Relationship between Internet Addiction Anxiety and Loneliness among Young Adults in Mumbai

ABSTRACT

Background: The present study is empirical in nature and explores the relationship between internet addiction and anxiety, internet addiction and loneliness and anxiety and loneliness. Methodology: Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze whether any significant positive correlation exists amongst the variables. In this study 165 young adults age range of 18- 25 years living in Mumbai was administered the Internet Addiction Test, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3. Results: It was found that there was a significant positive correlation between internet addiction and anxiety, where the r value was 0.266 which was significant at 0.01 level, i.e. (r= .266, p<.01). A significant positive correlation was found between internet addiction and loneliness, where the r value was 0.297 which was significant at 0.01 level, i.e. (r= .297, p<.01). A significant positive correlation was found between anxiety and loneliness, where the r value was 0.646 which was significant at 0.01 level, i.e. (r= .646, p< .01). Also, internet addiction was found to be predictor of anxiety (R= 0.266, R2= 0.71, (F= 12.445) = .001, sig). Internet Addiction was also found to be a predictor of loneliness (R= 0.297, R2= 0.88, (F= 15.776) = .0001, sig). Thus, the hypotheses of this study were validated. Conclusions: Further studies in larger samples and diverse populations are needed to validate the findings of the current study