Mental health problems, ways of coping and internet addiction among adolescents

Abstract

Due to advancement and availability of technology, an excessive usage of internet among adolescents has been noticed which has become the major concern and challenge not only in India but across the nations. As a result of indiscriminate use of internet, Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) has been included in the latest medical and psychological literature. Recent researches have shown the adverse effects of internet addiction on mental health and coping strategies among adolescents which in turn affects their academic, personal and social life (Busari, 2016; Dutta, 2016; Michelle & Einar, 2017). Hence, the aim of the present study was to see the extent and intensity of internet addiction and its relation with the mental health and ways of coping among the adolescent students. The sample of the study was 346 students from 9th-12th grade from private schools of Delhi NCR. The tools included were Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WAYS). The data is analysed by using correlation and ‘t’ test. Findings suggest only 35.83% of adolescents are showing normal internet usage and remaining 64.17% adolescents falls under mild to moderate level of internet addiction which is a cause for concern.  Good mental health is correlated with low level of internet addiction whereas maladaptive ways of coping shows high level of internet addiction. The findings have implications for designing interventions to improve the mental health and adaptive ways of coping among adolescent students.