Preferred Computer Activities During School Age: Indicators of Internet Addiction

Abstract

Dramatic increase in the use of the internet in recent years has led to pathological use. This study is a preliminary investigation of the extent of internet addiction in 6(th), 7(th) and 8(th) grade school children in Ankara, Turkey. 106 boys and 110 girls participated in the study. Computer use subtest of the Turkish adaptation of the Computer Attitudes Questionnaire was applied. Results showed that boys are more into computer and internet use for various purposes. As children grow old, their internet use purposes seem to change as well as their daily computer use amounts increase. 6(th) graders are more into online gaming and using internet for studying whereas 8(th) graders mainly use internet for chatting. Vast majority of the 8(th) graders spend more than 5 hours on internet each day. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.