Pakistani students more comfortable online
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Staff Report*
A study undertaken to investigate the positive and negative effects of excessive Internet use on undergraduate students in Pakistan has suggested increasing psychological, behavioural problems and social ineptness. The study was undertaken by Kausar Suhail and Zobia Bargees and appeared in journal ‘CyberPsychology and Behaviour’ (Nov 3 issue).
Internet usage is expanding rapidly with an estimated 12.71% increase with a growth rate of 125.2% during 2002-2004 (www.internetworldstats.com).
The sample consisted of 200 undergraduate students studying at the GC University Lahore, Pakistan. For this study, a total of 350 undergraduate students were contacted to recruit regular Internet users. Hence, a total of 181 male and 19 female students made the sample for this study.
The study was introduced to the students as an investigation of student Internet use behaviour. The participants were requested to complete a 28-item questionnaire that measured a variety of negative and some positive effects associated with Internet use.
A significant inverse correlation between Internet abuse and positive effects subscale showed that those using Internet for negative purposes were not benefiting much from it. Apart from Internet abuse, the positive effect scale did not show significant association with any other negative subscale. Positive correlations between behavioural (Interference in role functioning), interpersonal, physical, psychological, and educational problems showed the inter-relatedness of all negative effects of Internet use.
An inspection of the items pertaining to the interpersonal sub-scale shows that the majority of students reported feeling more comfortable and satisfied being with their online friends, and also that they used the Internet to talk to others when they feel isolated. About half of the students reported family complaints about their spending less time with them. Consistent with these complaints, less than half of the survey respondents reported that they think themselves more effective offline than online. Responses on the behavioral problem sub-scale indicate that about half of the students used to reschedule their activities and studies in order to be able to go online, and also that they used to skip meals for spending more time on the Internet.
The answers to questions about physical problems showed migraine/headache, lack of sleep and backaches. In regards to psychological problems associated with Internet use, 61% reported that they stay online to forget their real life problems or avoid stress. A great number of students (67%) were using the Internet to copy articles for their studies, while 34.5% were using the Internet for accessing pornographic material.
Alternatively, a great majority of the students (84%) found the Internet helpful for worldwide communication; 78% reported that Internet use actually helped improving their grades; 74% agreed that their reading, writing and information processing skills had been expanded by using the Internet.
The study showed positive associations between time spent on the Internet and various dimensions of the IES indicating that excessive Internet use can lead to a host of problems of educational, physical, psychological and interpersonal nature.
This study showed positive associations between excessive time spent on the Internet and various problems on interpersonal, physical, educational, psychological, and behavioural dimensions. At the same time, the findings also indicated that the Internet could be used for enhancing one’s academic skills and achievements.
Although the current findings have important implications for students, parents and educationists, the results made allowances in light of the following limitations: the findings have been generated from self reports by the students and were not supplemented with other measures, such as parent/teacher reports or observational assessments; the sample was self-selected consisting of those who volunteered to participate, hence it might consist of those who were either negatively or positively affected by the Internet use; this study did not provide any information about the type of activities respondents were mostly involved with on the Internet, hence does not establish any possible links between different Internet activities and negative or positive behaviours of the subjects.
The research suggested that, without negating the advantages of Internet, Internet usage should be kept within reasonable limits and should focus more on activities that enhance users’ productivity.
I’m shocked that over a third of Pakistanis go on the internet to access indecent material?
Anyone here feeling ashamed?