Screen addicts: A meta-analysis of internet addiction in adolescence

Lozano-Blasco, Raquel (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Latorre-Martínez, MªPilar (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Cortés-Pascual, Alejandra (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Currently, the incidence of Internet addiction is growing among teenagers. However, most review studies do not differentiate between the adolescent and young adult population. The sample of this meta-analysis consists of 20 studies (K = 28) comprised of 21 878 adolescents whose mean age was 15.13 years. Regarding the methodology, the protocol of registration of the research of the Cochrane systematic review manuals in Higgins and Green (2011) and PRISMA (2015) was followed. The results show a high heterogeneity. Thus, the Random Effects Model has been necessary followed. The effect size of the Internet addiction is Z = 16.04; p = 0.000 with a 95% confidence interval (3.164 – 4.045). In other words, the population does not suffer from severe Internet addiction, although the incidence is still alarming. Moderator variables, such as age, explained 24% of variance; instrument explained 31% of variance, in particular CIAS (Z = 1.75; p = 0.07) and IGD-20 (Z = 4.53; p = 0.00); and finally culture explained 47%, and more concretely, the international sample (Z = -1.71; p = 0.00). Thus, Internet addiction is inversely proportional to age and is influenced by the geographical area in which one resides. On the other hand, it should be noted that there is no agreement on the diagnosis of Internet addiction or on the instruments used to measure it. It is necessary to build an explanatory and intervention model for this pathology based on an international framework. The absence of clear criteria has generated multiple psychometric instruments around which there is no solid consensus. Finally, a complex etiology is presented in which educational, socio-familial, cultural and individual variables are involved.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106373

Año: 2022

Publicado en: Children and Youth Services Review 135 (2022), 106373 [11 pp]
ISSN: 0190-7409

Factor impacto JCR: 3.3 (2022)

Categ. JCR: SOCIAL WORK rank: 4 / 44 = 0.091 (2022) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: FAMILY STUDIES rank: 10 / 46 = 0.217 (2022) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 5.0 - Psychology (Q1) - Social Sciences (Q1)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.974 - Education (Q1) - Sociology and Political Science (Q1) - Social Work (Q1) - Developmental and Educational Psychology (Q2)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/S57-20R

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Organización de Empresas (Dpto. Direcc.Organiza.Empresas)
Área (Departamento): Área Psicolog.Evolut.Educac (Dpto. Psicología y Sociología)
Área (Departamento): Área Métod.Invest.Diag.Educac. (Dpto. Ciencias de la Educación)