Internet Addiction

Internet addiction can be defined as overuse of the Internet leading to impairment of an individual’s psychological state; this includes both mental and emotional states, as well as scholastic, occupational, and social interactions. Internet addiction was first mentioned in a clinical context by Kimberly Young in 1996, since then it has received attention from experts in various scientific fields. Perhaps due to its short history, the concept of Internet addiction has not been fully developed and there are still many unanswered questions, particularly regarding the terminology, definition, and its clinical relevance. Realized studies on Internet addiction have focused on (a) prevalence estimates, (b) negative correlates, (c) defining the core components and designing measurement scales and/or diagnostic criteria, and (d) treatment approaches. Future research should focus on clarifying the concept of Internet addiction and related terminology, and creating a standardized instrument for measuring Internet addiction.