Shyness and problematic internet use among adolescents and young adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

This study examined the association between shyness and problematic internet use among adolescents and young adults. A systematic search of relevant publications in English published before September 2022 yielded 35 studies in total (n = 26,708 individuals), which were systematically reviewed. Among them, 27 studies were included in the meta-analyses. Results from random-effects models indicated that shyness was positively associated with problematic internet use (μ̂ = 0.2753; 95% CI: 0.2409 to 0.3096). Moreover, results from the moderation analyses indicated that the relationship between shyness and problematic internet use was moderated by age group. Specifically, the effect size of shyness on problematic internet use seemed to be larger for young adults than for adolescents (Z = -2.25, p < .001). Our findings indicated that shy people, particularly shy young adults, are more likely to have problematic internet use, which provided useful information for future intervention.