The Effect of Stress Among Middle School Students and the Effect of Motive on Their Addiction to the Internet

중학생의 스트레스와 인터넷 이용동기가 인터넷 중독에 미치는 영향

The following research aimed to determine the effect of stress among middle school students on their addiction to the Internet. This research's target was a group of male students who had a high probability of getting addicted to the Internet while playing c/t games. The study distributed 357 questionnaires and used 340 copies, which meant discarding 17 copies that were considered inadequate. The research results are as follows: First, there appeared subordinate factors in the stress suffered by the students. These included stress from their families, from conflicts with their teachers, from the living environment, current schoolwork and future course in college, insecurity over their physical appearance, bullying from other students, and relationships with friends. Among these factors, stress caused by conflicts with teachers and family was the most frequently cited, while stress from their friends was the least cited. The motive in using the Internet was found to be bound with several factors. These include: a form of diversion, a way to communicate with others, a means in coping with loneliness, a source of news and information, a form of passing away time, a kind of habit, and others. Among these motives, passing away time and indulging a habit were cited the most, followed by news and information search, and a form of diversion. Second, as a subordinate factor in Internet addiction, the following were cited: formation of tolerance, health issues, occurrence of problems related to daily life, satisfaction or a pleasant sensation, withdrawal, cover-up on the use of the Internet, and formation of virtual interpersonal relationships, and others. Among these, the formation of tolerance came out the highest, followed by health issues, daily life, and problems related to daily life. Third, in terms of the effects of stress on the motive in using the Internet, the research found that the more the students felt stressed out by conflicts with their teachers and family, the more they tended to use the Internet to communicate with others, to cope with loneliness, to obtain newsI and information, to passawaytime, and to indulge a habit Also, the more they felt stressed out by the living environment, the more they tended to use the Internet to communicate with others, to cope with loneliness, and use news and information. The more they felt stressed out by their schoolwork and future course in college, they tended to use the Internet as a form of diversion and to secure news and information. The more they felt stressed out by their insecurity over their physical appearance and being victimized by bullies, the more they tended to use the Internet to cope with loneliness. Fourth, as for the effect of several variables on student addiction to the Internet, the study found that the more students felt stressed out by their living environment, by schoolwork and future course in college, by their physical appearance, and bullying from other students, the more they used the Internet as a form of diversion, a communication tool, and as a means of passing away time or indulging a habit. The study came up with the finding that the more the students used the computer and the Internet, the probability of their getting addicted to the Internet got higher.