Problematic Internet Use and Perceived Quality of Life: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study Investigating Work-Time and Leisure-Time Internet Use

Lingling Gao, Yiqun Gan, Amanda Whittal and Sonia Lippke
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Lingling Gao: Department of Psychology & Methods, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
Yiqun Gan: School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Amanda Whittal: Department of Psychology & Methods, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
Sonia Lippke: Department of Psychology & Methods, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Avoiding the potential negative impact brought by problematic internet use is becoming more important. To better understand public health and addiction, this study investigated to what extent work-time and leisure-time internet use relate to problematic internet use and perceived quality of life among college students and highly educated adults. An online cross-sectional survey with 446 individuals was assessed in Germany. Linear regression analyses were used to predict problematic internet use. Ordinal regression analyses were applied to predict perceived quality of life. Results showed that leisure-time internet use, but not work-time internet use, was positively associated with problematic internet use. Participants whose work-time internet use could be considered balanced (5–28 h/week in this study) indicated a higher perceived quality of life compared to individuals with little or large amount of internet use for work. The findings still emerged when taking negative feelings, perceived stress, smoking status and alcohol consumption into account. As both work-time and leisure-time internet use can be risk factors for mental health in terms of problematic internet use and perceived quality of life, well-controlled internet use rather than excessive use is recommended. This should be kept in mind when dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath.

Keywords: internet addiction; work; leisure; stress; quality of life; smoking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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