Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Internet addiction: stability and change

  • Published:
European Journal of Psychology of Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

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.

Resume

La présente étude longitudinale a abordé les cinq indices de stabilité et de changement en matière de cyberdépendance: la stabilité structurelle, la stabilité moyenne, la stabilité différentielle, la stabilité individuelle et la stabilité ipsative. L’étude de cas a concerné 351 étudiants de premier cycle universitaire. Des études convergentes ont révélé que la stabilité primait sur le changement en matière de cyberdépendance. Auparavant, les facteurs de stabilité individuelle, d’équilibre psychologique et de dispersion n’étaient pas associés à l’image de soi dans le cadre universitaire. Cette dernière n’ayant pas permis de déterminer la moindre corrélation avec les stabilités individuelle et ipsative, les recherches à venir devraient évaluer les conséquences de la solitude et de la dépression sur la stabilité individuelle, l’équilibre psychologique et la dispersion concernant la cyberdépendance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Samarrai, N., Michael, W. B., & Hocevar, D. (1993). The development and validation of an Arabic version of an academic self-concept scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 53, 249–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amichai-Hamburger, A., & Ben-Artzi, E. (2003). Loneliness and Internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 19, 71–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amiel, T., & Sargent, S. L. (2004). Individual differences in Internet usage motives. Computers in Human Behavior, 20, 711–726.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong, L., Philips, J. G., & Saling, L. (2000). Potential determinants of heavier Internet usage. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 53, 537–550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bagozzi, R. P., & Heatherton, T. F. (1994). A general approach to representing multifaceted personality constructs: Application to state self-esteem. Structural Equation Modeling, 1, 35–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beard, K. W. (2005). Internet addiction: A review of current assessment techniques and potential assessment questions. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 8, 7–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bollen, B. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, V. (1997). Psychology of computer use: XLVII. Parameters of Internet use, abuse and addiction: The first 90 days of the Internet usage survey. Psychological Reports, 80, 879–882.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, B. M., & Bazana, P. G. (1996). Investigating the measurement of social and academic competencies for early/late preadolescents and adolescents: A multitrait–multimethod analysis. Applied Measurement in Education, 9, 113–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, B. M., & Goffin, R. O. (1993). Modeling MTMM data from additive and multiplicative covariance structure: An audit of construct validity concordance. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 28, 67–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caplan, S. E. (2003). Preference for online social interaction: A theory of problematic Internet use and psychological well-being. Communication Research, 30, 625–648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caracosta, R., & Michael, W. B. (1986). The construct and concurrent validity of a measure of academic self-concept and one of locus of control for a sample of university students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 46, 735–744.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y., & Persson, A. (2002). Internet use among young and older adults: Relation to psychological well-being. Educational Gerontology, 28, 731–744.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, S.-H., Weng, L.-J., Su, Y.-J., Wu, H.-M., & Yang, P.-F. (2003). Development of a Chinese Internet addiction scale and its psychometric study. Chinese Journal of Psychology, 45, 279–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, L., & Mendoza, J. L. (1986). A method of assessing change in a single subject: An alteration of the RC index. Behavior Therapy, 17, 305–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R. A. (2001). A cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 17, 187–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fryer, J. W., & Elliot, A. J. (2007). Stability and change in achievement goals. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99, 700–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Funk, J. B., & Buchman, D. D. (1996). Playing violent video and computer games and adolescent self-concept. Journal of Communication, 46, 19–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gribbons, B. C., Tobey, P. E., & Michael, W. B. (1995). Internal-consistency reliability and construct and criterion-related validity of an academic self-concept scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 55, 858–867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. (1996). Behavioral addiction: An issue for everybody? Employee Counseling Today, 8, 19–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halote, B., & Michael, W. B. (1984). The construct and concurrent validity of two college-level academic self-concept scales for a sample of primarily community college students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 44, 993–1007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, N. S., & Truax, P. (1991). Clinical significance: A statistical approach to defining meaningful change in psychotherapy research. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 12–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (1993). LISREL 8: A guide to the program and applications. Mooresville: Scientific Software.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53, 1017–1031.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W. (1994). Confirmatory factor analysis models of factorial invariance: A multifaceted approach. Structural Equation Modeling, 1, 5–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meredith, W. (1993). Measurement invariance, factor analysis and factorial invariance. Psychometrika, 58, 525–543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michael, W. B., & Smith, R. A. (1976). The development and preliminary validation of three forms of a self-concept measure emphasizing school-related factors. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 38, 527–535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michael, W. B., Smith, R. A., & Michael, J. J. (1989). Dimensions of self-concept (DOSC): A technical manual (rev. ed.). San Diego: EdITS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morahan-Martin, J., & Schumacher, P. (2003). Loneliness and social uses of the Internet. Computers in Human Behavior, 19, 659–671.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morahan-Martin, J. M., & Schumacher, P. (2000). Incidence and correlates of pathological Internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 16, 13–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mortimer, J. T., Finch, M. D., & Kumka, D. (1982). Persistence and change in development: The multidimensional self-concept. Life-Span Development and Behavior, 4, 263–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichols, L. A., & Nicki, R. (2004). Development of a psychometrically sound Internet addiction scale. A preliminary step. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18, 381–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niemz, K., Griffiths, M., & Banyard, P. (2005). Prevalence of pathological Internet use among university students and correlations with self-esteem, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and disinhibition. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 6, 562–570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, B. W., Caspi, A., & Moffitt, T. E. (2001). The kids are alright: Growth and stability in personality development from adolescence to adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 670–683.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, C. E., Field, T. M., Diego, M., & Kaplan, M. (2000). The relationship of Internet use to depression and social isolation among adolescents. Adolescence, 35, 237–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, L. H., & Gant, L. M. (2002). In defense of the Internet: the relationship between Internet communication and depression, loneliness, self-esteem, and perceived social support. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 5, 167–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trzesniewski, K. H., Donnellan, M. B., & Robins, R. W. (2003). Stability of self-esteem across the life span. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 205–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villar, I. A., Michael, W. B., & Gribbons, B. (1995a). Further evidence of the construct validity and reliability of Portuguese version of an academic self-concept scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 55, 1032–1038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villar, I. A., Michael, W. B., & Gribbons, B. (1995b). The development and construct validation of a Portuguese version of an academic self-concept scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 55, 115–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, H., McConnell, E., Clipp, E., Bynum, L., Teague, C., Navas, L., et al. (1999). Surfing the net in later life: A review of the literature and pilot study of computer use and quality of life. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 18, 358–378.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Widyanto, L., & McMurran, M. (2004). The psychometric properties of the Internet addiction test. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 7, 443–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, K. (2000). Computer-mediated social support, older adults, and coping. Journal of Communication, 50(3), 100–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, K. S. (2004). The Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. American Behavioral Scientist, 48, 402–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, K. S., & Rogers, R. C. (1998). Internet addiction: Personality traits associated with its development. Retrieved from http://www.netaddiction.com/articles/personality_correlates.htm.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China, Taiwan for financially supporting this research under contract no. NSC 94-2413-H-018-003.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan

    Chiungjung Huang

Authors
  1. Chiungjung Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chiungjung Huang.

Additional information

Chiungjung Huang. Graduate Institute of Education, National Changhua University of Education, 1 Jinde Road, Changhua, Taiwan, 500. E-mail: cjhuang@cc.ncue.edu.tw; Web site: edugrad.ncue.edu.tw

Current themes of research:

Meta-analysis. Internet addiction.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Huang, C. (accepted). Internet use and psychological well-being: A meta-analysis. Accepted by CyberPsychology and Behavior.

Huang, C. (2008). A brief exploration of the development of Internet use for communication among undergraduate students. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 11, 105–107.

Huang, C. (2009). Magnitude of task-sampling variability in performance assessment: A meta-analysis. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 69, 87–912.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Huang, C. Internet addiction: stability and change. Eur J Psychol Educ 25, 345–361 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0022-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0022-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation