THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET ON CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Vasile CHIRITÃ*, Roxana CHIRITÃ*, Cristinel STEFÃNESCU**, Gabriela CHELE***, Mircea ILINCA****
Rezumat
Utilizarea calculatorului si a Internetului de cãtre copii si adolescenti este tot mai des întâlnitã si începe de la vârste tot mai mici. De obicei, ei utilizeazã calculatorul pentru jocuri, completarea cunostintelor de la scoalã, email si conectare la Internet. Cele mai frevente activitãti on-line sunt realizarea temelor pentru scoalã, email, jocuri si cãutarea de informatii. Toate acestea par a fi usor de utilizat, dar în cel mai rãu caz conduc la dependentã.
Scopul acestui studiu este sã investigheze activitãtile de la calculator si de pe Internet ale elevilor cu vârsta cuprinsã între 15 si 18 ani si interferenta acestora cu viata socialã si rezultatele scolare. Lotul de studiu include 72 de elevi care au rãspuns la un chestionar. Obiectivele urmãrite sunt:
1. Frecventa utilizãrii calculatorului si a Internetului de elevi.
2. Interferenta utilizãrii excesive cu rezultatele scolare si viata socialã.
3. Evidentierea dependentei de calculator. Elevii petrec de obicei mai mult timp la calculator (mai mult de trei ore pe zi) deci este o evidentiere a utilizãrii patologice.
Cuvinte cheie : dependentã, calculator, copii, interferentã, viatã socialã.
Utilizarea calculatorului si a Internetului de cãtre copii si adolescenti este tot mai des întâlnitã si începe de la vârste tot mai mici. De obicei, ei utilizeazã calculatorul pentru jocuri, completarea cunostintelor de la scoalã, email si conectare la Internet. Cele mai frevente activitãti on-line sunt realizarea temelor pentru scoalã, email, jocuri si cãutarea de informatii. Toate acestea par a fi usor de utilizat, dar în cel mai rãu caz conduc la dependentã.
Scopul acestui studiu este sã investigheze activitãtile de la calculator si de pe Internet ale elevilor cu vârsta cuprinsã între 15 si 18 ani si interferenta acestora cu viata socialã si rezultatele scolare. Lotul de studiu include 72 de elevi care au rãspuns la un chestionar. Obiectivele urmãrite sunt:
1. Frecventa utilizãrii calculatorului si a Internetului de elevi.
2. Interferenta utilizãrii excesive cu rezultatele scolare si viata socialã.
3. Evidentierea dependentei de calculator. Elevii petrec de obicei mai mult timp la calculator (mai mult de trei ore pe zi) deci este o evidentiere a utilizãrii patologice.
Cuvinte cheie : dependentã, calculator, copii, interferentã, viatã socialã.
Abstract
Computer and Internet use by children and adolescents is widespread and begins at an early age. They commonly use computers for playing games, completing school assignments, email, and connecting to the Internet. On-line, the most frequent activities are school work, email, games, and finding information. All this seem to be at best easily overused and at worst, addictive.
The purpose of this study is to investigate issues related to computer and internet use by Romanian school students from 15 to 18 years old including interference with social life and academic performance. The studied group comprised 72 school students who answered to a questionnaire. These were aimed at highlighting:
1. The frequency of computer and internet use by the students;
2. The interference of excessive use with school grades and social life;
3. Finding evidence of a possible computer addiction. The school children spent usually much time on computer (more than 3 hours per day), while is some evidence of pathological use.
Key words: Addiction, Computer, Children, Interference, Social life.
Computer and Internet use by children and adolescents is widespread and begins at an early age. They commonly use computers for playing games, completing school assignments, email, and connecting to the Internet. On-line, the most frequent activities are school work, email, games, and finding information. All this seem to be at best easily overused and at worst, addictive.
The purpose of this study is to investigate issues related to computer and internet use by Romanian school students from 15 to 18 years old including interference with social life and academic performance. The studied group comprised 72 school students who answered to a questionnaire. These were aimed at highlighting:
1. The frequency of computer and internet use by the students;
2. The interference of excessive use with school grades and social life;
3. Finding evidence of a possible computer addiction. The school children spent usually much time on computer (more than 3 hours per day), while is some evidence of pathological use.
Key words: Addiction, Computer, Children, Interference, Social life.
INTRODUCTION
The Internet has provided some wonderful opportunities for our children. Never before had they access to such a powerful tool for conducting school research, learning about new things, finding new recreation and entertainment, and communicating whit their friends both around the corner and around the globe. (1)
As a parent, you have probably thought at some point that your children know more about the computer and the Internet than you do. Growing up with the technology, children sometimes adapt to the computer much more rapidly than adults. But having experience with the computer and the Internet is not the same thing as having experience in life. Although research on the effects of children's use of computers is still ambiguous, some initial indications of positive and negative effects are beginning to emerge. (2)
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to limit the time spent with media and to emphasize alternative activities, such as athletics and physical conditioning, as well as imaginative play.
However, appears to corroborate parents' perceptions that home computer use is related to better academic performance. For example, early home computer use studies found that high school students who used educational software at home scored significantly higher than other students on computer literacy tests. Home computer use has been linked to improvements in general academic performance as well.
In 2000 only 3.6% of the Romanians had one computer, in 2003 this percentage increased to 10%, according with the report of Communication and Technology Minister. In 2003, there were 2, 1 millions of personal computers in the whole country.
The PricewaterhouseCoopers report indicates one million Internet users per year increase in Romania. By consequence, in 2006 a total of 5.5 million Romanians will access the Internet.
There already are native social online networks, not to mention the constant presence of young people on international sites. On Yahoo groups alone, the number of the Romanian communities amounts to 1,405, structured on interests like martial arts, atheism, rockers, business, vehicles.
Dr. David N. Greenfield suggests that the unique characteristics of the computer and the Internet may be contributing to the addictive tendencies. The characteristics include: easy access, stimulation, anonymity, autonomy, timelessness, visual stimulation, low cost. Clearly, the computer is a powerful tool. (3)
Studies of general computer users suggest that some people may experience psychological problems such as social isolation, depression, loneliness, and time mismanagement related to their computer use and failure at school. The study presents a descriptive analysis of the school children computer use and their parents' attitudes on these matters.
METHODS
Design: This survey is a preliminary study. For collecting data concerning this issue we used a questionnaire for the school students.
Participants: The survey included a convenience sample of 72 high school students, aged between 14 and 18 years old. They comes from 5 differents schools from Iasi (Romania); 46% are boys and 54% are girls.
Materials and procedure: All 72 high school students answered to a questionnaire comprising 36 questions related to computer and internet activities. Most questions supose to rate on a scale the frecquency of occurance of a certain event or issue; some questions soliceted an open-answer or to choose an answer from a list. The themes was chosen according to the objectives of the study and based on the previous reserch concerning the interests and needs of the school student at this age. Usually, the questions addressed to self apreciation behaviour, cognition, opinion, or to the social relation of the respondent.
The questionnaires were applied at 8 different schools, gymnasium and highschool from Iasi, Romania. Parents have received an questionnaire addressing some open behaviours intended for comparing data collected from their children.
RESULTS
General facts about using computer
Both the boys and the girls think computers are absolutely essential in today's society (90%); parents have a similar opinion (over 94%).
Concerning the time spent for using computer (table I), the overall results show the children spend much time to computers, usually more than three hours per day. The parents of children's answered to another questionnaire with same subject: 16.2% affirmed that their children are using computer rarely, 30.4% occasionally, 37.7% often. We did not include the category "not at all" because all the children starting 10 years old who attend school have computer use classes which are compulsory. (Table I)
Table 1. Time spent on computer INTERFERENCE AND ADDICTION:
The survey has included some issues concerning computer addiction; the themes followed are inspired from K. Young (1996) studies. The term addiction is used by psychiatrists to identify problematic computer use associated with significant influences on the social, psychological and professional life. Some of the computer and Internet users become addicted in similar ways as the drug, alcohol or gambling addicts. The lack of diagnosis criteria and the limited understanding of the psychopathology of this disorder, as well as its connections to other disorders, raise new problems for practitioners. Overall, 37% of subjects report that often and very often happens to stay longer on computer than initially expected, while 36% state this occurs occasionally; 27.9% considers that they rarely lose control of the time spent on computer. The results within the groups show a tendency of the school students of 15-18 years to lose control more often of the time spent on the computer (see Fig.1).
Fig.1. Percentage of school students what reporting that they stay longer than expected by age group The feeling of being often and very often preoccupied by computer/related tasks when not using it is reported by 31% from subjects. The overall results are presented in the Fig.2.
Fig.2. Preoccupation for computer when they no using computer 
Fig.3. Use of computer for avoiding unpleasant moods The favourite period of time for using computer is late afternoon and evening and only 12.5 % of respondents are using computer during the night; more than 60% of children stay alone on computer. However, most of the pupils from survey consider that the academic performance is not affected when they are staying longer on computer. This result is consistent with parents' opinion. Considering the criteria's established by K. Young (1996), we find that only 4.8% from the pupils are fulfilling at least 6 from 8 issues indicating computer addiction.
DISCUSSION
The impact of Internet use and abuse is increasingly being investigated, and social scientists are beginning to address related issues.
We find that 20% of high school student spent 3-5 hours per day and 4.8% more five hours per day. Last studies show that only 2 percent of the children studied averaged more than eight hours of computer use per week. (1) Students with home computers spent more three hours each week playing computer games and merely thirty minutes a week on instructional computer activities. We consider the category "more than 5 hours per day" time spent on computer as criteria for interference with social and educational life due to the special situation in Romania where the educational demands does not include homework or other tasks which will suppose the use of computer.
However, research among sociologists, psychologists, or psychiatrists has not formally identified addictive use of the computer as a problematic behavior. This study investigated the existence of computer addiction and the extent of problems caused by such potential misuse. This study utilized an adapted version of the criteria for pathological gambling defined by the DSM-IV (APA, 1994).
In another study - a three-year project known as HomeNetToo - the researchers from University of Michigan investigated the impact of providing home computer access to low-income families. As in the study described above, computer-using youth did not suffer any of the feared social effects, such as diminished family communication or lack of participation in social groups. Some effects we find in this study. (5) In children's interactions with parents and other adult authority figures, one obvious effect has been the frequent reversal of the traditional parent-child relationship with the computer-savvy child taking on the role of teacher to the parent. With respect to interactions with peers, the effects of computer use again appear to depend as much on the type of activity engaged in while on the computer as on the amount of time spent in front of a screen.
Because of the importance of interacting with others to gain social competence, concerns have been raised that children who form "electronic friendships" with computers instead of friendships with their peers might be hindered in developing their interpersonal skills. More than one-fifth of all children between ages 15 and 18 report having a computer in their bedroom, suggesting that the computer often may be used in solitude, robbing children of time for other social activities and interfering with the development and maintenance of friendships. Indeed, in our study we found that, among high school students more than 60% of all their computer time is spent alone. However, much of children's "alone time" on computers appears actually to be spent extending social relationships by connecting with others through interpersonal communication applications via the Internet. An overview of the research examining the social effects of children's use of computers - from the impact of game playing on friendships and aggressive behavior to the impact of the Internet on relationships and psychological well-being-is provided below. (6)
The favourite period of time for using computer is late afternoon and evening and only 12. 5 % of respondents are using computer during the night; however, most of the pupils from survey consider that the academic performance is not affected when they are staying longer on computer. However, reviews of this literature typically conclude that the results are inconclusive. (7) Although benefits of computer use have been observed, they typically depend on a variety of factors (e.g., subject matter). The only cognitive outcome for which benefits have been consistently observed is visual- spatial skills. Computer gaming contributes to visual- spatial skills, at least when these skills are assessed immediately following the computer activity. (5)
More time on the Web means more time spent reading, which depends heavily on reading skills, and in standardized tests scores in reading. (7)
As yet, there is no official psychological or psychiatric diagnosis of an "Internet" or "Computer" addiction. The most recent (4th) edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) - which sets the standards for classifying types of mental illness - does not include any such category. In general, non-chemical disorders are not considered addictions. They classified as Internet-addicted with a five general subtypes of Internet addiction were categorized based upon the most problematic types of online applications, and they include addictions to cybersex, cyber-relationships, online stock trading or gambling, information surfing, and computer games. But, Computer Addiction is a growing concern in the Information Age. Internet access is a vital part of the modern world and an important tool in the education of our children.
Studies suggests that computer users can be screened and diagnosed as either addicts or dependents through some simple psychological measures relating to rate and pattern of net usage. The validity of such a classification system is borne out by the fact that these two types of disorders have real behavioral consequences, such as facing problems at work or school.
Like addiction to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or caffeine, computer addiction is marked by symptoms of increasing tolerance, withdrawal, mood changes, and interruption of social relationships. Children and adolescents who have become addicted to the computer will require increasing amounts of time in order to feel satisfied. When they do not have access to the internet, they may have symptoms of withdrawal, which include anxiety, depression, irritability, trembling hands, restlessness and obsessive thinking or fantasizing about the internet. (8)
Using the internet can be an enjoyable and educational experience, but it is wise to agree on a few ground rules before allowing a child or adolescent access to the online world. In addition to ensuring agreement on the safety guidelines, parents should monitor the amount of time their child spends on the computer and watch for any of the warning signs of computer or internet addiction. If a child is showing any of these signs, a plan to address the problem should be worked out.
Excessive computer usage can also be masking more difficult problems that your child is facing, or difficulties in the family. It may be necessary to seek outside help for a child with computer addiction. Family therapy may be beneficial. You can ask your child's school counselor or a local community mental health specialist to provide you with local contacts. There are many ways parents or tutors can protect children when they are using PC connected to the internet: advising and teaching them appropriate conduct on the internet; guiding them to appropriate sites depending on their age and educational needs; filtering and screening out undesirable material depending on the age of the child; monitoring the people that the child communicates with through the internet; monitoring the child's purchasing on the internet; encouraging the use of the PC as a family activity, comparable with a trip to a museum, library, football game or cinema; reporting incidents where they feel the child or the family has been exposed to inappropriate material; communicating and liaising with education authorities when appropriate.
Show your children how to use and evaluate information they find on the Internet. Not all online information is reliable. Some individuals and organizations are very careful about the accuracy of the information they post, but others are not. Some even mislead on purpose (9). Remind your children not to copy online information and claim it's their own or copy software unless it is clearly labeled as free. Help children understand the nature of commercial information, advertising, and marketing, including who created it and why it exists. Encourage them to think about why something is provided and appears in a specific way. Steer your children to noncommercial sites and other places that don't sell products specifically to children. (10) It is important to be aware of the poten tial risks involved in going online, but it is also important to keep them in perspective.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The results show that computer use is widely spread among Romanian high school students. They often use sleeping time in order to enlarge time spent on computer. Even if only few of them might be considered at risk of been addicted (27.1% high school students), we can notice a tendency for using computer without being directed to an educational or utilitarian purpose. There is little doubt that children can at times become captivated by the intrinsic opportunities provided by the computer technology and the Internet. This may sometimes come at the expense of other activities such as homework or normal social interchange. Although most children seem to naturally correct the problem, parents and educators must monitor the signs of misuse. But overall, technology can be considered a positive enhancement to growth
REFERENCES
1. Attewell P., Suazo-Garcia B., Battle K. Computers and young children: Social benefit or social problem, Social Forces, 2003, 82(1), 277-296.
2. Jackson LA., Alexander E., Biocca F. Children and Internet Use: Social, Psychological and Academic Consequences for Lowincome Children. 2004, www.apa.org
3. Greenfield DN. The Net Effect: Internet Addiction and Compulsive Internet Use. 2000 www.virtual-addiction.com
4. Young K.: Cyber-Disorders, The mental Health Concern for the New Millennium CyberPsychology and Behavior, 1999, 3 (1), 32-35.
5. Subrahmanyam K., Greenfield P., Kraut R., Gross E. The impact of computer use on children's and adolescents' development, Applied Developmental Psychology, 2000, 22, 7-30.
6. Pew Internet and American Life Project Tracking online life: How women use the Internet to cultivate relationships with family and friends. 2001 www.pewinternet.org.
7. Roschelle J. M., Pea R. D., Hoadley C. M., Gordon D. N., Means B. M. Changing how and what children learn in school with computer-based technologies, Children and Computer Technology, 2001, 10(2), 76-101.www.futureofchildren.org.
8. Subrahmanyam K., Kraut R. E., Greenfield P. M., Gross EF. The impact of home computer use on children's activities and development, The Future of Children, 2000, 10, pp.123-144. Children and computer technology. Los Altos, CA: The David and Lucille Packard Foundation. Journals/Publications Department. www.futureofchildren.org
9. Kraut R. , Kiesler S., Boneva B., Cummings J., Helgeson V., Crawford A. Internet paradox revisited. Journal of Social Issues, 2002, 58, 49-74.
10. Shields MK., Behrman RE. Children and computer technology: Analysis and recommendations". The Future of Children, 2002, 10(2), 4-30, www.futureofchildren.org
Nu exista niciun comentariu.