A Review of Research on Problematic Internet Use and Well-Being: With Recommendations for the U.S. Air Force

Abstract

To help the Air Force understand the implications of the Internet, social media, and other information and communication technologies (ICTs) for Airmen s social support networks, mental health, suicide prevention programs, and outreach, RAND conducted a survey of 3,479 active-duty, guard, and reserve Airmen in 2012. Using survey responses weighted to represent the gender, age group, component and officer/enlisted composition of the force, RAND found that 6 percent of the sample scored on the negative end of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) (Caplan, 2010, pp. 1089 1097). This 15-item scale measures indicators of undesirable behavior such as turning to the Internet when feeling down or lonely, thinking obsessively about going online, having difficulty controlling Internet use, and experiencing adverse life events due to Internet use. Among Airmen, negative GPIUS2 scores were significantly correlated with poor self-rated mental health, depressed mood, and loneliness. If the survey results are representative, more than 30,000 Airmen may be struggling with unhealthy patterns of Internet use. These findings are documented in a previous RAND report, entitled, Information and Communication Technologies To Promote Social And Psychological Well- Being In The Air Force: A 2012 Survey Of Airmen (Miller, Martin, Yeung, Trujillo, and Timmer, 2014). This report documents follow-on research providing the Air Force with a more in-depth review of the current state of knowledge on problematic Internet use (PIU), with special attention to populations and considerations most relevant for the military population and setting. It also draws implications for military leaders interested in potentially identifying, tracking, treating, or learning more about PIU within their organization. This report is written for both military and general readers. Subject-matter expertise is not required.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2015
Accession Number
ADA615994

Entities

People

  • Eric R. Pedersen
  • Eyal Aharoni
  • Joshua Breslau
  • Laura L. Miller

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Business Administration
  • Depression
  • Families (Human)
  • Health Services
  • Human Behavior
  • Management Personnel
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Psychotherapy
  • Social Media
  • United States
  • Video Games

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Occupational Health and Safety.
  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.