When does problematic internet use become problematic? – Evidence from a survey of 7536 adults from six European countries

In our recently published large-scale quantitative study, researchers from our Spanish TIMED team including Principal Investigator Prof Núria Codina, Dr José Vicente Pestana, Dr Rafael Valenzuela and Dr María Marentes-Castillo demonstrate that problematic internet use can make us feel less satisfied with life by increasing experiences of distress.

Relying on a survey that collected data from 7536 adults based in the UK, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany, the study shows that individuals with higher levels of problematic internet use are more likely to experience reduced satisfaction with life. This occurs especially if such problematic digital behaviours cause feelings of depression, anxiety and stress, as these in turn contribute to lower life satisfaction. Psychological distress, therefore, partially explains why compulsive or excessive internet use can lead to the perception that life is less than ideal. Interestingly, these findings were similar across Europe, suggesting that using the internet in problematic ways exerts negative effects on mental wellbeing across different cultural contexts. The results point to the importance of screening for mental health problems when assessing the impact of problematic internet use on general functioning as problematic digital behaviours perse may not directly reduce quality of life.

To access our newly published study and discover more about the effect of problematic internet use on wellbeing, click here.