Study of 900 Adults Links Problematic Internet Use to Stress, Worse Mood and Stronger Temptation
Updated
Updated · KHQ Right Now · Jul 30
Study of 900 Adults Links Problematic Internet Use to Stress, Worse Mood and Stronger Temptation
3 articles · Updated · KHQ Right Now · Jul 30
Summary
A 14-day study of 900 German adults found problematic internet users reported higher stress, worse mood, longer online sessions and greater neglect of other activities than nonproblematic users.
Temptation to go online emerged as the main driver of continued use, outweighing stress or mood alone in predicting whether people engaged in gaming, social media, shopping or pornography use.
Researchers said pleasure and relief reinforced that behavior, suggesting people may turn to the internet to cope with bad moods or stress and then fall into self-sustaining cycles.
The findings, published in PLOS One, support existing models of problematic internet use and point to prevention efforts focused on recognizing and managing moments of temptation.