Abstract
It has been alleged by some academics that excessive Internet use can be pathological and addictive. This paper reviews what is known from the empirical literature on ‘Internet addiction’ and its derivatives (e.g., Internet Addiction Disorder, Pathological Internet Use, etc.) and assesses to what extent it exists. Empirical research into ‘Internet addiction’ can roughly be divided into five areas: (1) survey studies that compare excessive Internet users with non-excessive users, (2) survey studies that have examined vulnerable groups of excessive Internet use, most notably students, (3) studies that examine the psychometric properties of excessive Internet use, (4) case studies of excessive Internet users and treatment case studies, and (5) correlational studies examining the relationship of excessive Internet use with other behaviours (e.g., psychiatric problems, depression, self-esteem, etc.). Each of these areas is reviewed. It is concluded that if ‘Internet addiction’ does indeed exist, it affects a relatively small percentage of the online population. However, exactly what it is on the Internet that they are addicted to still remains unclear.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abramson, L. Y., Metalsky, G. I., & Alloy, L. B. (1989). Hopelessness depression: A theory-based subtype of depression. Psychological Review, 96, 358–372.
Anderson, K. J. (1998). Internet use among college students: An exploratory study. Available at: http://www.rpi.edu/~anderk4.research.html.
Armstrong, L., Phillips, J. G., & Saling, L. L. (2000). Potential determinants of heavier internet usage. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 53, 537–550.
Beard, K., & Wolf, E. (2001). Modification in the proposed diagnostic criteria for internet addiction. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 4, 377–383.
Black, D., Belsare, G., & Schlosser, S. (1999). Clinical features, psychiatric comorbidity, and health-related quality of life in persons reporting compulsive computer use behavior. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 60, 839–843.
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.
Caplan, S. E. (2002). Problematic internet use and psychosocial well-being: Development of a theory-based cognitive-behavioral measurement instrument. Computers in Human Behavior, 18, 553–575.
Caplan, S. E. (2003). Preference for online social interaction: A theory of problematic internet use and psychosocial well-being. Communication Research, 30, 625–648.
Catalano, G., Catalano, M., Embi, C., & Frankel, R. (1999). Delusions about the internet. Southern Medical Journal, 92, 609–610.
Chak, K., & Leung, L. (2004). Shyness and locus of control as predictors of internet addiction and internet use. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 7, 559–570.
Chin-Chung, T., & Sunny, L. (2003). Internet addiction of adolescents in Taiwan: An interview study. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 6, 649–652.
Chou, C. (2001). Internet heavy use and addiction among Taiwanese college students: An online interactive study. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 4, 573–585.
Davis, R. (2001). A cognitive-behavioral model of pathological internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 17, 187–195.
Egger, O., & Rauterberg, M. (1996). Internet behaviour and addiction. Zurich: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Available at: www.ifap.bepr.ethz.ch/~egger/ibq/res.html.
Glasser, W. (1976). Positive addictions. New York: Harper & Row.
Greenfield, D. N. (1999). Psychological characteristics of compulsive internet use: A preliminary analysis. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 2, 403–412.
Griffiths, M. D. (1995). Technological addictions. Clinical Psychology Forum, 76, 14–19.
Griffiths, M. D. (1996a). Internet addiction: An issue for clinical psychology? Clinical Psychology Forum, 97, 32–36.
Griffiths, M. D. (1996b). Behavioural addictions: An issue for everybody? Journal of Workplace Learning, 8(3), 19–25.
Griffiths M. (1998). Internet addiction: Does it really exist? In J. Gackenbach (Ed.), Psychology and the internet: Intrapersonal, interpersonal and transpersonal applications (pp. 61–75). New York: Academic Press.
Griffiths, M. D. (2000a) Internet addiction—Time to be taken seriously? Addiction Research, 8, 413–418.
Griffiths, M. D. (2000b) Does internet and computer “addiction” exist? Some case study evidence. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 3, 211–218.
Griffiths, M. D. (2000c). Excessive internet use: Implications for sexual behavior. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 3, 537–552.
Griffiths, M. D. (2001). Sex on the internet: Observations and implications for sex addiction. Journal of Sex Research, 38, 333–342.
Griffiths, M. D. (2003). Internet abuse in the workplace—Issues and concerns for employers and employment counselors. Journal of Employment Counseling, 40, 87–96.
Hall, A. S., & Parsons, J. (2001). Internet addiction: College student case study using best practices in cognitive behavior therapy. Journal of Mental Health Counselling, 23, 312–327.
Jackson, L. A., Von Eye, A., Biocca, F. A., Barbatsis, G., Fitzgerald, H. E., & Zhao, Y. (2003). Personality, cognitive style, demographic characteristics and internet use—Findings from the HomeNetToo project. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 62, 79–90.
Kaltiala-Heino, R., Lintonen, T., & Rimpela, A. (2004). Internet addiction? Potentially problematic use of the internet in a population of 12–18 year-old adolescents. Addiction Research and Theory, 12, 89–96.
Kennedy-Souza, B. (1998). Internet addiction disorder. Interpersonal Computing and Technology: An Electronic Journal for the 21st Century, 6(1–2). Available at: http://www.emoderators.com/ipct-j/1998/n1-2/kennedy-souza.html.
Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Landmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukophadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well being? American Psychologist, 53, 1017–1031.
Kraut, R., Kiesler, S., Boneva, B., Cummings, J., Helgeson, V., & Crawford, A. (2002). Internet paradox revisited. Journal of Social Issues, 58, 49–74.
Kubey, R. W., Lavin, M. J., & Barrows, J. R. (2001). Internet use and collegiate academic performance decrements: Early findings. Journal of Communication, 51, 366–382.
Lavin, M., Marvin, K., McLarney, A., Nola, V., & Scott, L. (1999). Sensation seeking and collegiate vulnerability to internet dependence. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 2, 425–430.
Leon, D., & Rotunda, R. (2000). Contrasting case studies of frequent internet use: Is it pathological or adaptive? Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 14, 9–17.
Marks, I. (1990). Non-chemical (behaviourial) addictions. British Journal of Addiction, 85, 1389–1394.
Mathy, R., & Cooper, A. (2003). The duration and frequency of internet use in a nonclinical sample: Suicidality, behavioural problems, and treatment histories. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 40, 125–135.
Mitchell, P. (2000). Internet addiction: Genuine diagnosis or not? The Lancet, 355, 632–633.
Moore, D. (1995). The Emporor's virtual clothes: The naked truth about the internet culture. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Alogonquin.
Morahan-Martin, J., & Schumacher, P. (2000). Incidents and correlates of pathological internet use among college students. Computers in Human Behavior, 16, 13–29.
Nalwa, K., & Anand, A. P. (2003). Internet addiction in students: A cause of concern. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 6, 653–656.
Orzack, H., & Orzack, D. (1999). Treatment of computer addicts with complex co-morbid psychiatric disorders. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 2, 465–473.
Petrie, H., & Gunn, D. (1998, December). Internet “addiction”: The effects of sex, age, depression and introversion. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society London Conference, London.
Pratarelli, M., Browne, B., & Johnson, K. (1999). The bits and bytes of computer/internet addiction: A factor analytic approach. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments and Computers, 31, 305–314.
Rotunda, R. J., Kass, S. J., Sutton, M. A., & Leon, D. T. (2003). Internet use and misuse: Preliminary findings from a new assessment instrument. Behavior Modification, 27, 484–504.
Scherer, K. (1997). College life on-line: Healthy and unhealthy internet use. Journal of College Student Development, 38, 655–665.
Shaffer, H., Hall, M., & Vander Bilt, J. (2000). “Computer addiction”: A critical consideration. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 70, 162–168.
Shapira, N., Goldsmith, T., Keck, P. Jr., Khosla, D., & McElroy, S. (2000). Psychiatric features of individuals with problematic internet use. Journal of Affective Disorders, 57, 267–272.
Shapira, N., Lessig, M., Goldsmith, T., Szabo, S., Lazoritz, M., Gold, M., & Stein, D. (2003). Problematic internet use: Proposed classification and diagnostic criteria. Depression and Anxiety, 17, 207–216.
Tsai, C-C., & Lin, S. S. J. (2001). Internet addiction of adolescents in Taiwan: An interview study. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 4, 649–652.
Treuer, T., Fabian, Z., & Furedi, J. (2001). Internet addiction associated with features of impulse control disorder: Is it a real psychiatric disorder? Journal of Affective Disorders, 66, 283.
Wästlund, E., Norlander, T., & Archer, T. (2001). Internet blues revisited: Replication and extension for an internet paradox study. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 4, 385–391.
Widyanto, L., & McMurran, M. (2004). The psychometric properties of the internet addiction test. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 7, 443–450.
Yoo, H. J., Cho, S. C., Ha, J., Yune, S. K., Kim, S. J., Hwang, J., Chung, A., Sung, Y. H., & Lyoo, I. K. (2004). Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and internet addiction. Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, 58, 487–494.
Young, K. (1996a). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 3, 237–244.
Young, K. (1996b). Psychology of computer use: XL. Addictive use of the internet: A case that breaks the stereotype. Psychological Reports, 79, 899–902.
Young, K., & Rodgers, R. (1998, August). Internet addiction: Personality traits associated with its development. Paper presented at the 69th annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association.
Young, K. (1999a). The research and controversy surrounding internet addiction. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 2, 381–383.
Young, K. (1999b). Internet addiction: Symptoms, evaluation and treatment. In L. VandeCreek & T. Jackson (Eds.), Innovations in clinical practice: A source book, 17 (pp. 19–31). Sarasota, Florida: Professional Resource Press.
Young, K., Pistner, M., O'Mara, J., & Buchanan, J. (1999) Cyber disorders: The mental health concern for the new millennium. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 2, 475–479.
Yu, Z. F., & Zhao, Z. (2004). A report on treating internet addiction disorder with cognitive behavior therapy. International Journal of Psychology, 39, 407.
Xuanhui, L., & Gonggu, Y. (2001). Internet addiction disorder, online behavior and personality. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 15, 281–283.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Widyanto, L., Griffiths, M. ‘Internet Addiction’: A Critical Review. Int J Ment Health Addiction 4, 31–51 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-006-9009-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-006-9009-9