Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access

An investigation of factors that predict technological addiction

Joint Event on 24^th International Conference on psychiatry & psychosomatic medicine & 2^nd International Congress on forensic science and psychology

October 12-14, 2017 London, UK

Maria Abbas and George J Georgiou

University of Hertfordshire, UK

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Psychol Psychother

Abstract :

It can be said that pathological technology use is increasing over the years amongst individuals around the world. This includes the use of the internet, smartphones and social networking sites. However past research has focused on technological addiction as separate addictions and not as a whole. Furthermore, the factors that contribute to technological addiction have been ignored. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to identify the relationship between three types of technological addictions, (i.e. internet, smart phone and social networking addiction-SNA) to see if there was a common underlying component to these addiction, i.e. whether it is the medium itself that individuals get addicted to or the interactive activities provided by the technological medium. The second aim was to investigate which individual difference factors predict technological addiction and whether these were the same for all three types of technological addictions. A sample of 50 participants who used either technological mediums completed measures assessing technological addiction and variables that predicted addiction to technology using an online survey. Correlation analysis found that all three types of technological addictions were associated with one another. Furthermore, a second correlational analysis revealed that there were a range of predictor variables, such as loneliness and self-esteem that were strongly associated with each technological addiction. Moreover, a multiple regression analysis revealed that a similar range of predictor variables (loneliness and daily technological use) predicted each technological addiction (internet, smartphone and SNA). The outcome therefore suggests that clinicians should aim to invent interventions which can reduce addiction to technology, as this is becoming a sincere concern, especially amongst the youth of today.