BACKGROUND: Spain is among the European countries with the highest prevalence of adolescents at risk of Internet addiction, a problem that could be linked to youth unemployment and leaving education early. This research evaluated the role of three variables relative to school context on Problematic Internet Use (PIU) and on the relationship between PIU and Maladaptive Future Time Perspective (MFTP, defined as an excessive focus on the present and a fatalistic attitude towards the future, a variable that had not previously been studied in terms of its relationship to adolescents' PIU). METHOD: The study was carried out with 1288 adolescents, aged 12 to 16 years old, enrolled at 31 secondary schools in Madrid, Spain. RESULTS: As expected, we found that MFTP and hostile treatment by teachers were associated with an increase in PIU, whereas school appreciation was associated with a decrease in PIU. In addition, hostile treatment by teachers had a moderate effect on the MFTP-PIU relationship. CONCLUSIONS: In order to prevent PIU it is important to foster confidence in adolescents in their own potential to build the future from the present through positive interaction with teachers, stimulating an appreciation of school within these digital natives' peer group culture.
BACKGROUND: Spain is among the European countries with the highest prevalence of adolescents at risk of Internet addiction, a problem that could be linked to youth unemployment and leaving education early. This research evaluated the role of three variables relative to school context on Problematic Internet Use (PIU) and on the relationship between PIU and Maladaptive Future Time Perspective (MFTP, defined as an excessive focus on the present and a fatalistic attitude towards the future, a variable that had not previously been studied in terms of its relationship to adolescents' PIU). METHOD: The study was carried out with 1288 adolescents, aged 12 to 16 years old, enrolled at 31 secondary schools in Madrid, Spain. RESULTS: As expected, we found that MFTP and hostile treatment by teachers were associated with an increase in PIU, whereas school appreciation was associated with a decrease in PIU. In addition, hostile treatment by teachers had a moderate effect on the MFTP-PIU relationship. CONCLUSIONS: In order to prevent PIU it is important to foster confidence in adolescents in their own potential to build the future from the present through positive interaction with teachers, stimulating an appreciation of school within these digital natives' peer group culture.
Authors: Arnold Alejandro Tafur-Mendoza; Julio César Acosta-Prado; Rodrigo Arturo Zárate-Torres; Duván Emilio Ramírez-Ospina Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-08-10 Impact factor: 3.390