Are there sex differences in problematic Internet use in adolescents?

Abstract

Information and communication technologies have become essential tools in modern life, mainly for young people. Studies dealing with digital generation are scarce, and still fewer those which are focused on gender differences. The aim of this study was to analyze, using a quantitative methodology, the problematic Internet use (hereafter PIU), accounting for gender differences, in a group of children. The participants were 1061 students (47.5% boys and 52.5% girls) between 9-16 years old (mean =13 years; SD = 1.73). All the students responded to the EUPI-a scale: Scale of problematic Internet use in adolescents (Rial et al., 2015b). The results found indicate that, despite the fact that the boys have a higher score and prevalence than the girls, only significant differences are observed in relation to the duration of the Internet connection, the preference over the parents' ignorance about the hours they happen in the network and the annoyance that implies spending hours without connecting. The importance of considering these differences is discussed, since they can indicate the existence of  differential risk and protection factors according to sex. Likewise, at the screening level, some of the behaviors and perceptions related to the problematic use of the Internet that are less widespread among adolescents, and that therefore can be taken as indicators of risk, are pointed out. Finally, the possible transfer for the design and / or adjustment of preventive interventions.