The Interrelationship of Internet Addiction, Adolescents’ Conflict with Parents, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support, and Happiness

E. Onsroudi

S. Hosseinian, Ph D

F. Salehi, M.A.

F. Mo’meni

The present study investigated the interrelationship of internet addiction, adolescents’ conflict with parents, multidimensional perceived social support and happiness among Tehrani eighth- grade boys in 2013-1014 academic year. Random cluster sampling method was used and 60 students were selected from public and private schools. The sample was divided to two groups of addicts (N=30) and non-addicts (N=30) with GPAs of 15-17. The instrumentation consisted of Young's Internet Addiction Questionnaire (1998), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and Adolescent Conflict with Parents Questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed through t-test. Results indicated that there was a significant relationship between perceived social support and Internet addiction. More specifically, the higher the family’s perceived social support, the lower the Internet addiction, whereas no significant association was observed between friends and significant others’ perceived social support and Internet addiction. Furthermore, no relationship was observed between happiness and Internet addiction. And finally, the higher the adolescents’ conflict with parents, the higher the tendency to Internet addiction.

Key words: Internet addiction, multidimensional perceived social support, happiness, adolescents’ conflict with parents