Adolescent problematic internet use and parental mediation: A Bangladeshi structured interview study

• Published in: Addictive behaviors reports 2020-12, Vol.12, p.100288-100288, Article 100288
• Main Authors: Chandrima, Rubaiya Matin, Kircaburun, Kagan, Kabir, Humyon, Riaz, Baizid Khoorshid, Kuss, Daria J., Griffiths, Mark D., Mamun, Mohammed A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bangladeshi adolescence; Internet addiction; Internet use behaviors; Parental mediation; Problematic internet use; Research paper
• ISSN: 2352-8532; 2352-8532
• DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100288

•Adolescent problematic internet use (PIU) has less studied in Bangladesh.•This study reported 2.6% adolescents as internet dependence.•Academic results, both parents’ education and mothers’ work-status were associated with PIU.•Several internet use behaviors were also the PIU risk factors.•Parental mediation appeared to be protective factor against PIU. Internet-related problems such as excessive internet use, problematic internet use (PIU), and internet addiction, are becoming increasingly studied among Bangladeshi adult students, but there has been little research among adolescents. In Bangladesh, there has been no research examining the role of parental mediation in their children’s internet use. Therefore, the present structured interview study investigated Bangladeshi adolescent PIU and its associated socio-demographics, internet use behaviors, and the parental mediation role among 350 high school students residing in Dhaka. The results showed that 84 of adolescents (24.0%) were classified as having PIU (cut-off score of ≥ 50 on the Internet Addiction Test) and nine adolescents (2.6%) were classified as having a severe dependency on the internet (cut-off score of >80 on the Internet Addiction Test). According to hierarchical regression analysis, significant PIU correlates included lower academic results, both parents’ lower education, mother working outside the home, more than four days’ weekly internet use, more than two hours daily internet use, and active mediation. Additionally, internet use behaviors (i.e., internet use locations, devices, purposes, and applications) and parental internet mediation dimensions other than active mediation (i.e., restrictive mediation, active mediation internet safety, monitoring, and technical mediation) were significantly related to PIU in t-tests and correlation analysis respectively. However, they were non-significant in the hierarchical regression analysis when included into equation altogether. The present study’s findings will be helpful in developing country-level policymaking decisions and facilitating future research in the country.