Caught in the Web—Emotional Regulation Difficulties and Internet Addiction Among Romanian Medical and Technical University Students: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Young people of all ages are now prematurely overexposed to a tech-addicted life, with negative psychological, physiological, sociological, and educational effects. Ease of access to and normalization of exposure to technology are indicated as the main causes of internet addiction and a mental health concern, especially in Romania, a country with widespread and easy access to the internet. Methods: This exploratory cross-sectional study with 132 participants investigated the relationship between emotional regulation difficulties (ERDs) and the risk of internet addiction (IA) among medical and technical students—two educational cultures defined by intense educational and emotional stress—with the aim of identifying specific patterns of variability. Standardized self-report data were collected, and specific descriptive and correlational statistical methods were used. Results: Key findings suggest similar moderate difficulty in emotional regulation for each student sample and normal-to-mild internet use for technical and medical students. A moderately strong Pearson correlation was observed between internet addiction and emotional regulation difficulties across the entire group of students (r = 0.54, p < 0.001). However, higher levels of emotional dysregulation and internet addiction risk were evident for the medical students. Conclusions: These results suggest that IA is closely linked to ERD rather than to the exposure to technology itself, as we presumed in the case of technical students. Moreover, medical students have a greater need for institutional support measures than their technical peers to cope with a highly challenging educational environment that exceeds individual levels of effective self-regulation.