Internet addiction : professional discourse and user attitudes

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes toward the concept of Internet addiction among college students and practicing psychology professionals in the community of Lynchburg, Virginia. 136 undergraduate college students and 28 clinicians participated in this study. Contradicting the initial prediction that there would not be a majority who either accepted or rejected Internet addiction as a real phenomenon, the majority of survey respondents stated they believed Internet addiction is real. 83.8% of students had heard of Internet addiction, 78.1 % believed it is real, and 54% believed it could be enough of a problem to require professional treatment. All therapists in the study had heard of Internet addiction, but while all but one said Internet addiction could require professional treatment, 46.4% said they felt it does not belong in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a clinical disorder. 89 .3% of the therapists had seen clients in their practices who exhibited patterns of Internet use that could be considered Internet addiction. Students offered descriptions of those they knew who showed signs of problematic Internet use, and nearly all practitioners indicated they had seen at least one client who could be considered addicted to the Internet. This study has shown Internet addiction is considered a real phenomenon among the population surveyed. Further research should be conducted to address and possibly treat this phenomenon that has been recognized by users, clinicians and scholars.