Sex Differences in the Relationship between Student School Burnout and Problematic Internet Use among Adolescents

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2019-10, Vol.16 (21), p.4107
• Main Authors: Tomaszek, Katarzyna, Muchacka-Cymerman, Agnieszka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictions; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adult; Behavior, Addictive - psychology; Burnout; Burnout, Psychological - psychology; Cognitive ability; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Drug abuse; Emotions; Female; Health problems; Humans; Internet; Male; Mental health; Psychology, Adolescent; Resource conservation; Self esteem; Sex differences; Sex Factors; Smoking; Social environment; Students; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Withdrawal; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214107

The Internet has many positive sides, but it can also have a negative impact on human emotional-cognitive and behavioral functioning, especially during adolescence. To the most common consequences, the authors add addiction of the teenager to the Internet. This addiction is related to many negative physical and mental problems, including depression, substance abuse and social isolation. In the study, SSBS (Student School Burnout Scale) was used to measure the level of burnout, and the level of Internet addiction was measured using PUI (Internet Addiction Test). The research was carried out among 230 individuals aged 17-20 years. The results of the research showed that higher level of school burnout is related to higher Internet addiction indicators, and connection was stronger in the male group. Gender significantly predicted Internet addiction and moderated the link between school burnout and Internet addiction. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses confirmed different predictors of Internet addiction for male and female students. However, for both groups, higher burnout due to parents was a significant predictor of Internet addiction (IA). Internet addiction was predicted by school burnout, appearing as a result of parental pressure for high school achievements. In addition, school burnout and school-related characteristics have greater prediction power of Internet addiction and its indicators in a male group.