Internet Addiction of Adolescents in Taiwan: An Interview Study

TLDR

The study builds on prior research to examine Internet addiction among Taiwanese adolescents. Its goal is to underscore the need for psychologists and educators to address this issue and to develop practical solutions. The authors conducted in‑depth interviews with 10 adolescents identified through questionnaire analysis. Interviews revealed that nearly all participants exhibited typical addiction symptoms, relied on online content for information, were addicted to specific messages rather than the medium itself, used the internet to alleviate depression, and acknowledged their addiction yet lacked strategies to manage it.

Abstract

This study presented a follow-up investigation of a series of studies about Taiwanese adolescents' Internet addiction. Through analyzing a series of questionnaires, 10 Taiwanese adolescents with Internet addiction were selected for in-depth interviews. Adolescents' interview data revealed the following: First, almost all of the interviewed adolescents exhibited most of the symptoms of Internet addiction as identified by previous studies, including compulsive use and withdrawal, tolerance, and related problems of school, health, family, finance, and time management. Moreover, almost all of the interviewed adolescents stated that messages on the Internet became the primary source of their information and knowledge. Many of them were addicted to the messages and activity on the Internet, but not by the Internet as a medium per se. Also, the world of the Internet seemed to become a place to relieve adolescents' depression. Most of the interviewed adolescents self-declared that they were Internet addicts, but none of them could clearly state what to do with such an addiction. Psychologists and educators should pay more attention to this and then propose possible solutions for adolescents.