Internet Interpersonal Connection Mediates the Association between Personality and Internet Addiction

Yun-Hsuan Chang, Yun-Ting Lee and Shulan Hsieh
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Yun-Hsuan Chang: Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
Yun-Ting Lee: Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
Shulan Hsieh: Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-11

Abstract: Backgrounds: The development of the Internet has changed interpersonal interactions, so that people no longer need to physically meet each other. However, some people are more vulnerable to becoming addicted to Internet activities, something to which the ease of Internet access and usage has contributed. In this study, we examined the association between personality traits and feelings about online interpersonal interactions to predict Internet addiction. This was accomplished using an online advertisement that asked participants to complete the questionnaires in the laboratory. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-three participants with a mean age of 22.50 years were recruited for this study and asked to complete the following questionnaires: the Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), the Internet Usage Questionnaire (IUQ) and the Feelings of Internet Interpersonal Interaction Questionnaire (FIIIQ). Results: The results showed that people with a neurotic personality and anxious feelings about Internet interpersonal interactions are more likely to become addicted to the Internet. In addition, people with neuroticism and who are more anxious about Internet interpersonal relationships are more likely to develop Internet addiction. Conclusions: People who tend to develop new interpersonal relationships via the Internet and be anxious about online interpersonal relationships are more vulnerable to becoming addicted to the Internet. The individuals who are more anxious about Internet interpersonal interaction and tend to develop new interpersonal relationships via the Internet are more likely to develop Internet addiction.

Keywords: Internet addiction; Internet interpersonal interaction; neuroticism; personality; vulnerability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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