Emotional profile of adolescents at risk of problematic Internet use

Digital technologies bring numerous advantages to our daily lives. However, current research has suggested that adolescents are in an increased risk for developing a problematic usage of these tools. Given the negative consequences for their health and well-being, it is necessary additional research to examine potential factors associated with this risk. The present study aimed at examining a risk profile of problematic Internet use, considering family (e.g. parental monitoring), behavioral (frequency of usage), and psychological (emotional intelligence abilities) factors. Participants were 2195 (45.9% male and 54.1% female) adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 (M = 14.6; SD = 1.65) from the south of Spain, who completed the Spanish versions of the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Internet Addiction Test. Differences between problematic and non-problematic users were analyzed with a MANOVA test. Afterwards, a binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictive variables of a problematic Internet use profile among adolescents. Results show the following profile: lower parental monitoring outside of the home, higher frequency of use, being older but younger at the time of first use, along with higher other-emotion appraisal and lower facilitation and regulation of emotions predicted the profile of problematic Internet user. Our findings may contribute to the design of effective interventions for reducing the risk of adolescents' problematic usage of digital technology and its associated negative psychosocial consequences.