Abstract
Free access to information technology and digital innovation is one of the drivers of progress in various fields, including education. However, the availability of the Internet, as the main platform with many informative and entertainment functions, can be a negative factor influencing the formation of addiction. In particular, students who actively use the functionality of the World Wide Web demonstrate high rates of spending time online, which ultimately affects not only their academic performance but also their emotional state negatively.
Evaluating the current findings on this topic and obtaining objective information from the target audience by conducting qualitative research can help confirm the issue exists. This research proposal is aimed at describing the relevance of the analysis of the proposed problem and identifying a positive correlation between Internet addiction among students, their emotional burden, and low academic performance.
Problem Background
As the most active user audience, students spend much time on the Internet, which can be the reason for the development of real addiction. In their study, Ambad et al. (2017) analyze Asian countries and note that depending on the regions, the rates of Internet addiction among young people vary “between 2.4% to 37.9%” (p. 87). Such indicators are critically high and reflect the urgency of the problem since, in a global context, the numbers are alarming.
The situation is challenging due to the fact that, in addition to affecting students’ academic performance negatively, their emotional state deteriorates. Kakaraki et al. (2017) assess the impact of Internet addiction on individual personality traits of the participants involved. According to their research, the strongest influences are manifested in transformed conscientiousness associated with depression, emotional instability, and closeness to experience (Kakaraki et al., 2017). Students are ready to spend most of their free time in the online space, which transforms their psyche and makes them adapt to the specific conditions of virtual communication.
The spread of social media is an additional incentive that influences the urgency of the problem. Kumar et al. (2018) note that Internet addiction is a mental health issue and a cause of psychiatric disorders manifested in isolation from society and associated depressive moods. Therefore, from the perspective of emotional impacts, this type of addiction is dangerous and carries numerous threats to students’ well-being and mental health.
In terms of its impact on academic performance, the issue of Internet addiction is equally acute. As the time spent online increases, young people lose interest in learning and show the lack of initiative. Moreover, according to Kakaraki et al. (2017), based on the results of their research, the excessive use of Internet resources “resulted in academic performance deterioration, even for students who previously had excellent grades” (p. 153). This means that regardless of personal backgrounds, all students without exception are at risk of Internet addiction in case of uncontrolled use of online resources.
Khan et al. (2016) argue that while virtual instruments potentially increase students’ chances of successful learning, unlimited time on the World Wide Web is negatively correlated with academic performance. The reason lies in various factors, for instance, the lack of motivation, irrational time management, and other criteria that provoke addiction. Ultimately, students lose the ability to assess individual learning outcomes adequately, and their productivity declines, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for poor learning and possible expulsion.
The aforementioned reasons and statistical correlations are powerful arguments supporting the urgency of the problem of Internet addiction and its impact on students emotional state and academic performance. In the context of digitalization and the growing influence of social media, the relevance of the issue is increasing. To conduct an objective assessment, research involving the target group of participants need to be conducted.
Methodology
The planned research will be qualitative, and the information from the participants involved will be obtained through interviews and questionnaires. This type of work allows receiving the most objective data from the target audience and assessing the reaction of the study members to the questions regarding Internet addiction and its consequences. The total research time will take about two months, and most of them will be devoted to interaction with the participants. To obtain accurate totals, digital scoring tools will be utilized to eliminate bias and avoid mistakes.
Research Design
As the main research design, a phenomenological approach will be applied. According to Kurniasih (2017), who also addresses the proposed problem of Internet addiction, this research principle is based on assessing specific experiences through the prism of individual perception. In other words, the involved participants will share their experiences and ideas regarding Internet addiction, the manifestations of the issue, and its impact on such aspects as emotional state and academic performance. The specific prerequisites cited by the study members will help assess risk factors and early determinants of addiction to draw objective conclusions about the ways to avoid the problem. Through a phenomenological approach, the issue in question can be studied individually, which increases the credibility of the results and expands the spectrum of potential manifestations of this social challenge.
Variables
Two types of variables will be used in the planned study – one independent variable and two dependent ones. As an independent variable, Internet addiction will be suggested to review. As dependent variables, student emotional state and academic performance will be assessed. Given the relationship between these variables evaluated through the participants’ individual experiences, the perceived problem will be addressed, and relevant conclusions will be drawn.
Sample and Ethical Considerations
A random sampling method cannot be applied for this research because specific individual questions are studied, which are not typical for all people without exception. Accordingly, a selective sampling principle will be utilized, and as a target group, at least 20 students from both junior and senior years of colleges and universities will be involved. Participant engagement can be either remotely via social media and emails or directly in educational institutions. The participants will be told the goals and objectives of the study, and their experience of Internet addiction will be clarified.
Demographic restrictions are not critical, but the age group is limited to address the issue among the student population. All aspects of confidentiality will be taken into account, and the target group’s consent to the processing of their data will be obtained. To avoid bias associated with the inadequate assessment of personal experiences by the students involved, at the interview stage, the appropriate questions will reveal the reality of the experienced addiction.
Data Collection
Two key data collection tools will be utilized – interviews and questionnaires. During the interview stage, conversations with each participant will be conducted to determine the subjective perception of the study members of the problem of Internet addiction. Through common questions, their views will be assessed to evaluate how serious the problem is and what common and distinctive features of its manifestations are possible. After completing all interviews, the participants will be given questionnaires with more precise and detailed questions. Specific criteria will be included in the questions, and relevant categories will be highlighted, particularly the impacts of Internet addiction on emotional well-being and academic performance. Based on a special rating scale, for instance, a five-point Likert scale, responses will be analyzed from the perspective of agreeing or disagreeing with the proposed parameters. Subsequently, through the evaluation of the answers obtained, the strongest correlations between the variables in question and manifestations of the issue will be obtained.
Limitations
As the limitations, one can highlight the age threshold for the participants and the narrow context of the problem. In addition to emotional distress and academic failure, Internet addiction can be fraught with other problems. However, as part of the planned study, two dependent variables will be considered to obtain accurate outcomes. An age threshold is needed to identify relevant trends among the target population group.
Planned Outcomes
While taking into account the research methodology and the key issue, the data on Internet addiction and its impact on emotional well-being and academic performance are expected to be comprehensive and rich. The experience of specific students will allow obtaining objective results, and real implications of the presented problem on the analyzed aspects of life will be obtained. The outcomes can be used to conduct a broader study involving different age groups.
References
Ambad, S. N. A., Kalimin, K. M., & Yusof, K. M. A. A. K. (2017). The effect of Internet addiction on students’ emotional and academic performance. E-Academia Journal, 6(1), 86-98.
Javaeed, A., Jeelani, R., Gulab, S., & Ghauri, S. K. (2020). Relationship between internet addiction and academic performance of undergraduate medical students of Azad Kashmir. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 36(2), 229-233.
Kakaraki, S., Tselios, N., & Katsanos, C. (2017). Internet addiction, academic performance, and personality traits: A correlational study among female university students. International Journal of Learning Technology, 12(2), 151-164.
Khan, M. A., Alvi, A. A., Shabbir, F., & Rajput, T. A. (2016). Effect of Internet addiction on academic performance of medical students. Journal of Islamic International Medical College, 11(2), 48-51.
Kumar, S., Kumar, A., Badiyani, B., Singh, S. K., Gupta, A., & Ismail, M. B. (2018). Relationship of internet addiction with depression and academic performance in Indian dental students. Clujul Medical, 91(3), 300-306.
Kurniasih, N. (2017). Internet addiction, lifestyle, or mental disorder? A phenomenological study on social media addiction in Indonesia. KnE Social Sciences, 135-144.