Afghanistan, Aug. 9 -- A German study has found that problematic internet use is associated with higher stress, poorer mood and greater neglect of activities outside the digital world, while the immediate temptation to go online emerged as the strongest predictor of continued use.
Researchers at the University of Duisburg-Essen studied 900 German adults who reported using online activities including gaming, social networking, shopping and pornography. Participants completed daily assessments over two weeks, recording their mood, stress, temptation to go online and internet use.
The study, published in PLOS One, found that participants with more problematic patterns of internet use tended to experience higher stress, poorer mood, longer pe...