A German study has found that problematic internet use is associated with higher stress, poorer mood and greater neglect of activities outside the digital world, while the immediate temptation to go online emerged as the strongest predictor of continued use.
Researchers at the University of Duisburg-Essen studied 900 German adults who reported using online activities including gaming, social networking, shopping and pornography. Participants completed daily assessments over two weeks, recording their mood, stress, temptation to go online and internet use.
The study, published in PLOS One, found that participants with more problematic patterns of internet use tended to experience higher stress, poorer mood, longer periods online and greater neglect of other activities.
However, the researchers found that stress and negative mood alone did not determine whether participants went online. Instead, the strongest immediate predictor was the temptation to use the internet, the urge to engage in a particular online activity.
The researchers said online activities that provide pleasure or relief from negative feelings may reinforce the behaviour, potentially making it more difficult to resist similar urges in the future.
Andreas Oelker, one of the researchers, said the findings suggest that the immediate urge to go online may play a greater role in determining internet use than stress or mood alone.
The findings could have implications for prevention and treatment of problematic internet use. The researchers said interventions could focus not only on reducing stress and improving mood but also on helping people recognise and manage moments when they experience strong urges to go online.
The study does not suggest that internet use in general is harmful. The researchers distinguish ordinary use from patterns that become difficult to control and begin to interfere with work, relationships, physical activity or other important areas of daily life.
The researchers also cautioned that the findings show an association rather than establishing that problematic internet use directly causes stress or poor mood. Further research is needed to better understand how mood, stress, urges and online behaviour interact over time.
