Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Internet Addiction in Hong Kong Adolescents Based on Four Waves of Longitudinal Data

  • Chapter
Student Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

Part of the book series: Quality of Life in Asia ((QLAS,volume 7))

Abstract

Using longitudinal data with four waves from Secondary 1 to Secondary 4, the study investigated Internet addiction and its related psychosocial correlates (economic disadvantage, family intactness, family functioning, and positive youth development) among adolescents in Hong Kong. Results showed that although Internet addiction generally declined throughout the adolescent years, around one-fourth to one-fifth of students were classified as Internet addicts in this period. Adolescents from non-intact families reported higher initial levels of Internet addiction, and those from non-intact and nonpoor families reported faster decreasing rate in Internet addiction. Concurrently, family functioning and positive youth development negatively predicted Internet addictive behavior at Wave 4. Longitudinally, economic disadvantage experience and low positive youth development at Wave 1 positively predicted Internet addictive behavior at Wave 4. Findings suggest that while economic disadvantage and family non-intactness are risk factors, family functioning and positive youth development are protective factors in the development of adolescent Internet addiction.

The preparation for this paper and the Project P.A.T.H.S. were financially supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ary, D. V., Duncan, T. E., Biglan, A., Metzler, C. W., Noell, J. W., & Smolkowski, K. (1999). Development of adolescent problem behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27(2), 141–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beard, K. W. (2005). Internet addiction: A review of current assessment techniques and potential assessment questions. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 8, 7–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blankenhorn, D. (1995). Fatherless America: Confronting our most urgent social problem. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Catalano, R. F., Berglund, M. L., Ryan, J. A. M., Lonczak, H. S., & Hawkins, J. D. (2004). Positive youth development in the United States: Research findings on evaluations of positive youth development programs. The Annals of the American Academy of Political Social Science, 591, 98–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Catalano, R. F., Fagan, A. A., Gavin, L. E., Greenberg, M. T., Irwin, C. E., Ross, D. A., & Shek, D. T. L. (2012). Worldwide application of prevention science in adolescent health. The Lancet, 379(9826), 1653–1664.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conger, R. D., & Conger, K. J. (2008). Understanding the processes through which economic hardship influences families and children. In D. R. Crane & T. B. Heaton (Eds.), Handbook of families and poverty (pp. 64–81). Los Angeles: Sage.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J., Patterson, G. R., Stoolmiller, M., & Skinner, M. L. (1991). Family, school, and behavioral antecedents to early adolescent involvement with antisocial peers. Developmental Psychology, 27(1), 172–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durkee, T., Kaess, M., Carli, V., Parzer, P., Wasserman, C., Floderus, B., … & Wasserman, D. (2012). Prevalence of pathological Internet use among adolescents in Europe: Demographic and social factors. Addiction, 107, 2210–2222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flay, B. R. (2002). Positive youth development requires comprehensive health promotion programs. American Journal of Health Behavior, 26, 407–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grohol, J. M. (2005). Internet addiction guide. PsychCentral Website. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/

  • Hur, M. H. (2006). Demographic, habitual, and socioeconomic determinants of internet addiction disorder: An empirical study of Korean teenagers. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 9, 514–525.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaltiala-Heino, R., Lintonen, T., & Rimpelä, A. (2004). Internet addiction? Potentially problematic use of the Internet in a population of 12–18 year old adolescents. Addiction Research and Theory, 12, 89–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. B., & Emery, R. E. (2003). Children adjustment following divorce: Risk and resilience perspective. Family Relations, 52, 352–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, K., Ryu, E., Chon, M., Yeun, E., Choi, S., Seo, J., & Nam, B. (2006). Internet addiction in Korean adolescents and its relation to depression suicidal ideation: A questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, 185–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53, 1017–1031.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuss, D., Rooij, A. J., Shorter, G. W., Griffiths, M. D., & Mheen, D. (2013). Internet addiction in adolescents: Prevalence and risk factors. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1987–1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuss, D. J., Griffiths, M. D., Karila, L., & Billieux, J. (2014). Internet addiction: A systematic review of epidemiological research for the last decade. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 20, 4026–4052.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lansford, J. E. (2009). Parental divorce and children’s adjustment. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(2), 140–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lempers, J. D., Clark-Lempers, D., & Simons, R. L. (1989). Economic hardship, parenting, and distress in adolescence. Child Development, 60, 25–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Zhang, X., Lu, F., Zhang, Q., & Wang, Y. (2014). Internet addiction among elementary and middle school students in China: A nationally representative sample study. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 17, 111–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, M. P., Ko, H. C., & Wu, J. Y. (2011). Prevalence and psychosocial risk factors associated with Internet addiction in a nationally representative sample of college students in Taiwan. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 14, 741–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Q., Fang, X., Zhou, Z., Zhang, J., & Deng, L. (2013). Perceived parent-adolescent relationship, perceived parental online behaviors and pathological Internet use among adolescents: Gender-specific differences. PLoS One, 8, e75642–e75650.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mashhor, A., & Saad, A. (2014). Internet addiction among secondary school students in Riyadh city, its prevalence, correlates and relation to depression: A questionnaire survey. International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health, 3(1), 10–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, M. A., Jelenchick, L., Cox, E., Young, H., & Christakis, D. A. (2011). Problematic Internet use among US youth: A systematic review. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 165, 797–805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muusses, L., Finkenauer, C., Kerkhof, P., & Billedo, C. J. (2014). A longitudinal study of the association between compulsive internet use and wellbeing. Computers in Human Behavior, 36, 21–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, B. V., Patience, T. H., & MacDonald, D. C. (1999). Adolescent risk behavior and the influence of parents and education. Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 12, 436–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S. K., Kim, J. Y., & Cho, C. B. (2008). Prevalence of Internet addiction and correlations with family factors among South Korean adolescents. Adolescence, 43, 895–909.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quatman, T. (1997). High functioning families: Developing a prototype. Family Therapy, 24(3), 143–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1987). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57(3), 316–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salehi, M., Khalili, M. N., Hojjat, S. K., Salehi, M., & Danesh, A. (2014). Prevalence of internet addiction and associated factors among medical students from Mashhad, Iran in 2013. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 16(5), e17256–e17263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L. (2002). Assessment of family functioning in Chinese adolescents: The Chinese Family Assessment Instrument. In N. N. Singh, T. H. Ollendick, & A. N. Singh (Eds.), International perspectives on child and adolescent mental health (Vol. 2, pp. 297–316). Kuala Lumpur: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., & Lin, L. (2014). Personal well-being and family quality of life of early adolescents in Hong Kong: Do economic disadvantage and time matter? Social Indicators Research, 117(3), 795–809.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., & Ma, C. M. S. (2010). The Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (C-FAI): Hierarchical confirmatory factor analyses and factorial invariance. Social Indicators Research, 20(1), 112–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., & Ma, C. M. S. (2011). Longitudinal data analyses using linear mixed models in SPSS: Concepts, procedures and illustrations. The Scientific World Journal, 11, 42–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., & Tsui, P. E. (2012). Family and personal adjustment of economically disadvantaged Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. The Scientific World Journal, 2012, 142689–142697.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., & Yu, L. (2012a). Internet addiction in Hong Kong adolescents: Profiles and psychosocial correlates. International Journal of Disability and Human Development, 11, 133–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., & Yu, L. (2012b). Longitudinal impact of the project PATHS on adolescent risk behavior: What happened after five years? The Scientific World Journal, 2012, 14 pages. doi:10.1100/2012/316029.

  • Shek, D. T. L., Siu, A. M. H., & Lee, T. Y. (2007). The Chinese positive youth development scale: A validation study. Research on Social Work Practice, 17(3), 380–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., Tang, V. M., & Lo, C. Y. (2008). Internet addiction in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong: Assessment, profiles, and psychosocial correlates. The Scientific World Journal, 8, 776–787.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., Sun, R. C. F., & Yu, L. (2012). Internet addiction. In D. W. Pfaff, E. Martin, & E. Pariser (Eds.), Neuroscience in the 21st century. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer, J. D., & Willett, J. B. (2003). Applied longitudinal data analysis: Modeling change and event occurrence. London: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, R. C. F., & Shek, D. T. L. (2010). Life satisfaction, positive youth development, and problem behavior among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Social Indicators Research, 95(3), 455–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, J., Yu, Y., Du, Y., Ma, Y., Zhang, D., & Wang, J. (2014). Prevalence of Internet addiction and its association with stressful life events and psychological symptoms among adolescent Internet uses. Addictive Behavior, 39, 744–747.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Eijnden, R. J. J. M., Meerkerk, G. J., Vermulst, A. A., Spijkerman, R., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2008). Online communication, compulsive internet use, and psychosocial well-being among adolescents: A longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 44, 655–665.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wartberg, L., Kammerl, R., Rosenkranz, M., Hirschhäuser, L., Hein, S., Schwinge, C., … & Rainer, T. (2014). The interdependence of family functioning and problematic internet use in a representative quota sample of adolescents. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17, 14–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu, J., Shen, L., Yan, C., Hu, H., Yang, F., Wang, L., … & Shen, X. (2014). Parent-adolescent interaction and risk of adolescent internet addiction: A population-based study in Shanghai. BMC Psychiatry, 14, 112–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yellowlees, P. M., & Marks, S. (2007). Problematic internet use or internet addiction? Computers in Human Behavior, 23, 1447–1453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yen, J. Y., Ko, C. H., Yen, C. F., Wu, H. Y., & Yang, M. J. (2007a). The comorbid psychiatric symptoms of Internet addiction: Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, social phobia, and hostility. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41, 93–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yen, J. Y., Yen, C. F., Chen, C. C., Chen, S. H., & Ko, C. H. (2007b). Family factors of internet addiction and substance use experience in Taiwanese adolescents. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 10, 323–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, L., & Shek, D. T. L. (2013). Internet addiction in Hong Kong adolescents: A three-year longitudinal study. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 26(3S), S10–S17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    Daniel T. L. Shek, Xinli Chi & Lu Yu

Authors
  1. Daniel T. L. Shek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xinli Chi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lu Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel T. L. Shek .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China

    Tak Yan Lee

  2. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Hong Kong, China

    Daniel T.L. Shek

  3. The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China

    Rachel C. F. Sun

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Shek, D.T.L., Chi, X., Yu, L. (2015). Internet Addiction in Hong Kong Adolescents Based on Four Waves of Longitudinal Data. In: Lee, T., Shek, D., Sun, R. (eds) Student Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong. Quality of Life in Asia, vol 7. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-582-2_22

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation