Adolescents Problematic Internet Use: Family factors Systematic review

Abstract

Background and aims: Among factors influencing the development of Adolescent Internet Addiction familial factors have a serious contribution. The present review examined some results of research on family factors influencing adolescent problematic internet use. Methods: We examined overall 22 studies published during the period 2013-2018 that included following variables: 1) Parent-child relationship; 2) family structure and functioning; 3)Parenting approaches 4) Parental attitude toward internet use; 5) Parental on-line behaviour 6) Parental mental health; 7)family violence.
Results: Majority of studies concerned with parent-child relationship reporting that poor quality of such relationship negatively affects adolescent problematic internet use. Parental internet attitude and rules demonstrated ambiguous and gender-dependent data, it seems that overall caring supervision on adolescents daily activity affects negatively problematic internet use and rules in case of boys. Also, the study revealed a variety of assessment tools which may be the cause of ambiguity in some cases. The review revealed lack of studies concerning on the parental behaviour and mental health, though it’s obvious that researchers should focus more on those factors. Discussion: Our analysis reported that parent-child relationship affects adolescents online behaviour. Family functioning high scores seem to be protective factors. As long as the internet plays important role in contemporary daily lives it should be considered the online behaviour of adults who are responsible for the raising children as well as their attitude towards the use of the internet. Conclusions: Family-related variables need to be regarded while treating problematic internet use in adolescents in direction of the more caring atmosphere within family and parents mental health should be considered as well.