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METHODOLOGY

Subjects

Participants were volunteers who respondent to: (a) nationally and internationally dispersed newspaper advertisements, (b) flyers posted among local college campuses, (c) postings on electronic support groups geared towards Internet addiction (e.g., the Internet Addiction Support Group, the Webaholics Support Group), and (d) those who searched for keywords "Internet addiction" on popular Web search engines (e.g., Yahoo). For a detailed discussion of the self-selection bias inherent in this methodology and limitations of these research findings, please refer to my paper entitled "Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New CLinical Disorder."

Materials

An exploratory survey consisting of both open-ended and closed-ended questions was constructed for this study that could be administered by telephone interview or electronic collection. The survey administered a Diagnostic Questionnaire (DQ) containing the eight-item classification list. Subjects were then asked such qustions as : (a) how long they have used the Internet, (b) how many hours per week they estimated spending on-line, (c) what types of applications they most utilized, (d) what made these particular applications attractive, (e) what problems, if any, did their Internet use cause in their lives, and (f) to rate any noted problems in terms of mild, moderate, or severe impairment. Lastly, demosgraphic information from each subject such as age, gender, highest educational level achieved, and vocational background were also gathered..

Procedures

Telephone respondents were administered the survey verbally at an arranged interview time. The survey was replicated electronically and existed as a World-Wide-Web (WWW) page implemented on a UNIX-based server which captured the answers into a text file. Electronic answers were sent in a text file directly to the principal investigator’s electronic mailbox for analysis. Respondents who answered "yes" to five or more of the criteria were classified as addicted Internet users for inclusion in this study. A total of 605 surveys in a three month period were collected with 596 valid responses that were classifed from the DQ as 396 Dependents and 100 Non-Dependents. Approximately 55% of the respondents replied via electronic survey method and 45% via telephone survey method. The qualitative data gathered were then subjected to content analysis to identify the range of characteristics, behaviors and attitudes found.

RESULTS

Demographic Data

Means, standard deviations, percentages, and coding schemes were utilized to analyze data. The sample of Dependents included 157 males and 239 females. Mean ages were 29 for males, and 43 for females. Mean educational background was 15.5 years. Vocational background was classified as 42% none (i.e., homemaker, disabled, retired, students), 11% blue-collar employment, 39% non-tech white collar employment, and 8% high-tech white collar employment.

Addictive Applications

The Internet itself is a term which represents different types of functions that are accessible on-line. Therefore, before discussing addictive nature of the Internet, one must examine the types of applications being used. When Dependents were asked "What applications do you most utilize on the Internet?", 35% indicated chat rooms, 28% MUDs, 15% News groups, 13% E-mail, 7% WWW, and 2% Information Protocols (e.g., gopher, ftp, etc.,). Upon examination, traditional information protocols and Web pages were the least utilized among Dependents compared to over 90% of respondents who became addicted to the two way communication functions: chat rooms, MUDs, news groups, or e-mail. This makes the case that the database searches, while interesting and often times time-consuming, are not the actual reasons Dependents become addicted to the Internet.

Chat rooms and MUDs were the two most utilized mediums which both allow multiple on-line users to simultaneously communicate in real time; similar to having a telephone conversation except in the form of typed messages. Over 1,000 users can occupy a single virtual area. Text scrolls quickly up the screen with answers, questions, or comments to one another. Privatized messages are another available option which allow only a single user to read a message sent.

Multi-User Dungeons, more commonly known as MUDs, differ from chat rooms as these are an electronic spin off of the old Dungeon and Dragons games where players take on character roles. There are literally hundreds of different MUDs ranging in themes from space battles to medieval duels. In order to log into a MUD, a user creates a character name, Hercules for example, who fights battles, duels other players, kills monsters, saves maidens or buys weapons in a make believe role playing game. MUDs can be social in a similar fashion as in chat room, but typically all dialogue is communicated while "in character."

When asked about the main attractions of using these direct dialogue features, 86% of Dependents reported anonymity, 63% accessibility, 58% security, and 37% ease of use. Young (1996) previously noted that "clear differences exist among the specific Internet applications utilized between Dependents and Non-Dependents. Non-Dependents predominantly used those aspects of the Internet which allow them to gather information and to maintain pre-existing relationships through electronic communication. However, Dependents predominantly used those aspects of the Internet which allow them to meet, socialize, and exchange ideas with new people through highly interactive mediums." Consistent with these findings, content analysis classified three major areas of reinforcement pertaining to these two way communication features: social support, sexual fulfillment, and creating a persona. Each of these will be discussed in more depth.

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