A cross-sectional study on Internet addiction among Moroccan high school students, its prevalence and association with poor scholastic performance

Abstract

There is a growing interest in research on the potential effects of Internet addiction [IA] on students’ scholastic lives. Given that there is no research on this subject in Morocco, this cross-sectional study fills the gap by examining the prevalence of Internet Addiction among Moroccan high school students and its possible association with scholastic performance and other socio-demographic factors. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 305 students, consisting of sociodemographic questions and Young’s Internet Addiction Scale. Chi-square, Independent sample t-tests, and One-Way ANOVA tests were conducted. This quantitative study reveals that IA prevalence among Moroccan high school students is 15.80%. Poor academic performance, being female, having a computer and Internet access, spending excessive time online and having parents with low educational level have been found to be associated with severe Internet addiction. These findings suggest that more research should focus on risk factors associated with Internet addiction to formulate proper preventive measures.