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Does Life Satisfaction Mediate the Association between Socioeconomic Status and Excessive Internet Use?

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  • Laura Bitto Urbanova

    (Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia)

  • Jana Holubcikova

    (Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia)

  • Andrea Madarasova Geckova

    (Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Univerzitni 22, 771 11 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

  • Sijmen A. Reijneveld

    (Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Department of Community and Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands)

  • Jitse P. van Dijk

    (Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, PJ Safarik University, Trieda SNP 1, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia
    Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Univerzitni 22, 771 11 Olomouc, Czech Republic
    Department of Community and Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Excessive Internet use is becoming a rapidly increasing problem in today’s society. Our aim was to assess the association between socioeconomic status (SES) of the family and excessive Internet use (EIU), and whether life satisfaction mediates this association. We analyzed data from a representative sample of 2844 Slovak adolescents (mean age 14.34, 50.5% boys) from the 2014 Health Behavior in School aged Children (HBSC) study, based on self-report questionnaires. We assessed the association of SES, measured by several indicators, such as perceived family wealth, parental education, and (un)employment, and adolescent EIU using linear regression, adding life satisfaction as a mediator. Adolescents whose father was unemployed and whose perceived family wealth was low tended to score higher on EIU. Neither gender nor age affected this relationship. Life satisfaction mediated a part of the association between SES and EIU in the case of low perceived family wealth and father’s (un)employment. Adolescents with a low SES are more likely to become excessive Internet users, and life satisfaction mediates this association. Prevention of EIU among adolescents should be targeted at those with low SES, with life satisfaction being the topic to address.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Bitto Urbanova & Jana Holubcikova & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Sijmen A. Reijneveld & Jitse P. van Dijk, 2019. "Does Life Satisfaction Mediate the Association between Socioeconomic Status and Excessive Internet Use?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-10, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:20:p:3914-:d:276633
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anna Faltýnková & Lukas Blinka & Anna Ševčíková & Daniela Husarova, 2020. "The Associations between Family-Related Factors and Excessive Internet Use in Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-11, March.
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    3. Daniel T. L. Shek & Wenyu Chai & Kaiji Zhou, 2023. "Risk Factors and Protective Factors of Internet Addiction in University Students during the Pandemic: Implications for Prevention and Treatment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-17, May.

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