Alexithymia, coping styles and interpersonal behavior in the context of Internet addiction.(ADDICTIONS, URGES AND CRAVINGS: TOWARDS BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENTS)(Report)

Introduction

Firstly, Internet addiction is a complex phenomenon that is not fully understood yet [1]. The hallmark of this work is a wide spectrum approach to the study of the relationship between man and technology using heterogeneous psychology tools (dependence, alexithymia, coping, assertiveness).

The main hypotheses of this study are:

* H1--Whether there is a positive correlation between Internet abuse and alexithymic behavior

* H2--Whether there is a positive correlation between Internet abuse and interpersonal behavior discomfort

* H3--Whether Internet-addicted and non-addicted subjects show a substantial difference in the use of coping strategies

* H4--Whether a different attitude towards the "virtual environment" correlates with the risk of Internet addiction.

Methods

The study was carried out on a sample of 200 university and professional school students of aged between 18-34 years (mean=22.11; standard deviation= 2.99).

The subjects were administered the following tests:

* TAS-20 [2];

* IAT (Internet Addicion Test) [3] [4];

* COPE-NVI (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced--Nuova Verione Italiana) [5];

* SIB short version (Scale for Interpersonal Behavior) [6].

Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS software. Correlation among IAT, TAS-20 and SIB scores was assessed with the Pearson correlation coefficient. For the differential analyses significance was assessed with the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis H test.

Results

Our results confirm the existence of a correlation between Internet abuse and alexithymic behavior (H1) (r=0.363, p< 0.01) [7] and between Internet abuse and interpersonal behavior discomfort (H2) (r=0.172, p< 0.05). We found a positive correlation between IAT and SIB scores in discomfort (r=0.172, p< 0.05), in particular in expressing and managing personal limits (r=0.196, p< 0.01) and in initiative assertiveness (r=0.172, p< 0.05). Comparison between Internet-addicted and non-addicted subjects confirmed the existence of characteristic coping strategies (H3) in an addictive use of the net. The subjects that showed an addictive use of the net preferentially use avoidance strategies when challenged with stressful events (U=1107.5, p< 0.01) and refrain from a problem solving approach (U=1553, p< 0.05). By grouping the subjects by their attitude towards the "virtual environment" (attraction, fear or neutral) we identified significant differences in Internet abuse and addiction (H4) (H=15.310, p< 0.01): those attracted by the "virtual world" show increased tendency towards Internet abuse and avoidance strategies (H=13.799, p< 0.01) and show decreased tendency towards strategies such as humor and religion (H=13.799, p< 0.01).

Conclusions

We find that alexithymic behavior is associated with Internet abuse. In the net, alexithymic subjects may find a means of encapsulation and neutralization of their own emotional states: techno-mediated experiences may function as an external regulator of feelings. As far as coping strategies are concerned, there is an evident correlation between addiction and avoidance strategies. This correlation is well documented in the literature about drug addiction and appears to be pertinent to addictive Internet usage as well.

Those who abuse the net show increased discomfort in managing their relationships with other people and in expressing limits, needs and wants from a verbal and a behavioral point of view. Such discomfort is shown independently of the number of daily interactions the subject actually experiences. Such discomfort is not linked to an actual failure in social interactions but rather to a systematic negative opinion of one's own role in interpersonal relationships.

Clinically, our evidence suggests that Internet addiction should be approached by keeping in mind both the subject's personality and his social adaptation. Future studies will address the correlation between these two variables.

References

[1] Mark Griffiths, Does Internet and Computer "Addiction" Exist? Some Case Study Evidence, CyberPsychology & Behavior 3 (2000), 211-218.

[2] Cinzia Bressi, Graeme Taylor, James Parker, & al., Cross Validation of the Factor Structure of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale: an Italian Study, Journal of Psychosomatic Research 41 (1996), 551-559.

[3] Kimberly S. Young, Internet Addiction: the Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder, CyberPsychology & Behavior 1 (1998), 237-244.

[4] Giovanni Ferraro, Barbara Caci, Antonella D'Amico, Marie Di Blasi, Internet Addiction Disorder: an Italian Study, CyberPsychology & Behavior 10 (2007), 170175.

[5] Claudio Sica, Cristina Magni, Marta Ghisi, & al., Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced--New Italian Version, Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale 14 (2008), 27-53.

[6] Willem Arrindel, Cristiana Bartolini, Sanavio Ezio, Italian Version of the Scale for Interpersonal Behavior, Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale 5 (1999), 99-107.

[7] Domenico De Bernardis, Alessandro D'Albenzio, Francesco Gambi, & al., Alexithymia and Its Relationships with Dissociative Experiences and Internet Addiction in a Nonclinical Sample, CyberPsychology & Behavior 12 (2009), 67-69.

Francesco Conti (a), (1) and Ivan Formica (a)

(a) Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, University of Messina, Italy

(1) Corresponding author:

Francesco Conti

Department of Pedagogy and Psychology

University of Messina, Italy

E-mail: fconti81@gmail.com