A Preliminary Study on the Effectiveness of the Peer Relationship Enhancement Program in Adolescents at Risk for Internet and Smartphone Addiction

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the preliminary effects of the Peer Relationship Enhancement Program in adolescents deemed to be in an at-risk group for Internet and smartphone addiction. METHODS: The study group consisted of 33 adolescent participants (24 boys and 9 girls) at risk of Internet and smartphone addiction in small and medium-sized cities. The subjects participated in 8 consecutive sessions of the Peer Relationship Enhancement Program. The Korean Internet Addiction Proneness Scale, the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale, the Real-Ideal Self Discrepancy Scale, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Peer Intimacy Scale, and the Escaping from the Self Scale were evaluated before the initial and after the final session. A paired t-test was performed to statistically analyze the data. RESULTS: The Peer Relationship Enhancement Program led to a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in self-reported measures of The Korean Internet Addiction Proneness Scale, the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale, and the Real-Ideal Self Discrepancy Scale. CONCLUSION: The Peer Relationship Enhancement Program reduces the risk of Internet and smartphone addiction and effectively prevents the associated problems.

The Relationship between Parent's and Offspring's Personality and Offspring's Psychological Adaptation

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between personality of parent and offspring, and offspring's psychological adaptation. METHODS: We examined temperament and character of 65 parents and their offspring (measured using the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory and Temperament and Character Inventory) and offspring's internalizing (anxiety, depression) and externalizing (delinquency, hyperactivity) problems. RESULTS: The internalizing problems of offspring were positively associated with harm avoidance (HA) of offspring and parent, and negatively associated with self-directedness (SD) of offspring and parent. The externalizing problems of offspring were positively associated with novelty seeking of offspring, and were predicted by SD of parent. The interaction between parent's HA and offspring's HA predicted higher levels of anxiety of offspring. CONCLUSION: The association between the offspring's personality and internalizing and externalizing problems can depend on the personality of the parent.

Differences of Psychosocial Vulnerability Factors between Internet and Smartphone Addiction Groups Consisting of Children and Adolescents in a Small to Medium-Sized City

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between internet addiction, smartphone addiction, and psychosocial factors. This study was designed to examine the vulnerability factors for internet and smartphone addiction. METHODS: The participants were 1041 children and adolescents in a small and medium-sized cities. All of the participants were evaluated in terms of their demographic characteristics and present use of the internet and smartphone, as well as using internet and smartphone addiction and other psychological scales. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the psychosocial factors between the high risk, potential risk, and general user groups of internet and smartphone addiction. RESULTS: The participants were classified into three groups, the high risk (N=33), potential risk (N=203), and general user (N=805) groups with regard to their internet and smartphone addiction level. There were statistical significantly differences between the groups in terms of the economic status of the family, academic performance, parents, use of internet and smartphone, loneliness, family cohesion, family adaptability, perceived social support, and peer relationship. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the internet and smartphone addiction of children and adolescents is related to various psychosocial vulnerability factors.

Temperament and Character Traits of Adolescents by Ego Resilience and Ego Control Level

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of present study is to identify the differences between temperament and character traits among adolescents classified by ego resilience and ego control level. METHODS: A Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was performed on participants, and a California Child Q-Test (CCQ) was tested for by the parents of the adolescent participants. RESULTS: The result of the factor analysis and discriminant analysis show that the participants are classified into three different groups based on CCQ score and item response patterns. The three groups are named the ego resilience group, the undercontrolled group, and the overcontrolled group. The ego resilience group indicates that they have a high level of interest and curiosity but yet they are not easily tempered. Moreover, they behave proactively with a reasonable level of responsibility in order to improve themselves. In contrast, among the undercontrolled group, it is observed that, although the group shows even higher level of interest, curiosity and honesty, they are careless, more impulsive, and have a lack of delayed gratification and shame. CONCLUSION: The overcontrolled group shows that they are the most cautious and reflective group among the three but also show emotional instability such as strong criticism and passive-aggressiveness. In this study, implications and limitations are discussed.