Internet addiction in Hong Kong adolescents: a three-year longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE

The present study investigated the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of Internet addiction in Hong Kong adolescents using a longitudinal design.

DESIGN

Three waves of data were collected over 3 years from students in 28 secondary schools in Hong Kong (Wave 1: 3,325 students, age = 12.59 ± 0.74 y; Wave 2: 3,638 students, age = 13.64 ± 0.75 y; Wave 3: 4,106 students, age = 14.65 ± 0.80 y).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Young's 10-item Internet Addiction Test, Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale, and Chinese Family Assessment Instrument were used.

RESULTS

At Wave 3, 22.5% of the participants met the criterion of Internet addiction, which was lower than those observed at Wave 1 (26.4%) and Wave 2 (26.7%). Using different measures at Wave 1 to predict Internet addiction at Wave 3, it was found that male students showed more problematic Internet use behavior than did female students; good family functioning predicted lower probability of having Internet addiction; positive youth development indicators negatively predicted Internet addictive behaviors over time.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that strengthening family functioning and promoting positive youth development could be a direction for preventing Internet addiction in Hong Kong adolescents.