Internet use pattern, coping styles and quality of life: Is there a relationship?

Pages: 1463-1467
Prachi S Vaish, Biswajit Dey and Ami Pathak (Institute of Behavioural Science, Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, Gujrat)

The use of Internet has swept the current generations across the world. Worldwide, Internet is used for social interaction, fun seeking, information seeking and professional activities. However, excessive Internet use has been linked to problems like excessive preoccupation, inability to control urges, social or personal distress, isolation, social avoidance, so called ‘Internet addiction’ and declining quality of life. To examine the inter-relationship between patterns of internet use, coping strategies used by those individuals and their subjective quality of life. A survey questionnaire was prepared that assessed the usage pattern of Internet users in terms of hours spent and activities along with Ways of Coping questionnaire to assess coping strategies, and WHOQOL-BREF to assess Quality of Life (QoL). This survey was conducted online over social networks. A significant moderate positive correlation was found between hours of internet use and the use of Tension Reduction as a coping style. This establishes a significant relationship between high use of internet and the use of Tension Reduction as a primary coping style. The tension reduction hypothesis, previously used to explain alcohol addiction, can therefore be used to explain internet addiction as well. A weak negative correlation was also found between hours of internet use and Quality of Life.