Internet addiction among students of secondary schools in the context of family factors

Objectives. The aim of the study was to compare in terms of selected family factors the secondary school students being at risk and not at risk of Internet addiction. Material and methods. In the study the authors used the own-construction survey and the Internet Addiction Test by Young. A group of 129 boys attending secondary school were tested using those methods. Among the distinguished group of students there were 44 boys who met the criteria of being at risk of addiction to Internet, defined according to Young. Results and conclusions. 1. Boys being at risk of addiction to Internet significantly more often than boys not threatened believe that Internet allows them to escape from family conflicts, and they desire their parents to devote them as much time as Internet correspondents do. 2. Significantly more boys endangered by Internet addiction indicate a lack of support from family and lack of acceptance and understanding from his father when compared to those without the risk.