The present study resulted in several practical implications for a wide range of stakeholders in the area of adolescent well-being. These stakeholders include schools (e.g., school-related policy makers, teachers, counsellors and educational psychologists), researchers and practitioners interested in IA and/or adolescent well-being, parents, Internet-based service operating companies, and service and interface designers and product developers.
Similarly, the research process followed in the study, which includes instrument development and validation, could act as a source of inspiration and guidance for other IA researchers and practitioners who are interested in developing similar assessment instruments.
Schools are considered important stakeholders of adolescent well-being since adolescents spend a considerable part of their time each day (e.g., 6-7 hours per day in India) inside the school premises. During our field studies in Indian schools (May 2012, December 2012, December 2013 & December 2014), school staff were worried that young adolescents are becoming more vulnerable to CIU (e.g., based on the teachers’ observations inside the classrooms). However, ironically, schools, including the teachers, have no means to measure if a certain population of adolescents is in fact experiencing CIU. Mere observations, anecdotal evidence, and word-of-mouth negative publicity about Internet use do not produce any concrete results. To serve this desperate need of Indian schools, this research study was started in January 2012. Based on our extensive field studies, which also included one-to-one and one-to-many interaction with schoolteachers and students, it was found that schools really need a valid and reliable mechanism of screening or at least determining those who are more vulnerable to CIU. This need is fulfilled to some extent by the tested,
validated, and reliable self-reporting assessment instruments for CIU (including general Internet use and compulsive use of specific Internet activities, e.g. WA) developed as part of this thesis. These assessment instruments can be utilized for the quick and timely screening of compulsive Internet users, in addition to providing immediate feedback on the severity of one’s own CIU. Because the developed instruments do not require any working knowledge of the clinical testing, they will be useful for counsellors, social workers, educators, parents, child psychologists and other clinical practitioners, if the users are provided with sufficient knowledge of how to calculate the cut-off score and associated interpretations. Proper interventions must be devised so that affected adolescents can be given proper counselling and psychiatric help to recover from this psychopathological state. Parents must provide the needed support, exercise vigilance over excessive Internet use among their children, and suggest alternatives to control excessive usage, e.g. encouraging more outdoor activities, replacing excessive Internet use with other forms of technology use or leisure activities. Policy makers, educational diagnosticians, and practicing psychiatrists could utilize our study results to develop new policies to control rising CIU among adolescents.
Similarly, the study findings on media U&Gs and particularly the 27-item Internet U&G instrument enable school teachers and educational psychologists to better understand the gratifications of technology and/or media use among adolescents. For example, this study explains some of the hidden motivations and reasons behind Internet use by adolescents. The study findings can also be extrapolated to understand the gratifications of social media (e.g., Facebook) and mobile IM applications, which at present are quite popular among adolescents. Based on the study findings on media U&Gs, teachers and educational psychologists must try to examine, re-assess, and even re-define their existing information technology (IT) based educational aids and existing IT support systems. There is a need to transform the existing educational IT support systems so that they become more interesting and enjoyable for adolescents. One practical example could be that of “collaborative blogging systems” which have only recently appeared in schools. These IT support systems are meant to enable students to present and discuss their learning experiences and subjects with peers.
However, teachers commonly complain that such systems are not used voluntarily; rather, students are forced to make use of them. Furthermore, student retention is a challenge for teachers. If these blogging systems are transformed to support the various media gratifications sought by adolescents, e.g. information seeking, exposure, connecting and coordination, social influence and entertainment, then students might utilize these “blogging systems” voluntarily. At a conceptual level, these results also inform technology designers and developers. The development of Internet-based services should support the multiple underlying gratifications to ensure successful use and acceptance.
The study results on the linkages between IA, adolescents’ background characteristics, and Internet U&Gs are of special relevance for schoolteachers, counsellors and psychologists. The study provides in-depth knowledge of the various conditioning reasons behind CIU and heavy Internet use. For example, the study presents a broader picture of how Internet addicts and non-addicts differ in their background characteristics and sought Internet U&Gs, which adolescents are more vulnerable to IA than others, and when Internet U&Gs turn into the conditioning for IA. The study results show that content Internet U&Gs do not, contribute to the conditioning of IA among adolescents, while social gratifications do.
Therefore, educational stakeholders should promote and motivate adolescents to utilize the Internet for the satisfaction of content gratifications. In addition, adolescents who are vulnerable to IA must be supported with the required help. Educational policy makers should understand the underlying factors that predispose adolescents to CIU and develop policies that are conducive to adolescents’ well-being.
The study results are of particular relevance to Internet-based service-oriented companies since they assist these companies in the development or advancement of their businesses by providing new opportunities. For example, those companies interested in the adolescent user market can utilize the study results to transform their existing and forthcoming service offerings per the needs and motivations of adolescents. In this way, they can easily reach their target users and increase their own profits. Possible examples could be: (1) companies can develop educational games, services enabling adolescents to get news about the latest happenings in their surroundings and world, and content that enhances the existing knowledge base of the adolescents in order to serve their content gratifications; (2) Internet service-based companies are interested in heavy Internet users since they are treated as “loyal” clients of Internet-based offerings. Recently, the importance of heavy Internet users has grown exponentially due to the fact that most organizations are now moving towards realizing their online presence in the form of brand communities (e.g., Facebook fan pages for different companies, products, services and even individuals), and even offering their services via these newly established brand communities. Heavy Internet users are considered active participants in these virtual communities, e.g. they participate in idea generation, verification, and feedback. Similarly, the findings of this study can provide important design considerations to service designers and user-interface developers. For example, if an educational Internet-based utility is to be developed for adolescents, then it must enable adolescents to experience “social influence,”
content, and social gratifications from its use. Furthermore, its use should be entertaining, fun and enjoyable for the target users.