Internet Addiction Trends Among High School Seniors
Abstract: This research studies the trend of Internet addiction in seniors at the Bolivarian High School “Juan Lovera” during the 2009-2010 school year. This issue is highlighted by providing theoretical knowledge about the object investigated, solving practical problems to benefit the educational community, and making methodological contributions to other research, generating new knowledge. Variables are set to focus on the situation arising, corresponding to psychological and sociological fields, revolving around Internet addiction, its causes, consequences, and symptoms, highlighting the positive and negative influence of Internet use on people. The methodology was based on a “field” type investigation and an “experimental” design. Data collection techniques used were surveys and a battery of tests, with a questionnaire as the instrument. In the study population for the 4th year, the sample sections comprising it, most students were in proportions of 51% positive for Internet addiction disorder and 35% with a slight internet addiction, making it possible to conclude and relate to specific recommendations.
Specific Objectives
- Research what Internet addiction is.
- Determine the causes and consequences of Internet addiction.
- Investigate the positive and negative influence of Internet use on people.
- Analyze the symptoms of Internet addiction.
Variables
Age, place of connection, connection time, hours per day, weekly frequency of use, use, addiction.
Extraneous Variables
Personal characteristics, motivation, social desirability, environment, geographical location, methodology.
Preparatory Stage
Search studies on the subject, explored theoretically. the universe of the institution to the sample. Authorization and support, scrambling control extraneous variables constant conditions including inter alia: the same room discrimination in the selection of participants as to the characteristics needed (age, sex and educational level), instructions to participants, they steps and order, and constant neutral experimenter to all participants and same device to manage and to register.
Assessment Stage
Explain the instructions, made the application to different, how valuable your help. This research is a “not experimental” or “descriptive field study” and a design “not experimental” Transactional or transverse type; the data collection techniques used were surveys and the test battery, the instrument is a questionnaire , all of recognized accuracy at the time of application and correction.
Key Findings
- 48% are fifteen (16) years old.
- 51% connect to the Internet at home.
- 67% prefer to connect to the Internet in the afternoon.
- 46% use the Internet daily for 1 to 2 hours.
- 18% connect to the Internet 7 days a week.
- 46% use the Internet for posting and chats.
- 51% tested positive for Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD).
- 35% showed a slight internet addiction.