Internet and Loneliness of Adolescents

Abstract

The work presents the materials of an empirical study aimed at identifying the link between adolescents' subjective experience of loneliness and their internet usage. 80 adolescents aged 11-15 (50% girls, 50% boys) took part in the study. The measurements have been carried out with the following: technique for diagnosing the level of subjective perception of loneliness; online involvement questionnaire; technique for screening diagnosis of cyber addiction. The obtained results suggest that the phenomenon of one's subjective loneliness is perceived in one's adolescence. Every modern-day adolescent is at a risk of cyber addiction. Adolescents' destructive online socializing dominates their constructive one, the latter is also present in their internet usage. All the research techniques indicated certain gender differences. No direct link between one's loneliness and one's internet usage has been found, however, the adolescent group with high level of perceived loneliness showed a high percentage of those who use destructive forms of online socializing.