Internet addiction and Romanian children

The most common reasons parents cite for buying home computers are children's education (36 percent). Likewise, parents cite education (45 percent) as the most common motivation for their children to use the Internet from home.

Method: The survey included a representative sample of 245 school students of ages 11 to 14. All of the students came from 7 high schools of Iasi, Romania. The students answered to a questionnaire comprising 34 questions related to internet activities. These were aimed at highlighting: 1.The frequency of internet use by the students; 2. The interference of excessive use with academic performance, socialization, personality; 3. The identification of a possible pathological internet use.

Results: Results show that the school students prefer to spend a considerable amount of time with their computers, over 5 hours/day. The purpose of this article is to describe how internet use affect socialization, academic performance, personality and to discuss how identity are constructed in cyberspace.

Conclusion: Some researchers have argued that the Internet provides a community to belong to as other more traditional types of communities are breaking down through urbanization and other social changes. It has been suggested that people with low selfesteem turn to the Internet to reduce the chances of rejection, to find support, and to discuss their emotions. Other scholars have suggested that the appeal of the Internet lies in the possibility it offers to construct a new identity for oneself.

C. Stefanescu, G. Chele and A.D. Cantemir

University Hospital of Psychiatry Socola, Iasi, Romania

University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr. T. Popa”Iasi, Iasi, Romania

P0066.
Available online 28 March 2008.

Poster Session III: Alcoholism And Addiction

European Psychiatry
Volume 23, Supplement 2, April 2008, Page S322
16th AEP Congress - Abstract book, 16th AEP Congress