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Relevance. For today's adolescents, the internet is not merely an information source or communication tool—it is a space for identity exploration, relationship-building, and self-realisation. While some young people use digital environments for creative growth, others engage in passive scrolling, and some become so immersed that they lose connection with offline reality. Given that adolescents are not equally vulnerable to digital risks, it is essential to identify which psychological characteristics distinguish these patterns of use. Purpose of the study. To identify psychological profiles of adolescent internet users based on creativity, risk of problematic internet use, and online identity. Research methods and sample. The pilot study included 100 adolescents aged 14–16. Measures: «Online Identity Aspects Questionnaire» (I. Bogdanovskaya & T. Flenina), «Creativity Test» (N. Vishnyakova), and «Internet Addiction Test» (K. Young, adapted by V. Loskutova). Data were analysed using hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward's method) and the Kruskal–Wallis H-test with Bonferroni-corrected post-hoc comparisons (SPSS 27.0). Main results. Four distinct profiles emerged (p≤0.05). «The Creatives» (35,0%) demonstrated high creative thinking and originality, moderate online identity integration, and low problematic internet use, primarily using the internet for self-expression. «The Drifters» (39,0%) showed comparable online identity and addiction risk levels but significantly lower creativity and originality. «The Instrumentals» (13,0%) reported low online identity scores, minimal addiction risk, and average creativity, treating the internet strictly as a functional tool. «The Obsessives» (13,0%) exhibited high motivation for online self-realisation, blurred offline/online identity boundaries, emotional absorption in digital environments, elevated problematic internet use, yet retained high originality, placing them in a risk group for virtual overinvolvement. Conclusion. Creativity, online identity, and problematic internet use interact to form qualitatively distinct adolescent profiles. These findings support differentiated prevention strategies: from fostering creative self-expression online to targeted support for at-risk groups.

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