Prevalence of Pathological Internet Use among University Students and Correlations with Self-Esteem, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and Disinhibition

TLDR

Interest in the Internet’s addictive potential has grown, yet methodological shortcomings limit the field’s conclusions. The study aimed to replicate prior findings and strengthen evidence for Internet addiction among vulnerable university students. 371 British students completed a questionnaire comprising the Pathological Internet Use scale, GHQ‑12, a self‑esteem scale, and two disinhibition measures. Eighteen point three percent of participants were classified as pathological Internet users, who reported academic, social, and interpersonal problems, lower self‑esteem, and greater social disinhibition, though their GHQ scores did not differ significantly.

Abstract

Over the last few years, there has been increased interest in the addictive potential of the Internet. The current study was an attempt to replicate common findings in the literature and provide more evidence for the existence of Internet addiction among students—a population considered to be especially vulnerable. A total of 371 British students responded to the questionnaire, which included the Pathological Internet Use (PIU) scale, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), a self-esteem scale, and two measures of disinhibition. Results showed that 18.3% of the sample were considered to be pathological Internet users, whose excessive use of the Internet was causing academic, social, and interpersonal problems. Other results showed that pathological Internet users had lower self-esteem and were more socially disinhibited. However, there was no significant difference in GHQ scores. These results are discussed in relation to the methodological shortcomings of research in the area as a whole.