Gender Differences in Internet 2
Addiction: A Study on Variables 0
Related to its Possible Development 2
3
Emanuela Mari, Silvia Biondi, Manuel Varchetta, Clarissa Cricenti, Angelo Fraschetti, Alessandra Pizzo, Benedetta Barchielli,
Paolo Roma, Manuel Marti Vilar, Francisco Gonzalez ` Sala, Anna Maria Giannini, & Alessandro Quaglieri
Rationale/Research Gaps
The growing concern of internet addiction, particularly among young adults, calls for a deeper
exploration of gender differences in its predictors, as this issue may impact interventions and policy
development. Prior research has largely examined internet addiction broadly, often overlooking
gender-specific factors, which limits understanding of how addiction manifests and evolves
differently between males and females.
Research Problem Hypothesis
The study seeks to address the unclear relationship between Gender is expected to influence internet addiction behaviors,
gender differences and subtypes of internet addictive behaviors. with men more likely to engage in gaming and women in
Consequetively, it also aims to explore how emotional social media use. The study assumes that specific gender-
regulation, impulsivity, and prosociality may vary by gender in related factors, such as impulsivity and emotional
influencing the severity and types of internet addictions, such as dysregulation, play a significant role in the development of
Social Media Addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder. Internet Addiction Disorder.
Research Methods
A total of 276 participants, aged 18 to 30, were recruited, with 46.7% being male. Most had
secondary education (68.8%) and were predominantly students (79%) living with their families.
Participants completed the survey anonymously online via the Qualtrics platform, with ethical
approval obtained from the relevant board.
Several standardized instruments were used to measure internet addiction, social media use,
gaming disorder, phubbing, and emotional regulation, with high internal reliability. Data
analysis involved descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and MANCOVA to explore
relationships between variables and internet addiction, controlling for age.
Findings
Social media addiction is a primary predictor of internet addiction for both genders. Significant disparities in internet and social
media use, particularly in terms of addiction levels, were found between male and female individuals. Males exhibited higher
scores in internet gaming disorder and impulsivity, while females reported greater challenges with social media addiction and
emotional regulation. Notably, social media addiction emerged as a key predictor of internet addiction for both genders, with
specific subdimensions like phone obsession being significant for females. in addition, emotional dysregulation, particularly in
males, was linked to higher tendencies for internet addiction.
Conclusion Suggestions/Recommendations
Findings from this study reveal that gender significantly To enhance the effectiveness of interventions aimed at
influences the predictors and characteristics of Internet reducing Internet Addiction, it is recommended to tailor
Addiction, underscoring the importance of gender-specific prevention and treatment strategies according to the
approaches in addressing this issue. Understanding these identified predictors for each gender. Future research should
variables is essential for designing targeted prevention and also employ advanced statistical methods to gain deeper
treatment strategies that effectively mitigate Internet Addiction. insights and investigate the specific purposes behind social
media use among genders.
I n s i g h t s
The research indicates that gender significantly impacts the formation of Internet Addiction, affecting individuals' interactions with
online platforms. Acknowledging the differing purposes for which males and females utilize social media emphasizes the necessity
for targeted intervention strategies. This reinforces the importance of understanding the social contexts and motivations behind
internet use to create effective prevention and treatment methods. Such considerations can ultimately inform future research and
practical applications aimed at addressing Internet Addiction across various populations.
Mari, E., Biondi, S., Varchetta, M., Cricenti, C., Fraschetti, A., Pizzo, A., ... & Quaglieri, A. (2023). Gender differences in internet addiction: A study on variables related to
its possible development. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 9, 100247. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00626-7
