A Two-Phase Study of Internet Dependence and Psychosocial Determinants Among Professional College Students

Technology has always played a decisive role in the lives of human beings

more now in this era of fast communication and movement. Internet, as a network of

communication has penetrated the world at an enormous speed touching human lives

more than ever. The computers changed the whole perception of the world and the

Internet has revolutionized the way we even think and behave. As we celebrate World

Internaut Day ("Internaut day", 2016) every year, the Internet is catching up with the

fancies of people worldwide with greater innovations and technical perfections. Its

deleterious effects are also beginning to show up in terms of problematic-use, misuse,

crimes and other fraudulent practices. As adolescents and young adults are the

rampant users of the Internet a detailed analysis of their use pattern and factors

affecting Internet use becomes one of the most pressing needs of the day. It is in this

context that the present study tries to analyse Problematic Internet Use or Internet

Addiction among professional college students of North Malabar region of Kerala.