Risks in Adolescent Adjustment by Internet Exposure: Evidence From PISA

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Education
• Sociology

Background:

• Adolescent internet use presents new risks affecting academic, social, and emotional adjustment.
• Understanding the multifaceted nature of internet abuse and problematic use is essential for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationships between internet use (abuse and problematic use) and adolescent adjustment.
• To examine the impact of internet use on academic performance, school climate, and emotional well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey.
• Employed structural equation modeling to analyze relationships between internet usage variables and adjustment constructs.
• Independent variables included time spent online (weekday/weekend) and perceptions of forgetting time/discomfort without internet.

Main Results:

• Identified significant relationships between specific internet usage patterns and academic, social, and emotional adjustment domains.
• Observed variables demonstrated varying responses to latent constructs related to internet use.
• Established interrelationships among the studied constructs, highlighting the complexity of problematic internet use.

Conclusions:

• Emphasizes the need for educating young people on healthy and beneficial internet use.
• Recommends professionals develop effective measures to prevent psychological consequences of technology abuse.
• Problematic internet use is complex and requires consideration of multiple factors for comprehensive understanding.