The association between problematic internet use and hedonic and eudaimonic well-being: a latent profiles analysis

Stănculescu, E and Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, 2024. The association between problematic internet use and hedonic and eudaimonic well-being: a latent profiles analysis. Technology in Society, 78: 102588. ISSN 0160-791X

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Abstract

Problematic internet use (PIU) has become a public health concern globally and there are now many published studies examining the issue, particularly in relation to wellbeing. However most previous studies on the relationship between PIU and well-being have been conducted using a variable-cantered approach with either indicators of ill-being (depression, stress, anxiety, loneliness), or only one dimension of well-being (happiness or life satisfaction). Therefore, the present study aimed to address this research gap by investigating the distinct dimensions of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being simultaneously as outcomes of PIU latent profiles, as well as sociodemographic variables and stress as antecedents. The profile indicators were items of the Internet Disorder Scale. Data were collected from 1202 participants (516 males), aged 19–59 years (M = 29.24 years, SD ± 9.40). The results showed that four latent profiles emerged: ‘Low risk of PIU’ (56.4 %), ‘Medium risk of PIU with moderately-high psychosocial impairments’ (9.1 %), ‘Medium risk of PIU with poor internet-related self-control’ (27.4 %), and ‘High-risk of PIU’ (7.1 %). Both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being were outcomes of PIU profiles. The participants from the high-risk profile of PIU had the lowest levels on both dimension of well-being. The addiction criteria with the highest scores in the high-risk of PIU profile were preoccupation, mood modification, and jeopardizing social relationship or job opportunities. Age and stress were significant antecedents of PIU latent profile membership. Knowing the addiction criteria with highest values in the PIU high-risk profile can be a basis for developing tailored treatments for maladaptive internet use. Moreover, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being measures could be used to assess therapeutic progress.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Technology in Society
Creators:	Stănculescu, E. and Griffiths, M.D.
Publisher:	Elsevier BV
Date:	September 2024
Volume:	78
ISSN:	0160-791X
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102588 DOI S0160791X24001362 Publisher Item Identifier 1899381 Other
Rights:	© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Melissa Cornwell
Date Added:	31 May 2024 15:11
Last Modified:	31 May 2024 15:11
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/51504

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