Peculiarities of coping behaviour in adolescents with different extent of Internet addiction

Author: Petrochenko I. Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education «National Research Tomsk State University» (Russia)

Keywords

Coping behaviour, coping strategy, Internet addiction, adolescence, crisis period

Abstract

Adolescence is one of the critical stages in man’s personal development, therefore this age group is more susceptible to stress because of the low ability to cope with challenging circumstances. The main purpose of coping behaviour is to restore the emotional balance and the relationship between the individual and the environment, as well as to reduce the associated psychological discomfort. The aim of the study is to explore and describe the features of coping behaviour in adolescents with differing levels of Internet addiction.

The research sample comprised 75 persons aged from 14 to 16. The authors used testing methods to study coping behavior and Internet addiction, as well as methods mathematical statistics.

The following results were obtained in the course of the research:

First, “Confrontation”, “Distancing” and “Escape – Avoidance” strategies proved to positively correlate with the level of Internet addiction.

Second, adolescents with no Internet addiction tend to use for the most part relatively adaptive cognitive and behavioural coping strategies as well as adaptive emotional coping strategies. Adolescents with obvious passion for Internet and tendency towards addiction most often use relatively adaptive cognitive and behavioural coping strategies as well as adaptive emotional coping strategies. Meanwhile adolescents with actual addiction also use relative adaptive cognitive and behavioural coping strategies, though accompanied by maladaptive emotional coping strategies.

Thus, the increasing level of Internet addiction correlates with the growing frequency of non-adaptive coping strategies. Adolescents’ withdrawal to virtual space as one of the ways to cope with stressful situation affects their emotional level to a great extent. The consideration of peculiarities of adolescents’ coping behaviour will make it possible to individualise psychological prevention programmes and those aimed at correction of Internet addiction.

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