The Development of an internet addiction scale for adolescents Buenaventura Jr. C. Valdez... [et al.].

Thesis (Bachelor of Science in Psychology) -- University of Rizal System-Morong.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The study focused on the "The development of an internet addiction scale for adolescents" made by the researchers to measure the internet addiction of the Filipino adolescence aging from 12 to 18 years old. The study was conducted at the University of Rizal System morong campus, Philippines for the school year 2012-2013. The main objective of this research is to answer the question created into the mind of the researchers which are based on observation on the possible effects of modern technology to human behavior which can also correlated to engineering psychology. The study focused on the adolescences that are exposed on the fast growing evolution of modern technology and its effect to their behavior. The data were obtained from the 200 respondent coming from different areas of Rizal, different type of computer users who can be from private users and public users (computer café users) and different age bracket which fits the type of respondents we need. The study used descriptive quantitative method of research utilizing a scale test that describes their behavior. The scale was designed by the researchers and validated by different experts in psychology who obtained Masteral level and doctorate level in the field. The research was inspired from Dr. Kimberly Young who founded the institute on internet addiction disorder in Chicago, Illinois. Her study says that there are four factors that trigger human behavior to be addicted in the internet. These are application, cognition, emotion and life events. These triggers by Dr. Young are used as the dimensional of the scale. The profile of the respondents such as age, gender, socio- economic status, educational level, number of hours per day being spend in the internet and the number of hours per week being spend in the internet are computed through computing the average range of the date through the use of Microsoft excel. The scale test on the internet addiction measured its internal consistency through the use of SPSS Varimax Rotation which identify among the items are included on final item analysis. In measuring its validity and reliability, the researcher utilized the used of Cronbach Analysis which gives a high level of reliability in the rate of .981. Based on the findings on Spearman Brown with a rate of .767 and guttman analysis with a rate of .739, the split half results shows that is highly reliable and valid. The study shows that the scale test can be used for the Filipino adolescence specially who are prone to internet use. The recommendation of the study shows that the research result is giving the society a wide idea on the possible things that Filipino adolescence might happen after being exposed to internet. It also gives precise idea to parents on how they will actively monitor their children their internet use. And finally, this study is challenging our government, education sectors, good family life endeavors, parents and the church to give attention into these growing technological effects to human behavior