Assess the Internet Dependency and Associated Psychological and Physical Problems Among Students

Abstract

Introduction: The internet has become one of the most important and useful technological tools available worldwide, which has both positive and negative impacts on today’s modern society. It has become essential to our daily life, especially among youth and adolescents. Adolescents are the primary users of new technologies, and their primary purpose is social interaction. Although new technologies are useful to teenagers in addressing their developmental tasks, recent studies have shown that they may be an obstacle to their growth. However, excessive use of the internet by adolescents causes multifaceted harm to the person, including mental and physical health.

Aim of the Study: This study aimed to assess the internet dependency and associated psychological & physical problems among collegiate students.

Materials and Methods: A quantitative research approach with a descriptive research design was adopted to assess internet dependency and its associated psychological and physical problems among engineering students. The study was conducted among 100 first-year engineering students from selected engineering colleges in Surat. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Students aged 17–20 years who owned and actively used a smartphone or smartwatch were included in the study. Students who were employed at the time of data collection were excluded. Prior to data collection, ethical approval and administrative permission were obtained from the concerned authorities. The purpose of the study was explained to all participants, and written informed consent was obtained. Confidentiality, anonymity, and voluntary participation were ensured throughout the study. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and standardized rating scales. The semi-structured questionnaire included demographic information and items related to internet dependency, such as the number of installed applications, daily phone usage, time spent on educational and social media applications, and phone use during classes. Psychological and physical problems were assessed using separate rating scales consisting of 10 items each. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Frequency and percentage were used to describe the demographic characteristics and study variables. Chi-square tests were applied to determine the association between selected demographic variables and internet dependency, psychological problems, and physical problems. Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient test was used to examine the relationship between internet dependency, psychological problems, and physical problems.

Results: The study included 100 engineering students aged 17–20 years. Most participants were male, belonged to urban areas, and lived in nuclear families. WhatsApp, Instagram, Google Classroom, and YouTube were the most frequently used applications. The majority of students used 1–4 educational and social media applications for 1–4 hours daily, and many reported thinking about their phones during classes. Most participants experienced mild psychological (49%) and mild physical (47%) problems. Statistical analysis revealed no significant association between internet dependency and selected demographic variables. Furthermore, no significant relationship was found between internet dependency and psychological or physical problems. However, a weak positive relationship was observed between psychological and physical problems among the participants.

Conclusion: The study concludes that there was no significant association between internet dependency and selected demographic variables. Moreover, there was no relationship between internet dependency and psychological or physical problems. Additionally, there was no relationship between psychological problems and physical problems.