Boredom and Distress Tolerance on Problematic Internet Use Among Public University Students

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to increased psychological distress. To cope with this distress and boredom, individuals spend more time on the internet, especially university students who are at a greater risk for problematic Internet use (PIU). Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between boredom, distress tolerance, and problematic internet use. This study employed a qualitative approach using a survey. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to collect data. This study involved 363 participants among public university students. Three instruments used to measure the research variables are the Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ). Descriptive analysis and Pearson Correlation tests were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The findings showed that boredom is significantly correlated with problematic internet use. However, there was no significant correlation between distress tolerance and problematic internet use.