Dóra Katalin Prievara: The Consequences and Prevention Opportunities of Problematic Internet use Among Schoolchildren

Nowadays, the internet has become an essential part of young people’s lives. Thanks to wireless systems, children can be online almost anytime and anywhere. Hence, it is important to realize the positive and negative effects of the online world. In addition to cyberbullying, the biggest disadvantage of internet use is that it can lead to user addiction. Problematic internet use has a negative influence on people’s everyday lives, social relationships, and mental and physical health. Correlations have been shown with social anxiety, depression, stress, aggression, shyness, lack of social support and a distorted relationship with parents as well. These results suggest that problematic use may be a compensation mechanism against lonely and boring weekdays, that is, escapism from reality. Users can spend numerous hours a day in front of a computer, neglecting other activities, such as studying, eating or sleeping. The aim of this review is to summarize the results of research on internet use with a focus on the various dangers of the virtual world and on the role of parents and teachers in prevention. It is recommended that parents and teachers should start to teach appropriate usage to children as early as possible because children start to use the internet at the age of nine on average. Adults should also pay attention to young people’s online activities and the amount of time they spend online. They also need to understand these new technologies so they can provide appropriate assistance. The most important task is not to leave young people alone with the virtual world. Supervision and conscious use are key to prevention against an addictive online presence, and children need to have ready access to adults with their questions.

MAGYAR PEDAGÓGIA 116. Number 2. 151-169. (2016)

Levelezési cím / Address for correspondence: Prievara Dóra Katalin, Szegedi Tudomány¬egyetem Neveléstudományi Doktori Iskola, H–6722 Szeged, Petőfi Sándor sgt. 30–34.

 
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