Internet Addiction and its Relation to Psychosocial Adaptation among Jordanian High Basic Stage Students

Abstract

The study aimed at identifying the level of internet addiction among high basic stage students (8 th , 9 th and 10 th grades) in Jordan. It also aimed at predicting the effect of psychosocial adaptation and other variables related to internet use on internet addiction. To achieve the objectives of the study, the internet addiction scale and the psychosocial adaptation scale were used and administered to a sample of (600) male and female students. The results of the study showed that the rate of internet addicts reached (8.5 %) for the total sample. The results revealed that the following dimensions of the psychosocial adaptation scale (attention problems, physical problems, anxiety and depression, and social problems), and the number of hours spent on the internet, checking the e-mail, visiting social sites, and years of internet usage contributed in predicting internet addiction. The results also showed that the psychosocial adaptation among non-addicted students was higher than that of the addicted students.