Internet Addiction among Indonesia University Students: Musculoskeletal Symptoms, Physical and Psychosocial Behavior Problems

Abstract

The explosive growth of the internet has led to pathological use, also known as internet addiction. A lot of countries have reported increased number of internet addiction among teenagers and the negative effects of it. Purpose of this study is to observed prevalence of internet addiction and the musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS), physical, and psychosocial behavior problems among sample of Indonesian university students. Seven hundred and fifteen Indonesian university students (mean age = 20.9 year, SD = 2.52 year, 290 female) participated voluntarily in this study by filing out a set of questionnaires consist of internet addiction test (IAT) questionnaire, Nordic body map to observe MSS, and a questionnaire about physical and psychosocial problems. The prevalence of internet addiction among Indonesian university students were 3.2 %, whereas 61% of the samples were categorized as having problem with internet. As predicted, higher internet addiction was accompanying with higher MSS. Most participants (> 50%) were reporting MSS in upper neck, lower neck, right shoulder, back, and waist. higher internet addiction also shows higher physical and psychosocial behavior problems. This study confirms number of general prevalence of internet addiction in teenagers. Result of this study also strengthen the fact of negative effects of intense use of internet not only for physical and musculoskeletal, but also for psychosocial wellbeing.