The Effect of Loneliness and Life Satisfaction on Problematic Internet Use

Abstract

Few innovations in history have left such an indelible mark on people’s daily lives as the Internet has, representing a boundless and endlessly exciting frontier of human ingenuity and connectivity. However, its ever-increasing importance and variety of activities has led to its uncontrolled use, known as problematic Internet use. The relationship between problematic Internet use and psychosocial well-being, including loneliness and life satisfaction, has greatly attracted much research interest over the years, with consistently mixed findings. Therefore, the current study examined the effect of loneliness and life satisfaction on problematic Internet use. A factorial (2x2) independent measures ANOVA was used with a total of 200 participants, of which 125 were females and 75 were males aged 18 to 49 years (M=25.7; SD=7.27). The UCLA Loneliness Scale, Satisfaction With Life Scale and Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire were administered. The results revealed that there was a significant main effect of loneliness on problematic Internet use (F(1,196)=18.05, p<0.001). Similarly, life satisfaction significantly affected problematic Internet use (F(1,196)=13.1, p<0.001). However, the interaction effect of loneliness and life satisfaction on problematic Internet use, produced non-significant results (F(1,96)=3.46, p=0.064). The limitations of the study were also discussed. Further research is needed to explore the longitudinal patterns of problematic Internet use, including additional influencing factors, in order to facilitate targeted interventions and prevention strategies. Keywords: Problematic Internet use (PIU), Loneliness, Life Satisfaction, Online Communication, Social Isolation