STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Is time spent on the Internet valuable to students' interpersonal relationships?

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between university students' Internet use and students' academic performance, interpersonal relationships, psychosocial adjustment, and self-evaluation. Over the past seven years there has been a steady increase in children using Internet technologies at earlier ages, and a decrease in the age of first access. Internet accessibility is a major influence on these trends. NetAlert (2005) indicates that children access the Internet across a wide range of venues and mobile Internet-enabled technologies, but most commonly in their own homes and at school.

Introduction

Most Individuals use the Internet without negative consequences and even benefit from it, but some individuals do suffer from negative impacts. Psychologists and educators are aware of the potential negative impact from excessive use and related physical and psychological problems. Users who spend a significant amount of time online often experience academic, relational, financial, and occupational difficulties, as well as physical impairments. Some researchers have even linked Internet use with an increase in psychological difficulties such as depression and loneliness (Nie, 2000, pp. 113).

The issues of college students' Internet use have been discussed in a number of studies. However, these studies were based on a small sample, and thus it was difficult to generalize the results to the population. We collected data from a national sample of university students in order to examine Taiwanese students' online experience and its relationships with interpersonal relationships, psychosocial adjustment, self-evaluation, and academic performance.

While the Internet provides remarkable opportunities for children's development and learning, allowing them access to new sources of knowledge and broadened experiences, it also leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. Many countries are educating children about how to use the Internet; however, the degree to which they are being taught the risks the Internet holds is unclear (Morahan, 2003, pp. 659). The widely expressed concern about those risks by parents, child protection advocates and the academic community necessitates an exploration of children's knowledge of, and education about, Internet dangers, particularly while younger and more susceptible.

This article reports a study which examined children's understanding of Internet dangers, their management, and prevention strategies for these and explored sources of their knowledge. A brief overview of research into young children's Internet usage and its dangers follows using Australia as an exemplar of international trends.

Over the past seven years there has been a steady increase in children using Internet technologies at earlier ages, and a decrease in the age of first access (Aisbett, 2001; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2003, 2005-2006; DeBell, 2005; NetAlert, 2005, 2007a). Internet accessibility is a major influence on these trends. NetAlert (2005) indicates that children access the Internet across a wide range of venues and mobile Internet-enabled technologies, but most commonly in their own homes and at school. In a study conducted on behalf of The Australian Bureau of Statistics, Trewin found that 76.7 percent of children aged five-eight years access the Internet at home and 49.3 percent at school, and that just over 20 percent of Australian ...