Internet dependency and sensation seeking among adolescents: a descriptive study

Journal title PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE
Author/s Andrea Costa, Alberto Rebaicini
Publishing Year 2021 Issue 2021/2 Language Italian
Pages 22 P. 54-75 File size 334 KB
DOI 10.3280/PDS2021-002005
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This research aimed to evaluate the level of internet dependency among the adolescent population and its existing correlation with sensation seeking. A questionnaire on the use, abuse and internet dependency (UADI-2) and the Brief Sensa-tion Seeking Scale (BSSS) was submitted to a group of 155 adolescents who regularly attend Youth Aggregation Centers in Brescia. The results demonstrated that an increasing number of adolescents, regardless of the gen-der, abuse and depend on computing devices for ever-greater period of time throughout the day and confirmed the strict correlation with the aspects of sensation seeking related to dull-ness susceptibility and uninhibited behavior. Additional studies are necessary to identify the factors that affected the high variability of the connecting time and modifications linked to a massive use of devices during the Covid-19 pandemic. Such studies are particularly relevant in order to promote effective promotional and educa-tional plans about the employment of computing technology, involving children, adolescents and their parents.

Keywords: Adolescents, internet use, addiction, sensation seeking.

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Andrea Costa, Alberto Rebaicini, Dipendenza da Internet e sensation seeking negli adolescenti: uno studio descrittivo in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 2/2021, pp 54-75, DOI: 10.3280/PDS2021-002005