Resorting to Internet: A look at university students’ problematic Internet use through meaning in life, self-efficacy and self-esteem

Abstract

Internet can be used in a maladaptive way to escape from or compensate perceived inadequacies or the problems experiencing in daily life. In relation to this, in this study the relationship of meaning in life, self-efficacy and self-esteem to problematic Internet use was examined. Furthermore, the role of meaning in life, self-efficacy and self-esteem in predicting problematic Internet use was investigated. The study was carried out 410 university students (280 females and 130 males) attending the different grades of various departments in a school of education in Rize, Turkey. In the study, Sociodemographic Data Form, Problematic Internet Use Scale, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, General Self-Efficacy Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were used as data collection instruments. The data were analyzed through SPSS 15.0 version and descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis were utilized in the analysis. Results showed that presence of meaning in life (r=-.26, p<.01), self-efficacy (r=-.36, p<.01) and self-esteem (r=-.29, p<.01) are negatively and significantly correlated to problematic Internet use, on the contrary, search for meaning’s relationship was found in a positive way (r=.21, p<.01). Besides, presence of meaning in life, search for meaning in life and self-efficacy emerged as significant predictors of problematic Internet use. By discussing these results in line with the relevant literature, directions were given for further studies.