Abstract:

The purpose of the study was to examine to what extend some psychosocial variables such as loneliness, perceived social support, life satisfaction, romantic relationship status; academic achievement, and sex predict internet addiction among adolescents. Study participants were 700 (333 girls, 367 boys) high school students, from grades 9 to 12 Participants completed an assesment battery consisting of five instruments: (1) the Internet Addiction Test, (2) the UCLA Loneliness Scale, (3) the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, (4) the Satisfaction with Life Scale and (5) an information sheet. Results showed significant positive correlations between internet addiction and loneliness. No significant correlations were observed between internet addiction and two subscales of perceived social support (friend subscale, significant other subscale). However, family subscale of the social support was significanlty correlated with internet addiction. At the same time, gender, academic achievement, loneliness and perceived social support from family were found to have predictive value on internet addiction of adolescents. These variables explained 7% of the total variance for internet addiction among adolescents. Based on these findings, it could be concluded that further studies that include other predictors of the internet addiction are needed.

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