Associations between online friendship and Internet addiction
among adolescents and emerging adults

J 2012

Associations between online friendship and Internet addiction among adolescents and emerging adults

ŠMAHEL, David, Bradford BROWN and Lukáš BLINKA

Basic information

Original name

Associations between online friendship and Internet addiction among adolescents and emerging adults

Authors

ŠMAHEL, David (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Bradford BROWN (840 United States of America) and Lukáš BLINKA (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Developmental Psychology, Washington, American Psychological Association, 2012, 0012-1649

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

50100 5.1 Psychology and cognitive sciences

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.976

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14230/12:00057283

Organization unit

Faculty of Social Studies

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0027025

UT WoS

000300961400009

Keywords (in Czech)

adolescent; vynořující se dospělý; závislost na internetu; online přátelství; online komunikace

Keywords in English

adolescent; emerging adult; Internet addiction; online friendship; online communication

Abstract

V originále

The past decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of youths using the Internet, especially for communicating with peers. Online activity can widen and strengthen the social networks of adolescents and emerging adults (Subrahmanyam & Smahel, 2011), but it also increases the risk of Internet addiction. Using a framework derived from Griffiths (2000a), this study examined associations between online friendship and Internet addiction in a representative sample (n = 394) of Czech youths ages 12–26 years (M = 18.58). Three different approaches to friendship were identified: exclusively offline, face-to-face oriented, Internet oriented, on the basis of the relative percentages of online and offline associates in participants' friendship networks. The rate of Internet addiction did not differ by age or gender but was associated with communication styles, hours spent online, and friendship approaches. The study revealed that effects between Internet addiction and approaches to friendship may be reciprocal: Being oriented toward having more online friends, preferring online communication, and spending more time online were related to increased risk of Internet addiction; on the other hand, there is an alternative causal explanation that Internet addiction and preference for online communication conditions young people's tendency to seek friendship from people met online.

Links

GAP407/12/1831, research and development project

Name: Faktory excesivního online hraní a jejich vývoj v čase (Acronym: RFEOG)

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Revealing Factors of Excessive Online Gaming and its Development over Time

Citovat

ŠMAHEL, David, Bradford BROWN and Lukáš BLINKA. Associations between online friendship and Internet addiction among adolescents and emerging adults. Developmental Psychology. Washington: American Psychological Association, 2012, vol. 48, No 2, p. 381-288, 8 pp. ISSN 0012-1649. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0027025.

@article{974353,
   author = {Šmahel, David and Brown, Bradford and Blinka, Lukáš},
   article_location = {Washington},
   article_number = {2},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0027025},
   keywords = {adolescent; emerging adult; Internet addiction; online friendship; online communication},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0012-1649},
   journal = {Developmental Psychology},
   title = {Associations between online friendship and Internet addiction among adolescents and emerging adults},
   volume = {48},
   year = {2012}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 974353
AU  - Šmahel, David - Brown, Bradford - Blinka, Lukáš
PY  - 2012
TI  - Associations between online friendship and Internet addiction among adolescents and emerging adults
JF  - Developmental Psychology
VL  - 48
IS  - 2
SP  - 381-288
EP  - 381-288
PB  - American Psychological Association
SN  - 00121649
KW  - adolescent
KW  - emerging adult
KW  - Internet addiction
KW  - online friendship
KW  - online communication
N2  - The past decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of youths using the Internet, especially for communicating with peers. Online activity can widen and strengthen the social networks of adolescents and emerging adults (Subrahmanyam & Smahel, 2011), but it also increases the risk of Internet addiction. Using a framework derived from Griffiths (2000a), this study examined associations between online friendship and Internet addiction in a representative sample (n = 394) of Czech youths ages 12–26 years (M = 18.58). Three different approaches to friendship were identified: exclusively offline, face-to-face oriented, Internet oriented, on the basis of the relative percentages of online and offline associates in participants' friendship networks. The rate of Internet addiction did not differ by age or gender but was associated with communication styles, hours spent online, and friendship approaches. The study revealed that effects between Internet addiction and approaches to friendship may be reciprocal: Being oriented toward having more online friends, preferring online communication, and spending more time online were related to increased risk of Internet addiction; on the other hand, there is an alternative causal explanation that Internet addiction and preference for online communication conditions young people's tendency to seek friendship from people met online.
ER  -

ŠMAHEL, David, Bradford BROWN and Lukáš BLINKA. Associations between online friendship and Internet addiction among adolescents and emerging adults. \textit{Developmental Psychology}. Washington: American Psychological Association, 2012, vol.~48, No~2, p.~381-288, 8 pp. ISSN~0012-1649. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0027025.

Detailed Information on Publication Record