Even though the modern online technologies has positively impacted life areas in terms of social interaction, entertainment, cognitive skill development, etc., as largely demonstrated by several studies, the excessive use of these technologies may be particularly problematic to adolescents. Consequently, the interest of researchers has focused on those individual and/or social factors which could foster internet-related addictive behaviours. The current study aimed at analyzing how and to what extent identity formation could be a protective or a risk factor. A sample of 254 adolescents (M = 135, F= 119; Mage = 18.22, SD = 1.06) were recruited from Italian high schools. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire composed by: the socio-anagraphic section, the Revised Identity Styles Inventory (ISI-5), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Descriptive and causal analyses were applied to the data. Results showed high positive correlations between the diffuse-avoidant style and internet and social media addiction and between internet addiction and social media addiction. As the diffuse-avoidant style resulted as a risk factor in the development of maladaptive behaviours, educational contexts should deserve more attention on adolescents’ identity formation to prevent or at least reduce the abuse of online activities.
Identity Styles and Internet - Related Addictive Behaviors in Adolescents
Maria Sinatra
;Paolo Contini
;
2016-01-01
Abstract
Even though the modern online technologies has positively impacted life areas in terms of social interaction, entertainment, cognitive skill development, etc., as largely demonstrated by several studies, the excessive use of these technologies may be particularly problematic to adolescents. Consequently, the interest of researchers has focused on those individual and/or social factors which could foster internet-related addictive behaviours. The current study aimed at analyzing how and to what extent identity formation could be a protective or a risk factor. A sample of 254 adolescents (M = 135, F= 119; Mage = 18.22, SD = 1.06) were recruited from Italian high schools. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire composed by: the socio-anagraphic section, the Revised Identity Styles Inventory (ISI-5), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Descriptive and causal analyses were applied to the data. Results showed high positive correlations between the diffuse-avoidant style and internet and social media addiction and between internet addiction and social media addiction. As the diffuse-avoidant style resulted as a risk factor in the development of maladaptive behaviours, educational contexts should deserve more attention on adolescents’ identity formation to prevent or at least reduce the abuse of online activities.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
