internet addiction definition

Internet adInternet Behavior Dependence, a form of Internet addiction, is an new disorder requiring informed response from addictions clinicians such as mental health counselors. We present a working definition for Internet Behavior Dependence (IBD), overview the prevalence rates and demographic profiles of dependent users, then review assessment criteria and treatment for IBD. In addition, we provide an example of Cognitive Therapy using the Case Management Summary recommended by Beck (1995diction: collegINTERNET BEHAVIOR DEPENDENCE DEFINED

A review of counseling literature reveals two basic definitions for Internet related disorders, both adapted from existing DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling and substance dependence. We review these and propose a third, which we base on cognitive-behavioral criteria consistent with a developmental approach.

Goldberg presented the first definition for Internet-related disorders, Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), as a behavioral addiction that serves as a coping mechanism and borrows from substance-dependence criteria from the DSM-IV (Garrison & Long, 1995, p. 20; Goldberg, 1996). Expanding the definition to include six "core components" of Internet addiction (salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflict, and relapse), Griffiths (1998) hypothesized that the source of this addiction could stem from one or more aspects of Internet use such as the process of typing, the medium of communication, the lack of face-to-face contact, Internet content (e.g., pornography), or online social activities (chat rooms, MUDs, bulletin boards, computer games). Complementing this definition is Kandell's (1998) definition of Internet addiction as including any type of activity once logged on to the Internet. In short, most people agree that Internet addiction could have several sources.

Young presented a second definition for Internet related disorders, Problematic Internet Use (PIU), another diagnostic term based on DSM-IV criteria associated with pathological gambling (Young, 1996; Young & Rogers, 1998a). This definition requires that individuals meet five of eight criteria for Internet addiction in order to qualify as an addict. Criteria for Problematic Internet Use include (Young, 1999):

1. Preoccupation with Internet

2. Need for longer amounts of time online

3. Repeated attempts to reduce Internet use

4. Withdrawal when reducing Internet use

5. Time management issues

6. Environmental distress (family, school, work, friends)

7. Deception around time spent online

8. Mood modification through Internet use

By using criteria similar to that of pathological gambling, Young implies that PIU bears more similarity to an impulse control disorder than to substance dependency.

A problem with the use of these two definitions and their associated criteria is that they neither rule out co-morbidity as a causal factor (Mitchell, 2000; Shapira, Goldsmith, Keck, Khosla, & McElroy, 2000), nor separate the medium from the message (Griffiths, 1998; Pratarelli, Browne, & Johnson, 1999), nor determine whether time on the Internet is related to normal work or to pathological addiction (Kiernan, 1998). Of more concern to mental health counselors who prefer a developmental perspective, both presume pathological etiology and both lack a theoretical base (Grohol, 1999). To address some of these concerns, Davis (1999) proposes a cognitive-behavioral model for PIU. Extending Young's definition, Davis proposes that problematic Internet use be categorized as Specific Pathological Internet Use (SPIU) and Generalized Pathological Internet Use (GPIU). The first describes using the Internet to heighten the intensity of a pre-existing addiction (e.g., gambling or pornography), whereas the second describes using the Internet generally (e.g., chatting, browsing, etc). Davis extends Young's original definition of PIU, by addressing both the message verses the medium and co-morbidity, arguing that PIU may be activated by a pre-existing pathology and may then become a unique addiction.

We present a third term for Internet-related disorders, Internet Behavior Dependence (IBD). We believe that maladaptive Internet use can impair cognitive, behavioral, and affective functioning in an otherwise healthy person, and we specifically do not endorse a pathological etiology for this problem. In contrast to the first two definitions already discussed, we presume that excessive Internet use is a benign problem in living, that behaviors compensate for a lack of satisfaction in other areas of life, and that behaviors lie within the scope of the ordinary person to correct. In short, we see this disorder simply as a maladaptive cognitive coping style that can be modified through basic cognitive-behavioral intervention. Consistent with an addictions orientation, we expect Internet addicted people to demonstrate "dependence" criteria such as those outlined by Rasmussen (2000): failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school or home; longer use with less enjoyment; restlessness, irritability, and anxiety when not using; extended use with unsuccessful attempts to cut down, control, or stop use; and continued use despite knowledge of physical, psychological, and social problems associated with excessive use. Our term, IBD, may be superior to previous definitions because it embraces a holistic and humanistic framework that complements our understanding of the client's world.

نهاد عبد الصبور محمد student case study using best practices in cognitive behavior therapy