Online communication, compulsive internet use, and psychosocial well-being among adolescents: A longitudinal study.

TLDR

The study examined how adolescents’ online communication relates to compulsive Internet use, depression, and loneliness. A 6‑month longitudinal survey of 663 12‑ to 15‑year‑old students used classroom‑administered questionnaires. Six months later, higher instant‑messenger and chat‑room use predicted greater compulsive Internet use and depression, while loneliness was inversely associated with instant‑messenger use.

Abstract

The present study investigated the relationships between adolescents' online communication and compulsive Internet use, depression, and loneliness. The study had a 2-wave longitudinal design with an interval of 6 months. The sample consisted of 663 students, 318 male and 345 female, ages 12 to 15 years. Questionnaires were administered in a classroom setting. The results showed that instant messenger use and chatting in chat rooms were positively related to compulsive Internet use 6 months later. Moreover, in agreement with the well-known HomeNet study (R. Kraut et al., 1998), instant messenger use was positively associated with depression 6 months later. Finally, loneliness was negatively related to instant messenger use 6 months later.