Net escapism in high school students: A structure analysis of the effect of depression on harmful consequences

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  • OHNO Shiro
    立教女学院短期大学現代コミュニケーション学科

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  • 高校生のネット逃避―抑うつから実害への構造分析
  • コウコウセイ ノ ネット トウヒ : ヨクウツ カラ ジツガイ エ ノ コウゾウ ブンセキ

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Abstract

With the proliferation of social networks, video-sharing sites, and online games, there are increasing opportunities to engage in “net escapism,” that is, using a web service to escape from a depressed mood and stress, which has particularly increased in adolescents. Net escapism contributes to Internet addiction, and is believed to lead to harmful consequences in everyday life. However, the relationship between net escapism and harmful consequences has not been adequately studied. In the present study, a questionnaire survey was carried out with metropolitan high school students (n=15,191) to ex-amine whether depression led to the harmful consequences, and if this effect was mediated by net es-capism and Internet addiction. Additionally, the path structure of this influence was verified.<br>Covariance structure analysis revealed the following model: Depression-Escapism-Addiction-Harmful consequences. Depression influenced net escapism (.23) and potential Internet addiction (.04), net es-capism influenced potential Internet addiction (.66) and harmful consequences (.06), and potential In-ternet addiction influenced harmful consequences (.72). This model suggested that net escapism is strongly linked to harmful consequences through Internet addiction. Thus, with reference to psycho-logical stress factors such as depression, it is important to find effective coping strategies as substitutes for net escapism.

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