continued
New areas of research should include the development of standard diagnostic instruments
to assess cyber-disorders and systematic intake evaluations to further understand the role
of compulsive use of the Internet in other established addictions (e.g., alcoholism,
sexual compulsivity, pathological gambling) and psychiatric conditions (e.g., major
depression, bipolar disorder, ADD).
Research should also include the development of models that identify or explain the
motivation underling such pathological online behavior. For example, The ACE Model
developed by Young (1999) explains how Accessibility, Control, and Excitement play a
significant role in the development of Internet compulsions.12 According to the
model, Internet addiction develops due to three discriminate underlying rewards. The three
variables include: (a) the accessibility of information, interactive areas, and
pornographic images; (b) the personal control and perceived privacy of electronic
interactions; and (c) internal feelings excitement leading to a mental "high"
related to Net usage. Models such as this facilitate our general understanding of the
disorder and guide in later treating planning.
Most important, as young children frequent the Internet, it is important that research
also investigate the growing incidence of on-line pedophilia and the risks posed to
children. Furthermore, it is important to note that the diagnosis of pedophilia only
requires that an individual entertain intense reoccurring sexual fantasies about children13
and does not require that actual molestation to take place. Therefore, as a growing number
of criminal cases involve the possession of illegal images downloaded from the Internet,
the psychological field should closely examine the relationship between viewing child
pornography and the actual risk of child molestation. Finally, the limitations of this
study such as a low sample size, the lack of randomization, and the questionable accuracy
of online survey methods are recognized, and therefore, these results should be
interrupted with caution.
Table 1: Primary Client
Complaints and Clinical Response
| Questions |
Yes
|
No
|
| 1. Have you seen a rise in the number of clients who spend an excessive amount of time using the Internet? |
80%(28) |
20%(7) |
| 2. Have you seen clients who appear "addicted" to the
Internet? |
85%(30) |
15%(5) |
| 3. Have you seen clients who present themselves as having relationship difficulties (e.g. breakups, withdrawn from
others, few friends) and later discover it is related to
addictive use of the Internet? |
74%(26) |
16%(9) |
| 4. Have you seen clients who present themselves with clinically related issues (e.g. depression, bi-polar disorder,
anxiety) and later discover it is related to addictive use of
the Internet? |
30%(10) |
70%(25) |
| 5. Have you seen clients who are addicted to the Internet
who also suffer from a prior addiction history (alcoholism,
over-eating, or sex addictions)? |
60%(21) |
40%(14) |
| 6. Has your program considered a support group for those clients who suffer from an addiction to the Internet? |
40%(14) |
60%(21) |
| 7. Do you feel the problem is more widespread than the number of cases indicates? |
94%(33) |
6% (2) |
| 8. Do you believe moderation is possible to treat
addictive Internet use? |
60%(21) |
40%(14) |
| 9. Did your clients form new relationships on-line? |
91%(32) |
9% (3) |
| 10. Did your clients form a new persona on-line? |
66%(23) |
34%(12) |
Table 2: Attitudes of Therapists treating cases of Pathological
Internet Use
| Statement |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| I feel that addictive use of the Internet may
become a significant problem in our society. |
35% |
55% |
10% |
0% |
0% |
| I feel that mental health practitioners need to pay
more attention to the ramifications of addictive use
of the Internet. |
40% |
55% |
0% |
5% |
0% |
| I feel that addictive use of the Internet can be as
serious as other established addictions (e.g. alcoholism)
in terms of psychological and family problems. |
50% |
35% |
10% |
0% |
5% |
| I feel that counselors do not take Internet addiction
seriously as a legitimate disorder. |
30% |
20% |
35% |
10% |
0% |
| I feel that more research is needed to better
understand the nature of addictive Internet use. |
0% |
5% |
10% |
30% |
50% |
References
- Brenner, V. (1997). The results of an on-line survey for
the first thirty days. Paper presented at the 105th annual meeting of the American
Psychological Association, August 18, 1997. Chicago, IL.
- Griffiths, M. (1997). Does Internet and computer
addiction exist? Some case study evidence. Paper presented at the 105th annual meeting of
the American Psychological Association, August 15, 1997. Chicago, IL.
- Krant, 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.
- Morahan-Martin, J. (1997). Incidence and correlates of pathological Internet use.
Paper presented at the 105th annual meeting of the American Psychological
Association, August 18, 1997. Chicago, IL.
- Scherer, K. (1997). College life online: Healthy and unhealthy Internet use. Journal
of College Development, 38, 655-665.
- Shotton, M. (1991). The costs and benefits of "computer addiction." Behaviour
and Information Technology, 10, 219 - 230.
- Young, K.S. & Rogers, R. (1997a). The relationship between depression and Internet
addiction. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 1, 25-28.
- Young, K. S. (1997b). What makes on-line usage stimulating? Potential explanations
for pathological Internet use. Paper presented at the 105th annual meeting of the American
Psychological Association, August 15, 1997. Chicago, IL.
- Young, K. S. (1998a) Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. CyberPsychology
and Behavior, 3, 237-244.
- Young, K.S. (1998b). Caught in the Net: How to recognize the signs of Internet
addiction and a winning strategy for recovery. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
- IntelliQuest (1999). Press Release, latest survey reported by IntelliQuest Information
Group, Inc. of Austin, Texas.
- Young, K. S. (1999). Net compulsions: The latest treads in the area of Internet
addiction.
- American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders. (4th ed.) Washington, DC: Author
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