Attachment Style and Internet Addiction: An Online Survey

Abstract

BackgroundOne of the clinically relevant problems of Internet use is the phenomenon of Internet addiction. Considering the fact that there is ample evidence for the relationship between attachment style and substance abuse, it stands to reason that attachment theory can also make an important contribution to the understanding of the pathogenesis of Internet addiction.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine people’s tendency toward pathological Internet usage in relation to their attachment style.MethodsAn online survey was conducted. Sociodemographic data, attachment style (Bielefeld questionnaire partnership expectations), symptoms of Internet addiction (scale for online addiction for adults), used Web-based services, and online relationship motives (Cyber Relationship Motive Scale, CRMS-D) were assessed. In order to confirm the findings, a study using the Rorschach test was also conducted.ResultsIn total, 245 subjects were recruited. Participants with insecure attachment style showed a higher tendency to pathological Internet usage compared with securely attached participants. An ambivalent attachment style was particularly associated with pathological Internet usage. Escapist and social-compensatory motives played an important role for insecurely attached subjects. However, there were no significant effects with respect to Web-based services and apps used. Results of the analysis of the Rorschach protocol with 16 subjects corroborated these results. Users with pathological Internet use frequently showed signs of infantile relationship structures in the context of social groups. This refers to the results of the Web-based survey, in which interpersonal relationships were the result of an insecure attachment style.ConclusionsPathological Internet use was a function of insecure attachment and limited interpersonal relationships.

Sexual Desire, Mood, Attachment Style, Impulsivity, and Self-Esteem as Predictive Factors for Addictive Cybersex (Preprint)

“…These results are congruent with those of other studies showing the implications of insecure attachment in excessive Internet use [17] and cybersex [31,37,66].…”

“…Despite such differences across studies, insecure attachment styles play an important role in cybersex addiction. As suggested elsewhere [17], such findings deserve clinical investigation and treatment of attachment style for patients who are highly involved in cybersex use.…”

“…No consensus has been achieved about the conceptualization of this disorder [10,14], although it is commonly considered to be cybersex addiction [15][16][17][18]. Nevertheless, as reported for other online problem behaviors [19], excessive cybersex is probably an umbrella term that refers to different types of cybersex activities (solitary Internet porn, sex webcams, etc.)…”

“…It was furthermore [37] shown that the ratios of problematic pornography use is elevated in individuals with emotional insecurities such as anxious or avoidant attachment and traumatic souvenirs of the past. Insecure attachment such as ambivalent and avoidant attachment style [17] and anxious attachment [31] are associated with general excessive Internet use [17], as well as with intensive online sex use [31].…”

A partial mediation effect of father-child attachment and self-esteem between parental marital conflict and subsequent features of internet gaming disorder in children: a 12-month follow-up study

“…These findings suggested that father-child attachment be more important than mother-child attachment on developing Internet addiction. Thus, those having attachment problems might resort to Internet gaming to avoid the emotional distress caused by attachment situations or to compensate their adverse relationship experiences [47].…”