Purpose: This study was done to identify the scope of internet addiction in school age children in early grades of elementary school in Korea, and to identify factors affecting internet addiction fur these children.
Method: The participants were 408 children from in grades 1 to 4 in four urban elementary schools. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires which were constructed to include a parent-child internet addiction test, a self-control rating scale, and a scale of parent control of on-line use. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program.
Results: Of the children, 71.6% reported being average on-line users, 27.9%, heavy on-line users, and 0.5%, internet addicted. Self control and parent control of on-line use for average on-line users were different from that of heavy on-line users. Significant predictors influencing internet addiction were time spent on-line, self control, gender, father’’s occupation, on-line games, on-line use alone, and conversation with parents. These predictors accounted for 42% of variance in internet addiction.
Conclusion: The prevalence of heavy on-line use in children was higher than expected, and internet addiction was influenced by self control, time spent on-line, and related factors. Therefore nursing interventions for prevention and management of internet addiction need to be developed and provided to these children.
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