Multi-dimensional discriminative factors for Internet addiction among adolescents regarding gender and age

Abstract

Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the discriminative effects of sociodemographic, individual, family, peers, and school life factors on Internet addiction in Taiwanese adolescents. Methods: A total of 8941 adolescents were recruited and completed the questionnaires. Multi-dimensional discriminative factors for Internet addiction were examined using chi-squared automatic interaction detection for gender and sex. Results: Depression and low family monitoring were the discriminative factors for Internet addiction in all four gender- and age-specified groups of adolescents. Low connectedness to school, high family conflict, having friends with habitual alcohol drinking, and living in rural areas also had discriminative effects on adolescent Internet addiction in adolescents of different gender and age. Conclusions: Multi-dimensional factors were able to discriminate between those adolescents with and without Internet addiction. It is suggested that parents and health and educational professionals monitor the Internet-using behaviors of adolescents who have the factors discriminating for Internet addiction identified in the present study.