significantly correlated positively with the IAS. One-week test-retest correlation for the IAS was highly significant. According to these results, the psychometric properties of the IAS are promising.

Ceyhan AA. Comment on Kesici and Sahin (2009): Measurement of negative consequences of internet use. Psychological Reports 106(3): 939-940, 2010. (8 refs.)

In an ongoing discussion regarding use of the concept of Internet addiction, it does not seem reasonable to use the concept in studies which are conducted in nonclinical settings and describe negative situations experienced by the general population during Internet use. It may be more appropriate to discuss problematic Internet use. Dimensional rather than categorical measures would be more appropriate than Young's diagnostic criteria alone to specify whether Internet use is within a healthy range.

Ceyhan E. Predictiveness of identity status, main internet use purposes and gender on university students' problematic internet Use. Educational Science: Theory & Practice 10(3): 1343-1355, 2010. (45 refs.)

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.

Charlton JP; Danforth IDW. Validating the distinction between computer addiction and engagement: Online game playing and personality. Behaviour & Information Technology 29(6): 601-613, 2010. (55 refs.)

This article considers validatory evidence for the previously made distinction between (pathological) computing-related addictions and (non-pathological) high engagement in computing activities, and an associated distinction between core and peripheral criteria for diagnosing computing-related addictions. Using data provided by 388 players of a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) via an online questionnaire, psychometric measures of engagement and addiction to the MMORPG taking into account the distinction between core and peripheral addiction criteria are shown to be differentially related to personality factors (extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, negative valence, and attractiveness). Addiction scale scores are shown to increase as negativity on all five personality characteristics increases, with these characteristics predicting 20% of the variance in addiction scores, but the same pattern is shown to occur for only one characteristic (negative valence) for the engagement scale, with personality characteristics predicting only around 2% of the variance in engagement scores. It is concluded that there is reasonable support for the distinctions between addiction and engagement and between core and peripheral criteria. Implications are discussed.

Chou C; Wu HC; Wang MH. A preliminary study of college room-bound male students: Concept exploration and instrument development. Computers & Education 57(4): 2485-2495, 2011. (39 refs.)

From time to time, cases of over-dependence on the Internet have been observed on college campuses. Some students, especially male students, remain connected to the Internet as long as they are awake. In Chinese, the emerging term (sic) (chai-nan) is used to describe this kind of young man, meaning "room-bound male," who seldom leaves his residence and stays online with few interruptions. Thus far, the term 'room-bound male' has become a popular component of Taiwan students' slang, society's common conceptions of technology-savvy youths, and media coverage of these youths, but how people, especially college students, exactly perceive room-bound males is still unclear. The purposes of this study are to explore this emerging concept and possible underlying dimensions of room-bound males in the college-campus context, to examine college students' perception of this concept, and to construct an instrument the Image of the Room-bound Male Scale (IRBMS)-for measuring these dimensions. Based on an exploratory factor analysis of 533 valid responses, the results indicate that respondents expressed significantly stronger agreement with the described dimensions of computer activities, social life, and eating habits than with the described dimensions of adult hobbies, clothing styles, and computer use. The results also indicate that female students were in stronger agreement with the statements regarding all six IRBMS dimensions than were male students: and that freshmen and sophomores were in stronger agreement with the statements regarding the dimensions of computer hobbies, social life, and eating habits as well as with the overall IRBMS than were juniors and seniors. Respondents who evaluated themselves as non-room-bound were in greater agreement with the descriptions of the adult-hobbies dimension than were respondents who evaluated themselves as room-bound. Interpretations of these results, future research directions, and implications for educators are discussed.

Christakis DA. Internet addiction: A 21(st) century epidemic? (editorial). BMC Medicine 8: e-article 61, 2010. (30 refs.)

Internet addiction, while not yet officially codified within a psychopathological framework, is growing both in prevalence and within the public consciousness as a potentially problematic condition with many parallels to existing recognized disorders. The rapid and unfettered increase in the number of people accessing a relatively unrestricted internet substantially increases the possibility that those suffering with an underlying psychological comorbidity may be at serious risk of developing an addiction to the internet, lending further credence to this hitherto understudied condition. In this commentary, I outline my recommendations for improved diagnosis, study and prevention of internet addiction.

Christakis DA; Moreno MM; Jelenchick L; Myaing MT; Zhou C. Problematic internet usage in US college students: A pilot study. BMC Medicine 9(e-article 77), 2011. (52 refs.)

Background: Internet addiction among US college students remains a concern, but robust estimates of its prevalence are lacking. Methods: We conducted a pilot survey of 307 college students at two US universities. Participants completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire. Both are validated measures of problematic Internet usage and depression, respectively. We assessed the association between problematic Internet usage and moderate to severe depression using a modified Poisson regression approach. In addition, we examined the associations between individual items in the IAT and depression. Results: A total of 224 eligible respondents completed the survey (73% response rate). Overall, 4% of students scored in the occasionally problematic or addicted range on the IAT, and 12% had moderate to severe depression. Endorsement of individual problematic usage items ranged from 1% to 70%. In the regression analysis, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with several individual items. Relative risk could not be estimated for three of the twenty items because of small cell sizes. Of the remaining 17 items, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with 13 of them, and three others had P values less than 0.10. There was also a significant association between problematic Internet usage overall and moderate to severe depression (relative risk 24.07, 95% confidence interval 3.95 to 146.69; P = 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of problematic Internet usage among US college students is a cause for concern, and potentially requires intervention and treatment amongst the most vulnerable groups. The prevalence reported in this study is lower than that which has been reported in other studies, however the at-risk population is very high and preventative measures are also recommended.

Dauriat FZ; Zermatten A; Billieux J; Thorens G; Bondolfi G; Zullino D et al. Motivations to play specifically predict excessive involvement in massively multiplayer online role-playing games: Evidence from an online survey. European Addiction Research 17(4): 185- 189, 2011. (18 refs.)

Background: Several studies have linked massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) with possible problematic usage or internet addiction. Aims: The main goal of the present study was to assess links between motivations to play in MMORPGs and addictive involvement in such types of games. Methods: A total of 696 gamers responded to an online survey. Results and Conclusion: Five distinct motivations to play were identified in gamers: achievement, socializing, immersion, relaxing and escaping. Multiple regression analysis revealed that addictive MMORPG use patterns are predicted by achievement, escapism and socializing motives. Gender was also a significant predictor of problematic involvement in MMORPGs. Moreover, addictive MMORPG use positively correlated with the weekly time devoted to playing MMORPGs.

dBeutel ME; Brahler E; Glaesmer H; Kuss DJ; Wolfling K; Muller KW. Regular and problematic leisure-time internet use in the community: Results from a German population-based survey. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 14(5): 291- 296, 2011. (21 refs.)

In our study, we attempted to identify systematically the use of Internet applications in the German population in order to derive risk factors for problematic use. In a representative survey of the German population, we queried 1,401 women and 1,111 men between the ages of 14 and 94 years by specific questions and standardized questionnaires on depression, anxiety (HADS), and depersonalization (CDS-2). The majority of the German population (55%) used the Internet in their leisure time. Users were younger and had a higher socioeconomic status (education, employment, income). Leisure-time use included e-mail and information search, as well as shopping. Chatting, online communities, games and sex were domains of young, mostly male adults. Overall, 9.3% reported at least one negative consequence of Internet use, especially neglect of recreational activities and problems with family/partner, work or education, and health. Problematic use was associated with longer average daily online times, avoidance of negative emotions, preference for certain applications (gaming, gambling, online sex) and an increased rate of depersonalization. The extent of Internet use per se is not sufficient as an addiction criterion and other negative consequences; rather, specific adverse consequences need to be identified. If the Internet is used excessively to cope with negative affect states and alternative means of coping (e. g., social support, health-promoting behavior) are diminished, a vicious cycle may ensue with increasing stress and reliance on the reinforcing properties of certain online activities that may finally lead to addictive behavior.

dHopley AAB; Nicki RM. Predictive factors of excessive online poker playing. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(4): 379-385, 2010. (43 refs.)

Despite the widespread rise of online poker playing, there is a paucity of research examining potential predictors for excessive poker playing. The aim of this study was to build on recent research examining motives for Texas Hold'em play in students by determining whether predictors of other kinds of excessive gambling apply to Texas Hold'em. Impulsivity, negative mood states, dissociation, and boredom proneness have been linked to general problem gambling and may play a role in online poker. Participants of this study were self-selected online poker players (N = 179) who completed an online survey. Results revealed that participants played an average of 20 hours of online poker a week and approximately 9% of the sample was classified as a problem Gambler according to the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. Problem gambling, in this sample, was uniquely predicted by time played, dissociation, boredom proneness, impulsivity, and negative affective states, namely depression, anxiety, and stress.

Dong GH; Lu QL; Zhou H; Zhao XA. Impulse inhibition in people with Internet addiction disorder: Electrophysiological evidence from a Go/NoGo study. Neuroscience Letters 485(2): 138-142, 2010. (31 refs.)

We investigated response inhibition in people with Internet addiction disorder (IAD) by recording event-related brain potentials during a Go/NoGo task Twelve IAD-afflicted and 12 normal university students participated in the study Results show that the IAD group exhibited lower NoGo-N2 amplitude, higher NoGo-P3 amplitude, and longer NoGo-P3 peak latency than the normal group The results also suggest that the IAD students had lower activation in the conflict detection stage than the normal group, thus, they had to engage in more cognitive endeavors to complete the inhibition task in the late stage. In addition, the IAD students showed less efficiency in information processing and lower impulse control than their normal peers.

Dong GH; Lu QL; Zhou H; Zhao XA. Precursor or sequela: Pathological disorders in people with internet addiction disorder. PLoS ONE 6(2): e-article 14703, 2011. (33 refs.)

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the roles of pathological disorders in Internet addiction disorder and identify the pathological problems in IAD, as well as explore the mental status of Internet addicts prior to addiction, including the pathological traits that may trigger Internet addiction disorder. Methods and Findings: 59 students were measured by Symptom CheckList-90 before and after they became addicted to the Internet. A comparison of collected data from Symptom Checklist-90 before Internet addiction and the data collected after Internet addiction illustrated the roles of pathological disorders among people with Internet addiction disorder. The obsessive-compulsive dimension was found abnormal before they became addicted to the Internet. After their addiction, significantly higher scores were observed for dimensions on depression, anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychoticism, suggesting that these were outcomes of Internet addiction disorder. Dimensions on somatisation, paranoid ideation, and phobic anxiety did not change during the study period, signifying that these dimensions are not related to Internet addiction disorder. Conclusions: We can not find a solid pathological predictor for Internet addiction disorder. Internet addiction disorder may bring some pathological problems to the addicts in some ways.

Dowling NA; Brown M. Commonalities in the psychological factors associated with problem gambling and internet dependence. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(4): 437-441, 2010. (24 refs.)

The most commonly applied conceptual approach for excessive Internet use has been as a behavioral addiction, similar to pathological or problem gambling. In order to contribute to the understanding of Internet dependence as a disorder resembling problem gambling, the current study aimed to examine the relationship between problem gambling and Internet dependence and the degree to which psychological factors associated with problem gambling are relevant to the study of Internet dependence. The factors of depression, anxiety, student stressors, loneliness, and social support were examined in a sample of university students from several Australian universities. The findings revealed that there is no overlap between the populations reporting problem gambling and Internet dependence, but that individuals with these disorders report similar psychological profiles. Although requiring replication with larger community samples and longitudinal designs, these preliminary findings suggest that problem gambling and Internet dependence may be separate disorders with common underlying etiologies or consequences. The implications of the findings in relation to the conceptualization and management of these disorders are briefly discussed.

Du YS; Jiang WQ; Vance A. Longer term effect of randomized, controlled group cognitive behavioural therapy for Internet addiction in adolescent students in Shanghai. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 44(2): 129-134, 2010. (19 refs.)

Objectve: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for internet addiction in adolescents. Method: A total of 56 patients, who met Beard's diagnostic criteria for Internet addiction, aged 12-17 years, were divided randomly into an active treatment group (n = 32) and a clinical control group (n = 24). Participants in the active treatment group were treated with an eight-session multimodal school-based group CBT while participants in the clinical control group received no intervention. Internet use, time management, emotional, cognitive and behavioural measures were assessed for both groups at baseline, immediately after the intervention and at 6 month follow up by investigators blind to the participants' group status. Results: Internet use decreased in both groups while only the multimodal school-based group CBT evinced improved time management skills and better emotional, cognitive and behavioural symptoms. Conclusions: Multimodal school-based group CBT is effective for adolescents with Internet addiction, particularly in improving emotional state and regulation ability, behavioural and self-management style.

Flisher C. Getting plugged in: An overview of Internet addiction. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 46(10): 557-559, 2010. (15 refs.)

Internet addiction is not formally recognised as a clinical disorder by the WHO despite increasing evidence that excessive internet use can interfere with daily life and work. There is increasing pressure from Psychologists for Internet addiction to be recognised. This article explores the prevalence, symptoms and management of Internet addiction and the consequences of ignoring the ever growing concerns from public figures and institutions.

Fu KW; Chan WSC; Wong PWC; Yip PSF. Internet addiction: Prevalence, discriminant validity and correlates among adolescents in Hong Kong. British Journal of Psychiatry 196(6): 486-492, 2010. (41 refs.)

Background: Despite increasing concern over the potential adverse effects of excessive internet use, especially in young people, there is some debate over its definition, magnitude and discriminant validity. Aims: To examine the prevalence of adolescents' internet addiction in Hong Kong, China; to test its differentiation from other correlates; and to examine its relationships with correlates in a representative community sample of adolescents. Method: A two-wave panel household survey with 208 adolescents (aged 15-19 years) was conducted. Participants were asked to self-report their patterns of internet usage, symptoms of internet addiction, suicidal ideation, psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial conditions during the study period. Results: The prevalence rate for having five or more symptoms of internet addiction was estimated to be 6.7% (95% CI 3.3-10.2). The discriminatory characteristic of internet addiction was marginally demonstrated. Positive dose response relationships were found between the number of symptoms of internet addiction and 1-year changes in scores for suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. Conclusions Evidence supports the specificity of internet addiction and its symptoms seem to co-occur with individuals' suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms.

Gentile DA. The multiple dimensions of video game effects. Child Development Perspectives 5(2): 75- 81, 2011. (65 refs.)

Video games are at the center of a debate over what is helpful or harmful to children and adolescents, and there is research to substantiate both sides. The existing research suggests that there are at least 5 dimensions on which video games can affect players: the amount of play, the content of play, the game context, the structure of the game, and the mechanics of game play. This article describes each of these 5 dimensions with support from the scientific literature, arguing that this approach can allow people to get beyond the typical "good-bad" dichotomous thinking to have a more nuanced understanding of video game effects and to provide testable hypotheses for future research.

Gentile DA; Choo H; Liau A; Sim T; Li DD; Fung D et al. Pathological video game use among youths: A two-year longitudinal study. Pediatrics 127(2): E319-E329, 2011. (68 refs.)

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to measure the prevalence and length of the problem of pathological video gaming or Internet use, to identify risk and protective factors, to determine whether pathological gaming is a primary or secondary problem, and to identify outcomes for individuals who become or stop being pathological gamers. METHODS: A 2-year, longitudinal, panel study was performed with a general elementary and secondary school population in Singapore, including 3034 children in grades 3 (N = 743), 4 (N = 711), 7 (N = 916), and 8 (N = 664). Several hypothesized risk and protective factors for developing or overcoming pathological gaming were measured, including weekly amount of game play, impulsivity, social competence, depression, social phobia, anxiety, and school performance. RESULTS: The prevalence of pathological gaming was similar to that in other countries (similar to 9%). Greater amounts of gaming, lower social competence, and greater impulsivity seemed to act as risk factors for becoming pathological gamers, whereas depression, anxiety, social phobias, and lower school performance seemed to act as outcomes of pathological gaming. CONCLUSION: This study adds important information to the discussion about whether video game "addiction" is similar to other addictive behaviors, demonstrating that it can last for years and is not solely a symptom of comorbid disorders.

Gilbert RL; Murphy NA; McNally T. Addiction to the 3-dimensional Internet: Estimated prevalence and relationship to real world addictions. Addiction Research & Theory 19(4): 380-390, 2011. (38 refs.)

This study examined the prevalence of addiction to Second Life, the most prominent 3D virtual world, and found that approximately one-third of participants met criterion for Internet addiction or at-risk status on the internet addiction test (Young, K. (1998a). Caught in the net: How to recognize the signs of Internet Addiction and a winning strategy for recovery. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc). Participants with higher levels of addiction were more likely to have resided in Second Life for a shorter period of time than non-compulsive users, stay logged on for lengthy periods of time, view sexual experience in Second Life as an important activity, and report experiencing stronger immersion and more benefits from using Second Life. In addition, moderate positive correlations were found between addiction to Second Life and various areas of compulsion in real life. These data provide the first assessment of the prevalence of addiction to the emerging 3D internet and serve as an empirical baseline as the number of users and graphical realism of 3D virtual worlds continues to grow.

Gnisci A; Perugini M; Pedone R; Di Conza A. Construct validation of the Use, Abuse and Dependence on the Internet inventory. Computers in Human Behavior 27(1): 240-247, 2011. (37 refs.)

This study aims to validate the structure of the Use, Abuse and Dependence on the Internet (UADI) inventory on a sample of 1056 high school (n = 820) and university (n = 236) students. In particular, we performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on sub-samples (cross-validation), tested the construct convergent validity, and tested correlations of UADI dimensions with HEXACO personality inventory (HEXACO-PI, where HEXACO stands for the six assessed dimensions: Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, eXtraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Openness to experience) and external criteria (daytime internet use, etc.). Five dimensions (Compensatory Escape, Dissociation, Real Life Impact, Experience Making and Addiction) were best captured by a second-order factor structure with a factor reflecting Real Life Impact and Dependence saturated by the other four dimensions. This latter factor converged with other traditional measures of internet dependence. The results are discussed in light of the relationships with validity criteria.

Han DH; Bolo N; Daniels MA; Arenella L; Lyoo IK; Renshaw PF. Brain activity and desire for Internet video game play. Comprehensive Psychiatry 52(1): 88-95, 2011. (41 refs.)

Objective: Recent studies have suggested that the brain circuitry mediating cue-induced desire for video games is similar to that elicited by cues related to drugs and alcohol. We hypothesized that desire for Internet video games during cue presentation would activate similar brain regions to those that have been linked with craving for drugs or pathologic gambling. Methods: This study involved the acquisition of diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 19 healthy male adults (age, 18-23 years) following training and a standardized 10-day period of game play with a specified novel Internet video game, "War Rock" (K2 Network, Irvine, CA). Using segments of videotape consisting of 5 contiguous 90-second segments of alternating resting, matched control, and video game-related scenes, desire to play the game was assessed using a 7-point visual analogue scale before and after presentation of the videotape. Results: In responding to Internet video game stimuli, compared with neutral control stimuli, significantly greater activity was identified in left inferior frontal gyms, left parahippocampal gyms, right and left parietal lobe, right and left thalamus, and right cerebellum (false discovery rate <0.05, P < .009243). Self-reported desire was positively correlated with the 13 values of left inferior frontal gyms, left parahippocampal gyms, and right and left thalamus. Compared with the general players, subjects who played more Internet video game showed significantly greater activity in right medial frontal lobe, right and left frontal precentral gyms, right parietal postcentral gyms, right parahippocampal gyms, and left parietal precuneus gyms. Controlling for total game time, reported desire for the Internet video game in the subjects who played more Internet video game was positively correlated with activation in right medial frontal lobe and right parahippocampal gyms. Discussion: The present findings suggest that cue-induced activation to Internet video game stimuli may be similar to that observed during cue presentation in persons with substance dependence or pathologic gambling. In particular, cues appear to commonly elicit activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal, orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyms, and thalamus.

Han DH; Hwang JW; Renshaw PF. Bupropion sustained release treatment decreases craving for video games and cue-induced brain activity in patients with internet video game addiction. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology 18(4): 297-304, 2010. (45 refs.)

Bupropion has been used in the treatment of patients with substance dependence based on its weak inhibition of dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake. We hypothesized that 6 weeks of bupropion sustained release (SR) treatment would decrease craving for Internet game play as well as video game cue-induced brain activity in patients with Internet video game addiction (JAG). Eleven subjects who met criteria for IAG, playing Star Craft (>30 hr/week), and eight healthy comparison subjects (HC) who had experience playing Star Craft (<3 days/week and <1 hr/day). At baseline and at the end of 6 weeks of bupropion SR treatment, brain activity in response to Star Craft cue presentation was assessed using 1.5 Tesla functional MRI. In addition, symptoms of depression, craving for playing the game, and the severity of Internet addiction were evaluated by Beck Depression Inventory, self-report of craving on a 7-point visual analogue scale, and Young's Internet Addiction Scale, respectively. In response to game cues, IAG showed higher brain activation in left occipital lobe cuneus, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and left parahippocampal gyrus than HC. After a 6 week period of bupropion SR, craving for Internet video game play, total game play time, and cue-induced brain activity in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were decreased in the IAG. We suggest that bupropion SR may change craving and brain activity in ways that are similar to those observed in individuals with substance abuse or dependence.

Han DH; Kim YS; Lee YS; Min KJ; Renshaw PF. Changes in cue-induced, prefrontal cortex activity with video-game play. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(6): 655-661, 2010. (27 refs.)

Brain responses, particularly within the orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices, to Internet video-game cues in college students are similar to those observed in patients with substance dependence in response to the substance-related cues. In this study, we report changes in brain activity between baseline and following 6 weeks of Internet video-game play. We hypothesized that subjects with high levels of self-reported craving for Internet video-game play would be associated with increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, particularly the orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortex. Twenty-one healthy university students were recruited. At baseline and after a 6-week period of Internet video-game play, brain activity during presentation of video-game cues was assessed using 3T blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging. Craving for Internet video-game play was assessed by self-report on a 7-point visual analogue scale following cue presentation. During a standardized 6-week video-game play period, brain activity in the anterior cingulate and orbitofrontal cortex of the excessive Internet game-playing group (EIGP) increased in response to Internet video-game cues. In contrast, activity observed in the general player group (GP) was not changed or decreased. In addition, the change of craving for Internet video games was positively correlated with the change in activity of the anterior cingulate in all subjects. These changes in frontal-lobe activity with extended video-game play may be similar to those observed during the early stages of addiction.

He JB; Liu CJ; Guo YY; Zhao L. Deficits in early-stage face perception in excessive internet users. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 14(5): 303- 308, 2011. (35 refs.)

Excessive Internet use is associated with a limited ability to communicate effectively socially, which depends largely on the capacity for perception of the human face. We used a passive visual detection paradigm to compare the early stages of the processing of face-related information in young excessive Internet users (EIUs) and healthy normal subjects by analyzing event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by faces and by nonface stimuli (tables), each presented in the upright and inverted position. The P1 and N170 components of the spectrum of ERPs elicited at occipital-temporal sites by the viewing of faces were larger and peaked sooner than the same ERP components elicited by tables, and inverted faces significantly enhanced and delayed the N170 component. EIUs had a generally smaller P1 component than did normal subjects, whether elicited by faces or by tables, and the N170 effect, or difference in amplitude of the N170 component for faces versus tables, was significantly smaller in the EIUs than in normal subjects. However, the N170 inversion effect, or difference in amplitude of the N170 component elicited by upright versus inverted faces, was similar in the EIUs and normal subjects. These data indicate that EIUs have deficits in the early stage of face-perception processing but may have intact holistic/configural processing of faces. Whether some deeper processes of face perception, such as face memory and face identification, are affected in EIUs needs to be investigated further with more specific procedures.

Hetzel-Riggin MD; Pritchard JR. Predicting problematic internet use in men and women: The contributions of psychological distress, coping style, and body esteem. Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking 14(9): 519-525, 2011. (61 refs.)

Problematic Internet use (PIU) is becoming a prevalent and serious problem among college students. Rates of PIU are higher in men, which may be due to psychological variables, such as comorbid psychological disorders and beliefs about one's body. We examined the ability of psychological distress, coping style, and body esteem to predict levels of PIU in men and women in a sample of 425 undergraduate students (46.8 percent male; mean age 19.0, SD 1.7). For men, phobic anxiety, wishful thinking, and overweight preoccupation were significant predictors of increased PIU. For women, depression, keeping to oneself, and decreased tension reduction were associated with increased PIU. The findings suggest that men and women may have different psychological reasons for excessive Internet use, including different types of psychological distress and coping styles. Unlike women, men may use the Internet because of weight concerns.

Hinic D; Mihajlovic G; Dukic-Dejanovic S. 'Internet addiction' in relation to cognitive or somatic depression symptoms. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies 10(2): 187-197, 2010. (30 refs.)

In the treatment of excessive Internet use, it is vital to define all the consequences of this disorder so that the therapeutic procedure may be directed to the core of the problem. Recent studies concerning the relations between excessive Internet use and behavioral disorders have shown that various forms of psychological disorders (e.g., depression, OCD, other anxiety disorders) are associated with excessive Internet use. The aim of the study was to examine the correlation of increased Internet use with the two types of depressive symptoms (cognitive and somatic). A total of 100 Internet users were examined, divided into a clinical and control group. Only participants who did not have clinical records of depression history were included in the study. The severity of the Internet addiction was evaluated with the Internet Addiction Test. The correlations between Internet addiction and depression (measured with the Beck Depression Inventory) were investigated, with cognitive and somatic symptoms analysed separately. Results indicated that Internet addiction was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms in general, although there was an increased level of depression within the clinical group. In regard to the type of depressive symptoms, Internet addiction is significantly related to somatic but not cognitive symptoms. In conclusion, there is no correlation between excessive Internet use and depression as such, but an overlapping in the somatic/ affective symptoms these disorders. We assume that these symptoms are primarily influenced by excessive Internet use, but this hypothesis still needs to be reassessed in future research.

Huang CJ. Internet addiction: Stability and change. European Journal of Psychology of Education 25(3): 345-361, 2010. (44 refs.)

This longitudinal study examined five indices of stability and change in Internet addiction: structural stability, mean-level stability, differential stability, individual-level stability, and ipsative stability. The study sample was 351 undergraduate students from end of freshman year to end of junior year. Convergent findings revealed stability rather than change in Internet addiction. Prior academic self-concept was not associated with individual-level stability, profile consistency, and dispersion. As academic self-concept revealed no correlation with individual-level stability and ipsative stability, future research should test the effects of loneliness and depression on individual-level stability, profile consistency, and dispersion in Internet addiction.

Huang XQ; Zhang HM; Li MC; Wang JA; Zhang Y; Tao R. Mental health, personality, and parental rearing styles of adolescents with internet addiction disorder. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(4): 401-406, 2010. (38 refs.)

The objectives of this study were to compare the personality profiles of adolescent males with and without Internet addiction disorder (IAD), and to determine if IAD is associated with specific parental rearing behaviors. A total of 304 subjects (204 IAD positive and 100 IAD negative controls) completed three instruments: Symptom Checklist-90-revision (SCL-90-R), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised (EPQ-R), and Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran-My Memories of Upbringing (EMBU). SCL-90-R profiles of adolescents with IAD revealed comparatively higher mean scores for all of the nine domains, and significantly higher scores for obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, and paranoid ideation; the mean global symptom index of adolescents with IAD was also significantly higher by approximately 10%. EPQ profiles of adolescents with IAD showed that Internet-dependent individuals tended to exhibit a significantly lower degree of extraversion and a significantly higher degree of psychoticism when compared with the control group. EMBU profiles revealed that adolescents with IAD generally rated both maternal and paternal rearing practices as lacking in emotional warmth, being over-involved, rejecting, and punitive (mothers only). The results of this study confirm that IAD often occurs concurrently with mental symptoms and personality traits such as introversion and psychoticism. Adolescents with IAD consistently rated parental rearing behaviors as being over-intrusive, punitive, and lacking in responsiveness. These findings suggest that the influences of parenting style and family function are important factors in the development of Internet dependency.

Kayri M; Gunuc S. An analysis of some variables affecting the internet dependency level of Turkish adolescents by using decision tree methods. Kuram Ve Uygulamada Egitim Bilimleri 10(4): 2487-2500, 2010. (54 refs.)

Internet dependency is going to expand into social life in wide area whereas it has been accepted as a pathological and psychological disease. Knowing the basic effects of internet dependency is an inevitable approach to use the internet technology healthy. In this study, internet dependency levels of 754 students were examined with the Internet Dependency Scale. Total score which will be obtained from the scale is the dependent variable and using daily hours of internet, how many years the users are acquainted with the internet, the purpose of using the internet, education level of users' mother and father, income of users' families and gender variables are included in the model as independent variables. Model was tested both Classification Tree and Chaid Analysis. In the Classification Tree method; purpose of using the internet, using daily hours of the internet, gender, income of users' families and education level of users' father which affected dependent variable were found meaningful. In Chaid Analysis, purpose of using the internet and using daily hours of the internet users' independent variables were just found meaningful.

Kelleci M; Inal S. Psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with internet use comparison without internet use. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 13(2): 191-194, 2010. (31 refs.)

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychiatric symptoms of adolescents with and without Internet use. A total of 2,080 students (1,105 male, 975 female) were recruited for the study. We administered the Symptom Checklist-90-Revision and Questions Related to Internet Use. Students in 10th through 12th grades were recruited from 14 senior high schools in Sivas, Turkey. Data were collected from October to May 2008. Data were analyzed after excluding the participants who provided incomplete data. It was found that Internet use in adolescents was associated with more severe psychiatric symptoms. Attention should be devoted to adolescents with Internet use for the design of preventive strategies.

Kelley KJ; Gruber EM. Psychometric properties of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire. Computers In Human Behavior 26(6): 1838-1845, 2010. (36 refs.)

Several instruments have been designed to measure problems associated with excessive, compulsive, or addictive use of the Internet. One such instrument, the 18-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire, was recently published with data supporting a three subscale model (Demetrovics et al., 2008). These researches utilized an online format with a sample taken from the general population of Hungary. We utilized an American college student sample and a paper and pencil format to perform a confirmatory factor analysis of the PIUQ. In addition, we examined the reliability and construct validity of the PIUQ by examining the scales' relationship with several indices of psychological and physical health. CFA results indicate a barely adequate and not completely problem free three factor model for the PIUQ (chi(2) = 477.40; root mean square error = .097; comparative fit index = .831; Tucker Lewis coefficient = .804). Cronbach's a for the total scale was .91 while the Cronbach's a for each subscale were .81, .77, and .79. Construct validity for the model is demonstrated with significant correlations between the subscales and several indices of psychological and physical health. Suggestions for further research are provided.

Kerkhof P; Finkenauer C; Muusses LD. Relational consequences of compulsive internet use: A longitudinal study among newlyweds. Human Communication Research 37(2): 147-+, 2011. (98 refs.)

This article examines how compulsive Internet use and marital well-being are related to each other. We suggest that they are negatively related and explore whether compulsive Internet use predicts marital well-being or vice versa. The relation between compulsive Internet use and marital well-being is tested in a two-wave prospective study among 190 newlywed couples. The results suggest that (a) compulsive Internet use predicts marital well-being, and not vice versa, (b) that this is a within- rather than a cross-partner effect, and (c) that the frequency of Internet use may be positively related to marital well-being. The results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms that underlie the link between compulsive Internet use and relationship quality.

Kesici S; Sahin I. Turkish adaptation study of Internet Addiction Scale. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 13(2): 185-189, 2010. (20 refs.)

The purpose of this study was to adapt the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) for Turkish-language use and test the validity and reliability of the scale. This study was conducted in four phases: (a) translation, (b) validity and reliability, (c) discriminant validity, and (d) test-retest reliability of the IAS. To examine language equivalence, both Turkish and original versions of the IAS were administered to students studying English-language education. Since the questionnaire has high levels of language equivalence, validity and reliability studies were conducted. To determine construct validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed. To ascertain reliability, internal consistency and test-retest analysis were conducted. Results demonstrate that the Turkish version of the IAS is a valid and reliable measure.

Kim Y; Park JY; Kim SB; Jung IK; Lim YS; Kim JH. The effects of Internet addiction on the lifestyle and dietary behavior of Korean adolescents. Nutrition Research and Practice 4(1): 51-57, 2010. (30 refs.)

We performed this study to examine lifestyle patterns and dietary behavior based on the level of Internet addiction of Korean adolescents. Data were collected from 853 Korean junior high school students. The level of Internet addiction was determined based on the Korean Internet addiction self-scale short form for youth, and students were classified as high-risk Internet users, potential-risk Internet users, and no risk Internet users. The associations between the students' levels of Internet addiction and lifestyle patterns and dietary behavior were analyzed using a chi-square test. Irregular bedtimes and the use of alcohol and tobacco were higher in high-risk Internet users than no risk Internet users. Moreover, in high-risk Internet users, irregular dietary behavior due to the loss of appetite, a high frequency of skipping meals, and snacking might cause imbalances in nutritional intake. Diet quality in high-risk Internet users was also worse than in potential-risk Internet users and no risk Internet users. We demonstrated in this study that high-risk Internet users have inappropriate dietary behavior and poor diet quality, which could result in stunted growth and development. Therefore, nutrition education targeting high-risk Internet users should be conducted to ensure proper growth and development.

King DL; Delfabbro PH; Griffiths MD; Gradisar M. Assessing clinical trials of Internet addiction treatment: A systematic review and CONSORT evaluation. (review). Clinical Psychology Review 31(7): 1110-1116, 2011. (48 refs.)

Although there is ongoing debate concerning the clinical status of Internet addiction, and the quality of the extant literature in this emerging field is not optimal, several clinical trials of both pharmacological and psychological treatments for Internet addiction have been published in recent years. A systematic review investigating the reporting quality of eight treatment studies is presented. Reporting quality was defined according to the 2010 Consolidating Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement. An evaluation of the reviewed studies highlighted several key limitations, including (a) inconsistencies in the definition and diagnosis of Internet addiction, (b) a lack of randomization and blinding techniques, (c) a lack of adequate controls or other comparison groups, and (d) insufficient information concerning recruitment dates, sample characteristics, and treatment effect sizes. It is concluded that improvements in future studies' design and reporting would be of significant benefit to both researchers and clinicians, and to the overall positioning of Internet addiction in the behavioral addiction field.

Kingston J; Clarke S; Ritchie T; Remington B. Developing and validating the "Composite Measure of Problem Behaviors". Journal of Clinical Psychology 67(7): 736-751, 2011. (61 refs.)

Clinicians frequently encounter problem behaviors such as self-harm, restrictive eating, binge eating, alcohol misuse, drug misuse, smoking, sexual promiscuity, internet addiction, excessive exercise, and aggression. Although these behaviors commonly co-occur, no scale exists to measure them concurrently. Based on data from two opportunity samples (N=691 and N=53), this study designed and validated a composite measure of the problem behaviors noted above. The Composite Measure of Problem Behaviors, developed using exploratory factor analysis, demonstrated good psychometric properties. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis, using both the first (N=691) and a third sample (N=740), identified a common higher order factor that accounted for covariance between behaviors. Findings thus suggest that despite the formal dissimilarity of behaviors assessed, a common function may explain their covariation.

Ko CH; Hsiao S; Liu GC; Yen JY; Yang MJ; Yen CF. The characteristics of decision making, potential to take risks, and personality of college students with Internet addiction. Psychiatry Research 175(1-2): 121-125, 2010. (38 refs.)

This study aimed to identify risk factors involved in Internet addiction. A total of 216 college students (132 males and 84 females) were given the following: (a) the diagnostic interview for Internet addiction, (b) the Iowa gambling test for decision-making deficits, (c) the Balloon Analog Risk Test (BART) to assess risk-taking tendencies, and (d) the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) for personality characteristics. The results revealed the following: (a) 49% of males and 17% of females were addicted, (b) the addicted students tended to select more advantageous cards in the last 40 cards of the Iowa test, indicating better decision making, (c) no difference was found for the BART, indicating that addicted subjects were not more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors and (d) TPQ scores showed lower reward dependence (RD) and higher novelty seeking (NS) for the addicts. Their higher performance on the Iowa gambling test differentiates the Internet addiction group from the substance use and pathologic gambling groups that have been shown to be deficient in decision making on the Iowa test. Thus, students that fit these characteristics should be closely monitored to prevent Internet addiction.

Koc M. Internet addiction and psychopatology. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 10(1): 143-148, 2011. (29 refs.)

This study examined the relationships between university students' internet addiction and psychopathology in Turkey. The study was based on data drawn from a national survey of university students in Turkey. 174 university students completed the SCL-90-R scale and Addicted Internet Users Inventory. Results show that students who use internet six hours and more a day have psychiatric symptoms. Students whose addicted internet usage have psychiatric symptoms such as Somatization, Obsessive Compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism more than students whose nonaddictet internet usage.

Koo C; Wati Y; Lee CC; Oh HY. Internet-addicted kids and South Korean government efforts: Boot-camp case. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 14(6): 391-394, 2011. (24 refs.)

Computer overuse has been a serious problem for the past several years. One aspect of the information age has been the novel concerns deriving from advanced IT technology-which include Internet addiction, gambling, and so on. These Internet-based problems have emerged in many countries, including South Korea. In an effort to solve this problem, the South Korean government has created a variety of programs designed to cure teenagers' Internet addictions, most notably the Jump Up Internet Rescue School, a camp designed to cure Internet-addicted or online game-addicted children. In this study, we review this boot-camp program and present a brief review of the literature concerning Internet addiction and habit theory. Additionally, we provide some useful implications for the Korean government and other countries, practitioners, and researchers. It is also anticipated that the findings from this study will provide us with a better understanding of how case-study-based research into Internet addiction curative programs can be regarded as a burgeoning field of Internet-related research.

Kormas G; Critselis E; Janikian M; Kafetzis D; Tsitsika A. Risk factors and psychosocial characteristics of potential problematic and problematic internet use among adolescents: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 11: e-article 595, 2011. (50 refs.)

Background: Problematic internet use (PIU) is associated with a plethora of psychosocial adversities. The study objectives were to assess the determinants and psychosocial implications associated with potential PIU and PIU among adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was applied among a random sample (n = 866) of Greek adolescents (mean age: 14.7 years). Self-completed questionnaires, including internet use characteristics, Young Internet Addiction Test, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, were utilized to examine the study objectives. Results: Among the study population, the prevalence rates of potential PIU and PIU were 19.4% and 1.5%, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that male gender (Odds Ratio, OR: 2.01; 95% Confidence Interval, 95% CI: 1.35-3.00), as well as utilizing the internet for retrieving sexual information (OR: 2.52; 95% CI: 1.53-4.12), interactive game playing (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.21-2.82), and socialization, including chat-room use (OR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.36-2.86) and email (OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.05-2.24), were independently associated with potential PIU and PIU. Adolescents with potential PIU had an increased likelihood of concomitantly presenting with hyperactivity (OR: 4.39; 95% CI: 2.03-9.52) and conduct (OR: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.46-4.50) problems. Moreover, adolescent PIU was significantly associated with hyperactivity (OR: 9.96; 95% CI: 1.76-56.20) and conduct (OR: 8.39; 95% CI: 2.04-34.56) problems, as well as comprehensive psychosocial maladjustment (OR: 8.08; 95% CI: 1.44-45.34). Conclusions: The determinants of potential PIU and PIU include accessing the internet for the purposes of retrieving sexual information, game playing, and socialization. Furthermore, both potential PIU and PIU are adversely associated with notable behavioral and social maladjustment among adolescents.

Kuss DJ; Griffiths MD. Online social networking and addiction: A review of the psychological literature. (review). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 8(9): 3528-3552, 2011. (122 refs.)

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a 'global consumer phenomenon' with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that 'addiction' to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction.

Kwon JH; Chung CS; Lee J. The effects of escape from self and interpersonal relationship on the pathological use of internet games. Community Mental Health Journal 47(1): 113-121, 2011. (44 refs.)

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether Baumeister's escape from self theory may account for the pathological use of Internet games among Korean adolescents. A sample of 1,136 junior high school students completed measures assessing Internet game addiction (IGA), real-ideal self discrepancy, escape from self, current mood, peer relationships, perceived parent-child relationship, and parental supervision. IGA was significantly correlated with all of these variables. Multiple regression analysis showed that escape from self best explained the adolescents' IGA. A path model yielded significant paths from self-discrepancy to negative mood, from negative mood to escape from self, and from escape from self to IGA. These results support the validity of using the escape from self theory to explain the adolescents' IGA, thereby suggesting that adolescents become addicted to Internet games in an attempt to escape from self and reality.

Lam LT; Peng ZW. Effect of pathological use of the internet on adolescent mental health26. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 164(10): 901-906, 2010. (26 refs.)

Objective: To examine the effect of pathological use of the Internet on the mental health, including anxiety and depression, of adolescents in China. It is hypothesized that pathological use of the Internet is detrimental to adolescents' mental health. Design: A prospective study with a randomly generated cohort from the population. Setting: High schools in Guangzhou, China. Participants: Adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years. Main Exposure: Pathological use of the Internet was assessed using the Pathological Use of the Internet Test. Outcome Measures: Depression and anxiety were assessed by the Zung Depression and Anxiety Scales. Results: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the relative risk of depression for those who used the Internet pathologically was about 21/2 times (incidence rate ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-4.3) that of those who did not exhibit the targeted pathological internet use behaviors. No significant relationship between pathological use of the Internet and anxiety at follow-up was observed. Conclusions: Results suggested that young people who are initially free of mental health problems but use the Internet pathologically could develop depression as a consequence. These results have direct implications for the prevention of mental illness in young people, particularly in developing countries.

Lee S. Analysis of college students' online life-styles and their psychological profiles in South Korea. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(6): 701-704, 2010. (18 refs.)

This study examines the relationships between the online life-styles of South Korean students as Internet users and Internet use, their tendency toward Internet addiction, and the level of cyber ethics. A sample of 324 students, aged between 18 and 23 years, from a medium-sized university in South Korea was asked to complete a survey. They were categorized into three groups depending on their online life-styles: a Social group (SG), an Individual group (IG), and a Loner group (LG). In the following analyses, no group difference was found in hours of Internet use on either weekdays or weekends, but the SG reported higher engagement in interaction-oriented activities (e.g. blogging, games, and instant messenger services) than the LG. As for tendency toward Internet addiction, all three groups belonged to the first phase of the "at-risk'' classification in Korea. Interestingly, the IG characteristics of sensation seeking and independence reported the lowest scores in cyber ethics, while the LG characteristics of apathetic attitude toward the Internet reported the highest scores in cyber ethics. This preliminary study showed that Internet users impose different meanings and values on their Internet experiences, which contribute to their use of Internet services, their tendency toward Internet addiction, and their level of cyber ethics.

Liberatore KA; Rosario K; Colon-De Marti LN; Martinez KG. Prevalence of internet addiction in Latino adolescents with psychiatric diagnosis. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 14(6): 399-402, 2011. (17 refs.)

Internet addiction (IA) is particularly relevant in the adolescent population. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of IA in a clinical sample of Latino adolescents receiving ambulatory psychiatric treatment. The correlation between their pattern of Internet use and their respective psychiatric diagnosis was also studied. Adolescent patients from the Psychiatric Ambulatory Clinic at the Pediatric University Hospital (N = 71) completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and a questionnaire about Internet use. Information regarding demographic and diagnostic data was retrieved from their clinical records. None of the subjects presented severe IA. A total of 71.8% (n = 51) of the adolescents obtained scores reflecting no problem related to IA. Only 11.6% (n = 5) of subjects have discussed Internet use with their therapist. Mood disorders showed a statistically significant (p = 0.044) correlation with a higher score on the IAT. Mental health care practitioners must consider questions on Internet use as an essential part of the patients' evaluation given its significant correlation with diagnosis of a mood disorder.

Liu J; Gao XP; Osunde I; Li X; Zhou SK; Zheng HR et al. Increased regional homogeneity in Internet addiction disorder: A resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Chinese Medical Journal 123(14): 1904-1908, 2010. (28 refs.)

Background: Internet addition disorder (IAD) is currently becoming a serious mental health problem among Chinese adolescents. The pathogenesis of IAD, however, remains unclear. The purpose of this study applied regional homogeneity (ReHo) method to analyze encephalic functional characteristic of IAD college students under resting state. Methods Functional magnetic resonanc image (fMRI) was performed in 19 IAD college students and 19 controls under resting state. ReHo method was used to analyze the differences between the average ReHo in two groups. Results: The following increased ReHo brain regions were found in IAD group compared with control group: cerebellum, brainstem, right cingulate gyrus, bilateral parahippocampus, right frontal lobe (rectal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus), left superior frontal gyrus, left precuneus, right postcentral gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus. The decreased ReHo brain regions were not found in the IAD group compared with the control group. Conclusions: There are abnormalities in regional homogeneity in IAD college students compared with the controls and enhancement of synchronization in most encephalic regions can be found. The results reflect the functional change of brain in IAD college students. The connections between the enhancement of synchronization among cerebellum, brainstem, limbic lobe, frontal lobe and apical lobe may be relative to reward pathways.

Lu DW; Wang JW; Huang ACW. Differentiation of internet addiction risk level based on autonomic nervous responses: The internet-addiction hypothesis of autonomic activity. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(4): 371-378, 2010. (43 refs.)

How high-risk Internet addiction (IA) abusers respond to different autonomic nervous activities compared with low-risk subjects may be a critical research goal with prevention and treatment implications. The aim of the present study was to address this issue by observing differences between high-and low-risk IA abusers in four physiological assessments when surfing the Internet: blood volume pulse (BVP), skin conductance (SC), peripheral temperature (PTEMP), and respiratory response (RESPR). Forty-two male and ten female participants aged 18-24 years were screened with the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS, 2003), and then separated into high-and low-risk IA groups. Using psychophysiology equipment, participants encountered a 3-minute adaptation period followed by a 6-minute testing period for surfing the Internet on baseline and testing phases. The present results indicate that: (a) the CIAS scores were positively and negatively correlated with the RESPR and the PTEMP; (b) the PTEMP and RESPR of high-risk IA abusers were respectively weaker and stronger than those of low-risk IA abusers; the BVP and SC of high-risk IA abusers were respectively augmented and decreased relative to low-risk IA abusers. Thus we suggest that four autonomic responses may be differentially sensitive to abusers' potency in terms of the IA hypothesis of autonomic activity. The stronger BVP and RESPR responses and the weaker PTEMP reactions of the high-risk IA abusers indicate the sympathetic nervous system was heavily activated in these individuals. However, SC activates parasympathetic responses at the same time in the high-risk IA abusers. The paradoxical responses between the sympathetic and parasympathetic actions are addressed in the discussion.

Lu X; Watanabe J; Liu QB; Uji M; Shono M; Kitamura T. Internet and mobile phone text-messaging dependency: Factor structure and correlation with dysphoric mood among Japanese adults. Computers in Human Behavior 27(5): 1702-1709, 2011. (42 refs.)

Unhealthy use of the Internet and mobile phones is a health issue in Japan. We solicited participation in this questionnaire-based study from the employees of a city office in Kumamoto. A total of 92 men and 54 women filled in the Internet Addiction Questionnaire (IAQ), the Self-perception of Text-message Dependency Scale (STDS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The prevalence of "light Internet addiction" and "severe Internet addiction" were 33.7% and 6.1% for men whereas they were 24.6% and 1.8% for women. The prevalence of "light mobile phone text-message addiction" was 3.1% for men and 5.4% for women. There were no cases of "sever text-message addiction". We found a two-factor structure for the IAQ and a three-factor structure for the STDS. We also performed an EFA of the IAQ and STDS subscales, and this revealed a two-factor structure - Internet Dependency and Text-message Dependency. An STDS subscale, Relationship Maintenance, showed a moderate factor loading of the factor that reflected unhealthy Internet use. In a path analysis, Depression was associated with both Internet Dependency and Text-message Dependency whereas Anxiety was associated negatively with Text-message Dependency. These results suggest applicability of the IAQ and STDS and that Internet and text-message dependences are factorially distinct.

Mehroof M; Griffiths MD. Online gaming addiction: The role of sensation seeking, self-control, neuroticism, aggression, state anxiety, and trait anxiety. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 13(3): 313-316, 2010. (29 refs.)

Research into online gaming has steadily increased over the last decade, although relatively little research has examined the relationship between online gaming addiction and personality factors. This study examined the relationship between a number of personality traits (sensation seeking, self-control, aggression, neuroticism, state anxiety, and trait anxiety) and online gaming addiction. Data were collected over a 1-month period using an opportunity sample of 123 university students at an East Midlands university in the United Kingdom. Gamers completed all the online questionnaires. Results of a multiple linear regression indicated that five traits (neuroticism, sensation seeking, trait anxiety, state anxiety, and aggression) displayed significant associations with online gaming addiction. The study suggests that certain personality traits may be important in the acquisition, development, and maintenance of online gaming addiction, although further research is needed to replicate the findings of the present study.

Montag C; Jurkiewicz M; Reuter M. Low self-directedness is a better predictor for problematic internet use than high neuroticism. Computers In Human Behavior 26(6): 1531-1535, 2010. (30 refs.)

The classification of internet addiction as a distinct diagnosis in the upcoming DSM-V is currently under debate. Nevertheless, before this issue is resolved, there are important related questions in the field of Internet addiction that are in need of an answer, e.g. which personality dimensions may predispose towards problematic internet use. One such factor seems to be neuroticism. However, a sole factor like neuroticism alone is not very useful with respect to generating implications for behavior therapy and treatment of afflicted patients, because it includes too many facets of negative personality traits ranging from shyness to anxiety. Therefore, in this study we aimed to measure the grade of problematic internet use with the internet addiction test (IAT); moreover, we measured personality with Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) and with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). In addition to the EPQ-R, the TCI provides further information with respect to which facets of personality are associated with problematic internet use. In N = 201 participants, we found that self-directedness is a better predictor than neuroticism for problematic Internet use. Moreover, the time spent online in leisure activities was a significant predictor for a high IAT score. Implications for behavior therapy are discussed.

Munoz-Rivas MJ; Fernandez L; Gamez-Guadix M. Analysis of the indicators of pathological Internet use in Spanish university students. Spanish Journal of Psychology 13(2): 697-707, 2010. (32 refs.)

Addiction to and problematic use of the Internet are relatively recent phenomena whose scope, characteristics and correlates have begun to receive increasing attention by clinicians and researchers alike. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between time spent connected to the Internet and the variables that indicate a pathological and addictive use of this technological resource. The sample was comprised of 1,301 university students of both sexes (927 women and 374 men), with ages ranging from 18 to 30 years old. The results showed that, although most people use the Internet appropriately, users who invest higher quantities of time in the Internet more frequently exhibit connection behavior that is controlled through negative reinforcement, a high degree of arousal when online, loss of control over connection behavior, changes in health-related habits, and interference in the social, family, academic, or work spheres. These findings suggest that excessive Internet use is associated with the onset of several problems that are similar to those associated with other behavioral and technological addictions.

O'Brien CP. Commentary on Tao et al. (2010): Internet addiction and DSM-V. (commentary). Addiction 105(3): 565-565, 2010. (4 refs.)

Odaci H; Kalkan M. Problematic Internet use, loneliness and dating anxiety among young adult university students. Computers & Education 55(3): 1091-1097, 2010. (59 refs.)

The Internet, an important modern means of obtaining information and establishing communication with others, has become an increasingly essential element of human life. Although Internet use makes life easier, it can become problematic in the event of non-functional use. Debate and research into whether Internet addiction is a cause or an effect are continuing. This study investigates problematic Internet use among young adult university students and examines correlation between problematic Internet use and loneliness and dating anxiety. University student Internet use patterns are also investigated. The study was conducted among 493 students from the Karadeniz Technical University Fatih Faculty of Education. The Online Cognition Scale, Dating Anxiety Scale, Loneliness Scale and Personal Information Questionnaire were employed in the collection of data. Pearson correlation analysis, the t-test, one-way analysis of variance and chi-square test were used for data analysis. The Pearson correlation analysis results reveal a significant positive correlation between problematic Internet use and loneliness (r = 0.194, p < 0.001), communication anxiety (r = 0.15, p < 0.001), unpopularity anxiety (r = 0.174, p < 0.001) and physiological symptoms (r = 0.125, p < 0.001) dating anxiety sub-scales. One-way analysis of variance was used to examine whether problematic Internet use varies according to length of Internet use, and a significantly high level of problematic Internet use was observed among those going online for more than 5 h a day compared to other users (F = 14.327, p < 0.001). Chi-square results reveal a significant association between length of Internet use and how students feel when they do not go online (chi-square = 116.543, p < 0.001). The t-test was used to determine whether there was a significant difference in levels of Internet use according to gender, and levels of problematic Internet use were significantly higher among male students than females (t = 4.046, p < 0.001).

Ozcinar Z. The relationship between internet addiction and communication, educational and physical problems of adolescents in north Cyprus. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling 21(1): 22-32, 2011. (62 refs.)

The Internet today, beyond being a source of information and communication, has become an 'addiction' for some people. The rate of Internet addiction is rapidly increasing in the world. The aim of this study was to examine the extent of Internet addiction among adolescents in North Cyprus. Eight hundred and fifty-one participants between the ages of 14 to 26 completed the Internet Use and Addiction questionnaire. Results. indicated that 6.6% of the participants were addicted to the Internet. Younger high school students were found to have the highest rate of Internet addiction, followed by university students. Males were shown to have significantly higher rates of Internet addiction than females for all age groups. Academic, interpersonal and physical problems were all found to be associated with Internet addiction. The implications for guidance counsellors of this problem are discussed.

Padilla-Walker LM; Nelson LJ; Carroll JS; Jensen AC. More than a just a game: Video game and internet use during emerging adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 39(2): 103-113, 2010. (26 refs.)

The purpose of this study was to gain a clearer understanding of the pattern of video game and internet use among college students and to examine how electronic leisure was related to risk behaviors (i.e., drinking, drug use, sex), perceptions of the self (i.e., self worth and social acceptance), and relationships with others (i.e., relationship quality with parents and friends). Participants included 813 undergraduate students (500 young women, 313 young men, M age = 20, SD = 1.87) who were mainly European American (79%), unmarried (100%) and living outside their parents' home (90%). Results suggested that (a) video game use was linked to negative outcomes for men and women, (b) different patterns of video game and internet use existed for men and women and (c) there were different relations to risk behaviors, feelings about the self, and relationship quality based on the type of internet use, and based on gender. The discussion focuses on the implications of electronic leisure on the overall health and development of young people as they transition to adulthood.

Pawlikowski M; Brand M. Excessive Internet gaming and decision making: Do excessive World of Warcraft players have problems in decision making under risky conditions? Psychiatry Research 188(3): 428-433, 2011. (58 refs.)

The dysfunctional behavior of excessive Internet gamers, such as preferring the immediate reward (to play World of Warcraft) despite the negative long-term consequences may be comparable with the dysfunctional behavior in substance abusers or individuals with behavioral addictions, e.g. pathological gambling. In these disorders, general decision-making deficits have been demonstrated. Hence, the aim of the present work was to examine decision-making competences of excessive World of Warcraft players. Nineteen excessive Internet gamers (EIG) and a control group (CG) consisting of 19 non-garners were compared with respect to decision-making abilities. The Game of Dice Task (GOT) was applied to measure decision-making under risky conditions. Furthermore psychological-psychiatric symptoms were assessed in both groups. The EIG showed a reduced decision-making ability in the GOT. Furthermore the EIG group showed a higher psychological-psychiatric symptomatology in contrast to the CG. The results indicate that the reduced decision-making ability of EIG is comparable with patients with other forms of behavioral addiction (e.g. pathological gambling), impulse control disorders or substance abusers. Thus, these results suggest that excessive Internet gaming may be based on a myopia for the future, meaning that EIG prefer to play World of Warcraft despite the negative long-term consequences in social or work domains of life.

Peng W; Liu M. Online gaming dependency: A preliminary study in China. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 13(3): 329-333, 2010. (29 refs.)

Based on theories and previous studies on problematic Internet use, we propose a model to better understand the contributors to and consequences of online gaming dependency. A preliminary study was conducted through a survey of online gamers in China. The results of path analysis found that maladaptive cognitions, shyness, and depression are positively related to online gaming dependency. Online gaming dependency was also positively related to different types of negative life outcomes. The findings of this study have implications for the prevention and treatment of addictive online gaming.

Rehbein F; Psych G; Kleimann M; Mediasci G; Mossle T. Prevalence and risk factors of video game dependency in adolescence: results of a German nationwide survey. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 13(3): 269-277, 2010. (26 refs.)

In this article, results of a German nationwide survey (KFN schools survey 2007/2008) are presented. The controlled sample of 44,610 male and female ninth-graders was carried out in 2007 and 2008 by the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony (KFN). According to a newly developed screening instrument (KFN-CSAS-II), which was presented to every third juvenile participant (N = 15,168), 3% of the male and 0.3% of the female students are diagnosed as dependent on video games. The data indicate a clear dividing line between extensive gaming and video game dependency (VGD) as a clinically relevant phenomenon. VGD is accompanied by increased levels of psychological and social stress in the form of lower school achievement, increased truancy, reduced sleep time, limited leisure activities, and increased thoughts of committing suicide. In addition, it becomes evident that personal risk factors are crucial for VGD. The findings indicate the necessity of additional research as well as the respective measures in the field of health care policies.

Sahin C. An analysis of internet addiction levels of individuals according to various variables. TOJET: Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 10(4): 60-66, 2011. (29 refs.)

The concept of internet addiction refers to the excessive use of internet which in turn causes various problems in individual, social and professional aspects. The aim of this study was to determine internet addiction levels of internet users from all age groups. The study used survey model. Study group of the study consisted of a total of 596 people from all age groups. "Personal Information Form" and "Internet Addiction Scale" were used for data collection. Arithmetic mean, standard deviation, independent sampling and t test, ANOVA and LSD tests were performed on collected data. The findings of the study revealed that the individuals had low levels of internet addiction both in sub-scales and in the general of the scale according to age groups. It was found that there was a significant difference between internet addiction scores of the individuals who belonged to the age group of 19 and below and 30 and below. There was a significant difference between the internet addiction scores of students and other professional groups. It was found that internet addiction levels of males were higher than those of females. The results of the study were discussed together with the results of different studies and suggestions were made.

Schimmenti A; Caretti V. Psychic retreats or psychic pits? Unbearable states of mind and technological addiction. Psychoanalytic Psychology 27(2): 115-132, 2010. (86 refs.)

New technologies are highly interactive. They promote imaginative involvement and allow the experience of different self-states, such as those involving withdrawal or "psychic retreat". According to Steiner, psychic retreats are areas of the mind populated by imagination and ideas which are poorly aligned with reality. Psychic retreats are not necessarily pathological in themselves - for instance, they can be used positively for counteracting anxiety or enhancing creativeness. However, with technological addiction there is a misuse of psychic retreat: here the total absorption with computer applications serves to hide painful or unbearable states of mind, and to protect the patient from overwhelming feelings through segregating self-states with a disconnection in their representations. Therefore, in clinical work with individuals suffering from technological addiction exploring the use of psychic retreats can serve as an aid to both diagnosis and treatment. Where the dysfunctional use of new technologies constitutes a temporary withdrawal from a specific painful event, this can have the function of protecting the individual from inner conflict; in the most serious cases however, technological addiction is grounded in more chronic and pathological dissociative mechanisms, and serves to prevent the mind from reactivating traumatic states connected to childhood experience of emotional neglect or abuse. While it is likely that the first condition can be positively handled with appropriate identification and treatment, the latter is much more difficult to deal with, particularly where the addictive behavior hides the weakness of the self, and psychic retreats are pervasively used to protect the patient from mental breakdown.

Senol-Durak E; Durak M. The mediator roles of life satisfaction and self-esteem between the affective components of psychological well-being and the cognitive symptoms of problematic internet use. Social Indicators Research 103(1): 23-32, 2011. (44 refs.)

The factors associated with cognitions about problematic Internet use have been empirically tested in various studies. The aim of the present study was to examine the mediator roles of both life satisfaction and self-esteem between affective components of subjective well-being and cognitions about problematic Internet use. For this purpose, the model that was conceptualized by Davis (Comput Human Behav 17:187-195, 2001), Caplan (Comput Human Behav 18:553-575 2002), and Lent et al. (J Vocat Behav 74:190-198 2009) was modified and used as the theoretical framework for this study. The impacts of life satisfaction and self-esteem on the association between affective components of psychological well-being (positive and negative) and cognitions about problematic Internet use were tested by using structural equation modeling (SEM) in a sample of 480 Turkish university students. The results reveal that by playing a mediator role, self-esteem impacted positive/negative affect and life satisfaction and, hence, indirectly influenced cognitions about problematic Internet use. Examining the roles of self-esteem and subjective well-being will provide a new starting point for further studies.

Stieger S; Burger C. Implicit and explicit self-esteem in the context of internet addiction. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 13(6): 681-688, 2010. (44 refs.)

Previous research has repeatedly found that people suffering from some clinical disorders (e.g., bulimia nervosa, depression) possess low explicit (i.e., conscious, deliberate) self-esteem while at the same time displaying high implicit (i.e., unconscious, automatic) self-esteem. This phenomenon has been termed damaged self-esteem and was proposed to be an indicator of psychological distress. Although Internet addiction has been found to be associated with low levels of explicit self-esteem, as well as with high levels of psychological distress, its relation to implicit self-esteem has, to our knowledge, not been investigated thus far. We therefore hypothesized that the phenomenon of damaged self-esteem could also be found amongst people suffering from Internet addiction, and conducted two studies using the Initial Preference Task as a measure of implicit self-esteem. As expected, we found that individuals scoring high on Internet addiction possess low explicit and high implicit self-esteem. This effect was, however, only found for the first name initial of the Initial Preference Task, leading to the conclusion that first and last name initials might tap into different parts of implicit self-esteem.

Sussman S; Lisha N; Griffiths M. Prevalence of the addictions: A problem of the majority or the minority? (review). Evaluation & the Health Professions 34(1): 3-56, 2011. (193 refs.)

An increasing number of research studies over the last three decades suggest that a wide range of substance and process addictions may serve similar functions. The current article considers 11 such potential addictions (tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, eating, gambling, Internet, love, sex, exercise, work, and shopping), their prevalence, and co-occurrence, based on a systematic review of the literature. Data from 83 studies each study n = at least 500 subjects) were presented and supplemented with small-scale data. Depending on which assumptions are made, overall 12-month prevalence of an addiction among U. S. adults varies from 15% to 61%. The authors assert that it is most plausible that 47% of the U. S. adult population suffers from maladaptive signs of an addictive disorder over a 12-month period and that it may be useful to think of addictions as due to problems of lifestyle as well as to person-level factors.

Tao R; Huang XQ; Wang JN; Zhang HM; Zhang Y; Li MC. Proposed diagnostic criteria for internet addiction. Addiction 105(3): 556-564, 2010. (24 refs.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop diagnostic criteria for internet addiction disorder (IAD) and to evaluate the validity of our proposed diagnostic criteria for discriminating non-dependent from dependent internet use in the general population. Methods: This study was conducted in three stages: the developmental stage (110 subjects in the survey group; 408 subjects in the training group), where items of the proposed diagnostic criteria were developed and tested; the validation stage (n = 405), where the proposed criteria were evaluated for criterion-related validity; and the clinical stage (n = 150), where the criteria and the global clinical impression of IAD were evaluated by more than one psychiatrist to determine inter-rater reliability. Results: The proposed internet addiction diagnostic criteria consisted of symptom criterion (seven clinical symptoms of IAD), clinically significant impairment criterion (functional and psychosocial impairments), course criterion (duration of addiction lasting at least 3 months, with at least 6 hours of non-essential internet usage per day) and exclusion criterion (exclusion of dependency attributed to psychotic disorders). A diagnostic score of 2 + 1, where the first two symptoms (preoccupation and withdrawal symptoms) and at least one of the five other symptoms (tolerance, lack of control, continued excessive use despite knowledge of negative effects/affects, loss of interests excluding internet, and use of the internet to escape or relieve a dysphoric mood) was established. Inter-rater reliability was 98%. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the proposed diagnostic criteria may be useful for the standardization of diagnostic criteria for IAD.

Thomas NJ; Martin FH. Video-arcade game, computer game and Internet activities of Australian students: Participation habits and prevalence of addiction. Australian Journal of Psychology 62(2): 59-66, 2010. (36 refs.)

The aim of the present study was to investigate participation habits and prevalence of addiction among Australian university and school students to video-arcade games, computer games, and the Internet. A sample of 1,326 (657 female) students from rural and urban Tasmanian schools (Grades 7-12) and 705 (509 female) university students took part in the study. Lifetime participation and the frequency and duration of time that students spent online were higher than that reported in previous research on youth. A lower percentage of students met the modified criteria for addiction to video-arcade games (4.2%), computer games (5%) and the Internet (4.6%) compared to previous studies, but the prevalence of social computer game users (55.2%) and Internet addiction (58.9%) was higher than that reported by past researchers.

Tsitsika A; Critselis E; Janikian M; Kormas G; Kafetzis DA. Association between internet gambling and problematic internet use among adolescents. Journal of Gambling Studies 27(3): 389-400, 2011. (46 refs.)

The study objectives were to evaluate the correlates and psychosocial implications of internet gambling among adolescents, as well as the association between internet gambling and problematic internet use. A cross-sectional study design was applied among a random sample (N = 484) of adolescents (71.2% boys; 28.8% girls; mean age +/- A standard deviation, SD = 14.88 +/- A 0.55 years). Self-completed questionnaires, including internet gambling practices, internet use characteristics, Young Internet Addiction Test, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were utilized. The prevalence of internet gambling was 15.1%. Internet gambling was associated with psychosocial maladjustment, including Abnormal Conduct Problems (gender adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 3.83; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI: 1.86-7.92) and Borderline Peer Problems (AOR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.09-3.85). The likelihood of concomitant problematic internet use was significantly higher among internet gamblers (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.03-3.19). Multivariate regression analyses indicated that among all characteristics of internet use assessed, utilizing the internet for the purposes of gambling practices was independently associated with problematic internet use among adolescents (AOR = 3.43; 95% CI: 1.40-8.39). Thus, the study findings suggest that adolescents who participate in internet gambling practices are more likely to concomitantly present with problematic internet use.

Turel O; Serenko A. Is mobile email addiction overlooked? Communications OF THE ACM 53(5): 41-43, 2010. (11 refs.)

Mobile email addiction is a form of non-substance addiction that involves excessive interaction with both a mobile technology (mobile device) and the content (electronic communication) under conditions of psychological dependency. It can be viewed as a special type of a broader Internet addiction, as the latter concept involves excessive email messaging (but also other behaviors such as excessive gaming and sexual preoccupation).2 The ubiquitous nature of mobile email technologies can facilitate and augment excessive email preoccupation, which is no longer restricted to one's office but rather could be done anytime and from anywhere. Among the symptoms identified include:compromising quality of life; annoyance if interupted later followed by a sense of shame; preference to using mobile devise rather than interacting with friends or family; neglect of family and home duties; serves as a "safe haven" to escape more mundane tasks. It is noted that there are two perspectives on the addictive nature of techonologies. In brief one is the "broad" view, that in many ways they can resemble substance addictions. The other is the "narrow" view that preoccupation with technology is present only in a narrow spectrum of behaviors, such as gambling, and that what is identified as technology addiction is a result of other mental disorders, such as impulse control. The results of a survey are presented suggesting mobile phone email is a more prevalent problem that has been recognized. Conclusion: Given the empirically demonstrated potential pervasiveness of mobile email addiction, and extrapolating from existing frameworks for preventing Internet abuse and overuse-it is suggested that organizations employing mobile email monitor the extent to which their employees utilize this technology for early detection of addiction, control the usage as necessary (limit usage hours), educate employees and managers about addiction risks when distributing mobile email devices, and develop appropriate policies for mitigating future legal risks.

Tutgun A; Deniz L; Moon MK. A comparative study of problematic internet use and loneliness among Turkish and Korean prospective teachers. TOJET: Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 10(4): 14-30, 2011. (52 refs.)

The main aim of this study is to compare the problematic internet use and its relation to loneliness among two nations' prospective teachers, Turkey and South Korea. Five hundred and ninety five prospective teachers from three universities, two from Turkey and one from South Korea participated in the study. Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 and UCLA Loneliness Scale were used to collect data. Some of the major findings are as follows: a) No differences were found between the problematic Internet use of Turkish and Korean prospective teachers; b) Male Turkish prospective teachers found to have more problematic use of internet than female counterparts on the other hand no differences were found among South Korean prospective teachers by means of sex; c) Positive but low correlations between problematic Internet use and loneliness levels of prospective teachers of both nations; d) There is a significant difference between Turkish and Korean prospective teachers. South Korean prospective teachers were found to be in higher levels of loneliness than Turkish counterparts.

van den Eijnden RJJM; Spijkerman R; Vermulst AA; van Rooij TJ; Engels RCME. Compulsive Internet use among adolescents: Bidirectional parent-child relationships. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 38(1): 77-89, 2010. (56 refs.)

Although parents experience growing concerns about their children's excessive internet use, little is known about the role parents can play to prevent their children from developing Compulsive Internet Use (CIU). The present study addresses associations between internet-specific parenting practices and CIU among adolescents, as well as the bidirectionality of these associations. Two studies were conducted: a cross-sectional study using a representative sample of 4,483 Dutch students and a longitudinal study using a self-selected sample of 510 Dutch adolescents. Results suggest that qualitatively good communication regarding internet use is a promising tool for parents to prevent their teenage children from developing CIU. Besides, parental reactions to excessive internet use and parental rules regarding the content of internet use may help prevent CIU. Strict rules about time of internet use, however, may promote compulsive tendencies. Finally, one opposite link was found whereby CIU predicted a decrease in frequency of parental communication regarding internet use.

Van Rooij AJ; Meerkerk GJ; Schoenmakers TM; Griffiths M; van de Mheen D. Video game addiction and social responsibility. (editorial). Addiction Research & Theory 18(5): 89-493, 2010. (37 refs.)

In recent years, several studies have demonstrated that at least a small group of gamers has trouble controlling their online video game playing. Excessive amounts of time spent on playing online video games can be severely disruptive to school, work, and "real life" social contacts. It seems that online games, especially multiplayer online role playing games, are more often associated with video game addiction. Drawing parallels to other industries - such as gambling - which are heavily regulated, the issue of social responsibility of the video game industry is explored. Presently, online video game publishers provide neither referral services nor customer care with regards to video game addiction. In our opinion, a dual approach is necessary. Firstly, consumers should be informed about potential addiction risks that can be attributed to playing online video games. Secondly, game publishers should implement proper referral services. Providing customer care and referral services might be in the best interest of the video game industry at this point, as it may very well prevent revenue restricting governmental intervention. Therefore, taking action on the issue of social responsibility will benefit both the customer - who will be informed and properly referred - and the game industry alike.

van Rooij AJ; Schoenmakers TM; van de Eijnden RJJM; van de Mheen D. Compulsive internet use: The role of online gaming and other internet applications. Journal of Adolescent Health 47(1): 51-57, 2010. (21 refs.)

Purpose: Increasing research on Internet addiction makes it necessary to distinguish between the medium of Internet and its specific applications. This study explores the relationship between time spent on various Internet applications (including online gaming) and Compulsive Internet Use in a large sample of adolescents. Methods: The 2007 (N = 4,920) and 2008 (N = 4,753) samples of a longitudinal survey study among adolescents were used, as well as the 2007-2008 cohort subsample (N = 1421). Compulsive Internet Use was predicted from the time spent on the various Internet applications in two cross-sectional multiple linear regression models and one longitudinal regression model in which changes in behavior were related to changes in Compulsive Internet Use. Results: In both samples, downloading, social networking, MSN use, Habbo Hotel, chatting, blogging, online games, and casual games were shown to be associated with Compulsive Internet Use. Off these, online gaming was shown to have the strongest association with Compulsive Internet Use. Moreover, changes in online gaming were most strongly associated with changes in Compulsive Internet Use over time for the longitudinal cohort. Conclusions: A clear relationship was shown between online gaming and Compulsive Internet Use. It is further argued that a subgroup of compulsive Internet users should be classified as compulsive online gamers.

Velezmoro R; Lacefield K; Roberti JW. Perceived stress, sensation seeking, and college students' abuse of the Internet. Computers In Human Behavior 26(6): 1526-1530, 2010. (61 refs.)

College students (n = 140) were examined to test whether sensation seeking and perceived stress would predict abuse of the Internet. Previous studies have found that disinhibition, boredom susceptibility, and total sensation seeking scores were related to Internet abuse (Chaney & Chang, 2005; Lin & Tsai, 2001). Because stress has been documented to have a negative effect on students (Pierceall & Keim, 2007), and may be linked to Internet use (Lavoie & Pychyl, 2001), it was tested as a possible predictor of Internet abuse. This study also analyzed abuse of the Internet for sexual purposes, because sexuality is prevalent online, and college students are in an age of sexual exploration. Results of stepwise regression analyses revealed that disinhibition and total perceived stress were predictive of Internet abuse for sexual purposes, and perceived hopelessness and boredom susceptibility were predictive of Internet abuse for non-sexual purposes. Implications for students and Internet abuse are discussed.

Villella C; Martinotti G; Di Nicola M; Cassano M; La Torre G; Gliubizzi MD et al. Behavioural addictions in adolescents and young adults: Results from a prevalence study. Journal of Gambling Studies 27(2): 203-214, 2011. (72 refs.)

Our study aims to assess the prevalence of behavioural addictions in an adolescent population, evaluating the effects of gender and age, and to assess the correlations among different behavioural addictions. 2853 high school students were assessed in order to evaluate the prevalence of behavioural addictions such as Pathological Gambling (PG), Compulsive Buying (CB), Exercise Addiction (EA), Internet Addiction (IA), and Work Addiction (WA), in a population of Italian adolescents. The South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised Adolescent (SOGS-RA), the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS), the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and the Work Addiction Risk Test (WART), were compiled anonymously by the students. Overall prevalence was 7.0% for PG, 11.3% for CB, 1.2% for IA, 7.6% for WA, 8.5% for EA. PG and EA were more common among boys, while gender had no effect on the other conditions. CB was more common among younger (< 18 years old) students. The scores of all of these scales were significantly correlated. The strong correlation among different addictive behaviours is in line with the hypothesis of a common psychopathological dimension underlying these phenomena. Further studies are needed to assess personality traits and other clinical disorders associated with these problems behaviours.

Wang H; Zhou XL; Lu CY; Wu J; Deng XQ; Hong LY. Problematic internet use in high school students in Guangdong Province, China. PLoS ONE 6(5): e19660, 2011. (37 refs.)

Background: Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is a growing problem in Chinese adolescents. There are many risk factors for PIU, which are found at school and at home. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of PIU and to investigate the potential risk factors for PIU among high school students in China. Methodology/Principal Findings: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 14,296 high school students were surveyed in four cities in Guangdong province. Problematic Internet Use was assessed by the 20-item Young Internet Addiction Test (YIAT). Information was also collected on demographics, family and school-related factors and Internet usage patterns. Of the 14,296 students, 12,446 were Internet users. Of those, 12.2% (1,515) were identified as problematic Internet users (PIUs). Generalized mixed-model regression revealed that there was no gender difference between PIUs and non-PIUs. High study-related stress, having social friends, poor relations with teachers and students and conflictive family relationships were risk factors for PIU. Students who spent more time on-line were more likely to develop PIU. The habits of and purposes for Internet usage were diverse, influencing the susceptibility to PIU. Conclusions/Significance: PIU is common among high school students, and risk factors are found at home and at school. Teachers and parents should pay close attention to these risk factors. Effective measures are needed to prevent the spread of this problem.

Weinstein AM. Computer and video game addiction: A comparison between game users and non-game users. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 36(5): 268-276, 2010. (58 refs.)

Background: Computer game addiction is excessive or compulsive use of computer and video games that may interfere with daily life. It is not clear whether video game playing meets diagnostic criteria for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Objectives: First objective is to review the literature on computer and video game addiction over the topics of diagnosis, phenomenology, epidemiology, and treatment. Second objective is to describe a brain imaging study measuring dopamine release during computer game playing. Methods: Article search of 15 published articles between 2000 and 2009 in Medline and PubMed on computer and video game addiction. Nine abstinent "ecstasy" users and 8 control subjects were scanned at baseline and after performing on a motorbike riding computer game while imaging dopamine release in vivo with [I-123] IBZM and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Results: Psycho-physiological mechanisms underlying computer game addiction are mainly stress coping mechanisms, emotional reactions, sensitization, and reward. Computer game playing may lead to long-term changes in the reward circuitry that resemble the effects of substance dependence. The brain imaging study showed that healthy control subjects had reduced dopamine D2 receptor occupancy of 10.5% in the caudate after playing a motorbike riding computer game compared with baseline levels of binding consistent with increased release and binding to its receptors. Ex-chronic "ecstasy" users showed no change in levels of dopamine D2 receptor occupancy after playing this game. Conclusion: This evidence supports the notion that psycho-stimulant users have decreased sensitivity to natural reward. Significance: Computer game addicts or gamblers may show reduced dopamine response to stimuli associated with their addiction presumably due to sensitization.

Weinstein A; Lejoyeux M. Internet addiction or excessive internet use. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 36(5): 277-283, 2010. (70 refs.)

Background: Problematic Internet addiction or excessive Internet use is characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges, or behaviors regarding computer use and Internet access that lead to impairment or distress. Currently, there is no recognition of internet addiction within the spectrum of addictive disorders and, therefore, no corresponding diagnosis. It has, however, been proposed for inclusion in the next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM). Objective: To review the literature on Internet addiction over the topics of diagnosis, phenomenology, epidemiology, and treatment. Methods: Review of published literature between 2000-2009 in Medline and PubMed using the term "internet addiction. Results: Surveys in the United States and Europe have indicated prevalence rate between 1.5% and 8.2%, although the diagnostic criteria and assessment questionnaires used for diagnosis vary between countries. Cross-sectional studies on samples of patients report high comorbidity of Internet addiction with psychiatric disorders, especially affective disorders (including depression), anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Several factors are predictive of problematic Internet use, including personality traits, parenting and familial factors, alcohol use, and social anxiety. Conclusions and Scientific Significance: Although Internet-addicted individuals have difficulty suppressing their excessive online behaviors in real life, little is known about the patho-physiological and cognitive mechanisms responsible for Internet addiction. Due to the lack of methodologically adequate research, it is currently impossible to recommend any evidence-based treatment of Internet addiction.

Widyanto L; Griffiths MD; Brunsden V. A psychometric comparison of the Internet Addiction Test, the Internet-Related Problem Scale, and self-diagnosis. Cyberpsychology Behavior, and Social Networking 14(3): 141-149, 2011. (26 refs.)

One of the more prominent issues in the field of Internet addiction is the validity of the instrument used to assess users' level of Internet involvement. Many of the instruments used to assess Internet addiction have high face validity but have yet to be tested psychometrically. The aim of this study is to compare two of the most used Internet addiction research measures, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Internet-Related Problem Scale (IRPS), along with a self-diagnostic question simply asking Internet users if they thought they were addicted to the Internet. A total of 225 Internet users participated in the study (69 males and 156 females). Participants who defined themselves as Internet addicts had higher scores on both the IAT and IRPS, and the three different Internet addiction measures were strongly correlated to each other. For the IAT, factor analysis generated three factors (emotional/psychological conflict; time management issues; mood modification) explaining 56.3% of the variance. For the IRPS, factor analysis generated four factors (negative effects of Internet use; mood modification; loss of control; increased Internet use) explaining 60.2% of the variance. The implications for these findings are discussed.

Wilson K; Fornasier S; White KM. Psychological predictors of young adults' use of social networking sites. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 13(2): 173-177, 2010. (29 refs.)

Young people are increasingly using social networking sites (SNSs) like MySpace and Facebook to engage with others. The use of SNSs can have both positive and negative effects on the individual; however, few studies identify the types of people who frequent these Internet sites. This study sought to predict young adults' use of SNSs and addictive tendency toward the use of SNSs from their personality characteristics and levels of self-esteem. University students (N = 201), aged 17 to 24 years, reported their use of SNSs and addictive tendencies for SNSs use and completed the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory(1) and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory.(2) Multiple regression analyses revealed that, as a group, the personality and self-esteem factors significantly predicted both level of SNS use and addictive tendency but did not explain a large amount of variance in either outcome measure. The findings indicated that extroverted and unconscientious individuals reported higher levels of both SNS use and addictive tendencies. Future research should attempt to identify which other psychosocial characteristics explain young people's level of use and propensity for addictive tendencies for these popular Internet sites.

Young K. Policies and procedures to manage employee Internet abuse. Computers In Human Behavior 26(6): 1467-1471, 2010. (21 refs.)

Industry analysts estimate that billions of dollars in lost revenue were attributed to employee Internet abuse. Trends also suggest that lost job productivity and corporate liability have emerged as new workplace concerns due to growth of new online technologies and mobile computing. Such employee Internet misuse creates new management dilemmas on how to respond to incidences of such misuse as well poses network security risks and drains on network bandwidth. Within an organization, it is imperative to ensure that employees are using computing resources effectively and appropriately. Utilizing the previous literature in the field, this paper proposed a revised framework to manage employee Internet abuse. The former model proposed did not account for new digital media and recommended screening applicants for Internet addiction, using more of a clinical test than a job performance test. This new model describes both prevention and intervention methods to address incidents of online misuse in the workplace and refocuses hiring decisions into post-employment training. It also examines the new hiring concerns with the new iGeneration of college graduates and it examines how organizations should best utilize acceptable Internet use policies with clear methods of Internet monitoring to enforce that workers are complying with company policies. This paper also talks about the potential benefits of rehabilitation approaches to manage employees who abuse instead of terminating them to decrease job turnover and improve job retention. Implications for current management practices are also discussed.