Susan Snyder, Georgia State University – Problematic Internet Usage Among College Students

The internet makes college easier; but can it be too much of a good thing?

Susan Snyder, assistant professor in the school of social work at Georgia State University, determines that problematic use of the internet can have adverse effects on key areas of a college student’s life.

Dr. Susan M. Snyder is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. Dr. Snyder has over a decade of practice experience in the field of child welfare, which informs her commitment to advancing research in the field. Dr. Snyder investigates the sequelae of problem behavior, including substance use and illegal behaviors, among maltreated and system-involved youth. Dr. Snyder’s research has been published in leading journals such as PLOS ONE, Children Youth Services Review, Substance Use Misuse, and Child Abuse and Neglect. Dr. Snyder was recognized as the Most Outstanding and Most Innovative Faculty Member by the 2015 MSW Class at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, before joining GSU. She received her Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and her MSW and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Problematic Internet Usage Among College Students

On college campuses the Internet is nearly ubiquitous. Almost 100% of university students use the Internet, but for some students excessive Internet use negatively affects their relationships, their health, and their academic performance. Individuals are considered to have problematic Internet use when their use shares characteristics of substance use disorders, such as difficulty reducing Internet use, being preoccupied with the Internet or lying to conceal Internet use. Individuals with problematic Internet use have been found to experience negative mental health consequences including trouble sleeping, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, hostility, social phobia, overuse of alcohol, and self-injurious behavior.

In a recent study with my colleagues Wen Li and Jennifer O’Brien, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill doctoral students, and UNC Professor Matthew O. Howard that investigates problematic Internet use among college students,  we wondered how problematic Internet use affected students’ relationships with their families, and our this is the first study to investigate that question.  The answer is mixed: there are both positive and negative effects on students’ family relationships.

Our study’s participants reported that the Internet connected them to their family, an important benefit for students away from home. Other participants reported that their Internet use created family conflicts because when they were home they were on the Internet rather than interacting with family.

Unsurprisingly, some college students with problematic Internet use reported that their families also overuse the Internet. Several participants described their parents as constantly checking their email, or unable to set boundaries on Internet use for their younger siblings. For example, some younger siblings would use devices well into the middle of the night without consequences.

While Internet use may have both positive and negative effects on students’ family relationships, those who suffer adverse consequences may have difficulty disconnecting because of requirements to use Internet for classes. More research is needed to figure out how to help students exist in a connected world, without getting too much of a good thing.