Faculty of Law, Giustino Fortunato University, 82100 Benevento, Italy.
Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari, 70122 Bari, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jul 22;20(14):6431. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20146431.
Internet Gaming Disorder, Internet Addiction, Problematic Internet Use and Compulsive Internet Use cause distress and significant impairment in important areas of a person's functioning, in particular among young people. The literature has indicated that males show higher levels of problematic internet use than females. People can use the internet to avoid or alleviate negative affects; in fact, problematic internet use is associated with alexithymia and dissociation. Few studies have focused on the different stages of adolescence, gender differences, and the relationships between the aforementioned variables. This research aims to fill this gap. Five hundred and ninety-four adolescents aged between 13 and 19 filled in the Compulsive Internet Use Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Adolescents Dissociative Experiences Scale, and other ad hoc measures. Surprisingly, females reported higher compulsive internet use compared with males. Moreover, they referred more difficulties/symptoms and greater levels of alexithymia than males. No differences across the stages of adolescence were found. Different strengths in the relationships between variables were found according to gender. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that dissociation is an important mediator in the relation between alexithymia and Compulsive Internet Use only among females. This study shed new light on gender differences around problematic internet use and some related risk factors, in order to identify and develop prevention and treatment programs to face this topical and relevant issue.
网络成瘾障碍、网络成瘾、网络问题使用和强迫性网络使用会给个人的重要功能领域带来痛苦和显著的损伤，尤其是在年轻人中。文献表明，男性比女性更容易出现网络问题使用。人们可以使用互联网来避免或减轻负面情绪；事实上，网络问题使用与述情障碍和分离有关。很少有研究关注青春期的不同阶段、性别差异以及上述变量之间的关系。本研究旨在填补这一空白。594 名年龄在 13 至 19 岁的青少年填写了强迫性网络使用量表、多伦多述情障碍量表、青少年分离体验量表和其他特定的测量工具。令人惊讶的是，女性报告的强迫性网络使用比男性更高。此外，她们比男性报告了更多的困难/症状和更高的述情障碍水平。在青春期的不同阶段没有发现差异。根据性别，变量之间的关系存在不同的强度。中介调节分析表明，只有在女性中，分离是述情障碍与强迫性网络使用之间关系的一个重要中介因素。本研究为网络问题使用和一些相关风险因素的性别差异提供了新的视角，以便确定和制定预防和治疗计划，以应对这一热门和相关的问题。
