College Students and Problematic Internet Use: A Pilot Study Assessing Self-Appraisal and Independent Behavior Change

Purpose: Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is a growing health concern; universal screening and validated interventions remain elusive. This pilot study's purpose was to assess participants' self-appraisal of PIU risk, and the subsequent frequency and outcome of behavior change after validated PIU screening. Methods: In this 3-year study, college student participants reported yearly self-appraised PIU risk, and then completed a problematic and risky internet use screening scale. At Time 3, participants reported behavior change based on Time 2 screening. Results: Our 283 participants were 57% female and 75% Caucasian. Participants' self-appraisal of PIU risk had a sensitivity of 23%-39%. Of 29 participants at risk at Time 2, six (20.6%) reported attempted behavior change at Time 3, though 83.3% remained at risk. Conclusions: College students have varied capacity to assess and implement effective behavior change regarding PIU. The role of providers in identification and intervention for PIU remains critical. (C) 2018 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.