Abstract:
Objectives: The present study examined excessive internet use of youths with moderate
Cerebral Palsy (CP) and their psychological states in Sensation Seeking (SS).
Methods: This study followed descriptive and correlation research design. Individuals aged 15
to 25 years with CP who were referred to Tehran rehabilitation centers were considered in the
study. The study sample (n=150) was randomly divided into two groups of internet dependents
(n=75; boys=45 and girls=30) and non-dependents (n=75; boys=45 and girls=30). Internet
Addiction Test and Sensation Seeking Scale have been used for data gathering. Data were
analyzed by using Pearson correlation coefficients, multivariable regression, x2 and T tests.
Results: Compared to non-dependents, the internet dependent group reported significantly
more negative internet influences on daily routines such as clinical problems, poor school
performance, regular nutrition, and relation with friends and family members. Both the
groups pointed that internet use enhanced virtual peer relationships and provided up-to-date
information. Internet dependents (both gender) scored significantly higher on disinhibition
sensation seeking subscale than the internet non-dependents. However, these two groups (both
gender) did not demonstrate significant differences in life experience seeking and thrill and
adventure seeking subscales, but their differences were sizable.
Discussion: It seems that internet applications direct or indirectly motive users to be online for
more hours than necessary. This is true for CP patients given their motor impairment. Based on
this research result, it seems that persons with CP because of lack of physical activities, motive
by internal stimulus and seeking their sensation from external stimulus like internet application
as well as for person with CP surfing in internet world and spent too much time on the internet
is leisure time not activity time.
Machine summary:
Research Paper: Internet Dependence and Sensation Seeking in Youth With Moderate Cerebral Palsy Saeed Rezayi1, Omid Massah2* 1.
Young (1999) suggested the following criteria to be con- sidered when diagnosing IAB existence of a significant clinical impairment or distress following obsession with the internet, craving to be online for a long period of time to gain satisfaction, failed frequent attempts to control in- ternet use, restlessness, mood related issues or irritation once making efforts to stop/end the use of internet, being online more than the planned time, putting a relationship or social status at risk due to internet use, disguise exceed- ed use of internet with therapy, and stay online as a coping strategy for depression or other problems [6].
Table 7 shows that there is a significant relation between internet dependence sub- scales and two dimensions of SS scales (susceptibility to boredom and disinhibition).
4. Discussion Our results showed that problematic internet usage of internet-dependent CP patients affected them in many aspects like psychological state (compulsive use/with- drawal and tolerance), social behaviors, emotional capa- bility, daily life harmony, making and developing rela- tion, sleep and rest situation, academic states, and many other dimensions of life (Tables 3, 4).
Regression results of sensation seeking (four dimensions and overall) in CP patients with internet dependence Participants Criterion Predictor (s) Beta T R2 F Compulsive use/ Withdrawal Susceptibility to boredom 0.
Contrarily, Lin (2002) and Tosun (2010) conducted a study on high school students in Taiwan and university students from Turkey, respectively, and reported higher scores for sensation seeking and lack of inhibition scale among internet users.