Yaşam Becerileri Psikoloji Dergisi (Dec 2022)

Examinatıon of Personality Traits, Metacognition, Internet Use Function and Problematic Internet Use of University Students

  • Nesibe OLGUN KAVAL,
  • Nimet Serap GORGU AKCAY,
  • Gamze KILIC

DOI
https://doi.org/10.31461/ybpd.1193663
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 12
pp. 167 – 202

Abstract

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It is thought that it is critical to examine the factors that may be associated with the problematic internet use of university students and to determine possible risk situations. The university period is a critical period when individuals move away from parental control, and begin to make their own decisions and manage their lives. Although the relationship between problematic internet use and gender, psychiatric diagnosis, metacognitive characteristics and personality has been demonstrated, the number of available studies is limited and the findings are contradictory. In addition, no study was found in which the duration and purpose of Internet use were included and all these variables were examined together. In this study, it was aimed to examine the personality traits, metacognitive structures, internet usage functions and problematic internet use of university students in terms of diagnosis, gender and internet usege time. Data were collected from 696 university students that aged mean 20.11. The design of the study was descriptive and nonparametric independent groups comparison analyzes (Mann Whitney U Test and Kruskal-Wallis Test). The Big Five Inventory (BFI) Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), Internet Use Function Questionnaire (IUFQ), Online Cognition Scale (OCS) and a Demographic Form were used in this study. According to the results of the analysis, the Conscientiousness and Neuroticism scale scores of the women were higher. Analysis results showed a significant difference according to diagnosis. It was observed that the scale scores of the diagnosed group were higher in the sub-dimensions of Neuroticism, Openness, Uncontrollability and Danger, Lack of Cognitive Confidence, MCQ-30 Total Score and Information Functions. It was observed that the sub-dimension scores of Neuroticism, Uncontrollability and Danger, Social Functions, Virtual Emotional Functions, Social Comfort, Loneliness/Depression, Diminished Impulse, Distraction and OCS Total Score increased in direct proportion to internet usage time.

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