Internet Addiction: Predictor of Disturbed Emotion Regulation, Sleep quality and General Health in University Students

Abstract

Excessive practice of using internet may result to behavioral addiction that is associated with detrimental physical, emotional and psychological health in university students by using between-groups correlational research design. The present research explored differences in university students with and without internet addiction regarding disturbed emotion regulation, poor sleep quality and general health issues. Further, the research explored internet addiction as a predictor of disturbed emotion regulation, poor sleep quality and general health issues in university students identified with internet addiction. The sample contained 600 students (375 with & 225 without internet addiction) from different public universities of Lahore. Findings revealed higher mean scores for the students with internet addiction on disturbed emotion regulation, poor sleep quality and general health issues (p < 0.01). Besides internet addiction, gender and nuclear family system emerged as significant predictors of disturbed emotion regulation, poor sleep quality and general health issues (p < 0.01) in university students. Research implications suggest that young adults from universities should be given counselling for appropriate usage of internet rather develop internet addiction so that they can be able to utilize internet rather than deteriorating their health and time