Theoretical Models Explaining Problematic Internet Use: A Systematic Review

The extensive use of internet is raising important concerns especially as regards the potential for problematic use or addiction. Excessive use, preoccupation with the internet, and interference with everyday functioning represent some of the dimensions of problematic internet use, which have been empirically investigated across several countries. Research studies have been focusing on the identification of risk and protective factors across several age groups, but with particular focus on adolescents and young adults. The present review examines research on problematic internet use in the context of two broad theoretical approaches: a. cognitive-affective theories b. social influence/social learning perspectives. Findings suggest that like other problematic behaviors, problematic internet use and abuse might be explicable in terms of cognitive-affective approaches, including preexisting vulnerability (anxiety, depression), personality characteristics (e.g., neuroticism, urgency), maladaptive cognitive schemata etc. Alternatively from a social influence/learning approach, the following factors have been identified: peer pressure, contagion, victimization/bullying as well as family dysfunction, parental characteristics, and parental styles. To conclude cognitive-affective and social influence/learning approaches are considered to be useful in understanding problematic internet use and addiction. Even so, future research needs to examine the specific processes through which the factors included in these two categories might interact, by also taking into account the problem-specific characteristics that make this behavior different from other problematic behaviors.