Digital Addiction and Stress: The Impact of Problematic Internet Use Among University Students

This descriptive and correlational study aimed to explore the relationship between problematic internet use, digital addiction, and stress coping styles among university students. In the spring semester of 2022-2023, a total of 417 associate and undergraduate students participated in the study. In the study, Introductory Information Form, Youth Internet Addiction Scale, Multiscreen Addiction Scale, Digital Game Addiction Scale, Social Media Addiction Scale and Stress Coping Styles Scale were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Spearman's correlation, and hierarchical regression analyses. Results showed that all students used the internet. Effective coping methods, such as confident and optimistic approaches, correlated with decreased internet, multi-screen, and social media addiction scores. Ineffective coping methods, like helpless and submissive approaches, correlated with increased digital games, internet, multi-screen, and social media addiction scores. Internet, multi-screen, digital games, and social media addiction scores explained 24% of the helpless approach score. Factors such as poor self-expression, higher internet addiction, multi-screen addiction, and lack of sports activities increased helpless approach scores (p < .05). In conclusion, educational programs are recommended to raise awareness about the conscious and safe use of technology and effective stress-coping strategies among university students.University students, problematic internet use, digital addictions, coping, stress.