Attachment and family functioning in patients with Internet addiction
Open accessAbstract
Objective Although the Internet is used effectively in many areas of life, some users experience problems because of over-use due to a lack of control. The diagnostic criteria for Internet addiction include disruptions in family relationships, but adequate data on the attachment styles and family functioning associated with this condition are limited. This study aimed to investigate the attachment styles and family functioning of patients with Internet addiction. Method The sample included 30 male patients consecutively admitted to the Bakırköy Mental Health and Research Hospital Internet Addiction Outpatient Clinic, who were diagnosed in clinical interviews as having Internet addiction according to Young's (1998) criteria. Thirty healthy males who were matched with the experimental group in terms of sociodemographic characteristics were included as control subjects. Both groups provided sociodemographic data and completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire-r (ECR-r) and the Family Assessment Device (FAD). Results Patients with Internet addiction had higher BDI scores (P<.001) and higher attachment anxiety subscores on ECR-r (P<.001) compared with those in the control group. Patients with Internet addiction evaluated their family functioning as more negative and reported problems in every aspect addressed by the FAD. Scores on the FAD behaviour control, affective responsiveness, and problem-solving subscales (P<.05) and on the FAD communication, roles, and general functioning subscales (P<.001) were significantly higher in the patient compared with the control group. Conclusion Patients with Internet addiction have more anxious attachment styles as well as prominent disruptions in family functioning. Thus, it may be important to evaluate the attachment styles and family functioning of patients with Internet addiction. Indeed, comprehensive treatment approaches including other family members may make important contributions to treatment success.
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Families' inability to form emotional bonds appears to contribute to addictive behavioral patterns.
“In contrast, it appears that families' inability to form emotional bonds appear to contribute to addictive behavioral patterns (Şenormancı et al. 2014;Estévez et al. 2017).”
From Addiction to Social Media and Attachment Styles: A Systematic Literature Review (2019) · cites this paper as Şenormancı et al. 2014
Growing up in a well-functioning family helps individuals to form a mature healthy personality.
“Research has demonstrated that growing up in a well-functioning family helps individuals to form a mature healthy personality (Şenormancı et al. 2014).”
From Addiction to Social Media and Attachment Styles: A Systematic Literature Review (2019) · cites this paper as Şenormancı et al. 2014
Cites
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YOUNG, K. S. (1998) · CyberPsychology & Behavior · doi:10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237 · Cited by 5,513 · see citing works
Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being?
Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukophadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.53.9.1017 · Cited by 4,793 · see citing works
The association between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorder: A review of the literature
Ko, C.-H., Yen, J.-Y., Yen, C.-F., Chen, C.-S., & Chen, C.-C. (2012) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2010.04.011 · Cited by 895 · cited 1× · see citing works
“However, some people lose control over their Internet-related behaviour, leading to difficulties in their daily lives and family relationships [1,2].”
BackgroundFamily factors of Internet addiction and substance use experience in Taiwanese adolescents
Yen, J.-Y., Yen, C.-F., Chen, C.-C., Chen, S.-H., & Ko, C.-H. (2007) · CyberPsychology & Behavior · doi:10.1089/cpb.2006.9948 · Cited by 481 · see citing works
The risk factors of Internet addiction—A survey of university freshmen
Tsai, H. F., Cheng, S. H., Yeh, T. L., Shih, C.-C., Chen, K. C., Yang, Y. C., & Yang, Y. K. (2009) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2008.01.015 · Cited by 368 · see citing works
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Addiction to Social Media and Attachment Styles: A Systematic Literature Review
D’Arienzo, M. C., Boursier, V., & Griffiths, M. D. (2019) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-019-00082-5 · Cited by 283 · see citing works
Bonnaire, C., & Phan, O. (2017) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.05.030 · Cited by 218 · see citing works
Childhood maltreatment and problematic social media use: the role of attachment and depression
Worsley, J. D., McIntyre, J. C., Bentall, R. P., & Corcoran, R. (2018) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2018.05.023 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
- Authors
- Şenormancı, Ö., Şenormancı, G., Güçlü, O., & Konkan, R.
- Affiliations
- Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (TR)
- Bakırköy Psychiatric Hospital (TR)
- Corresponding author
- Şenormancı, Ömer
- Venue
- General Hospital Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-03
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 203-207
- ISSN
- 0163-8343 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2082519078
- Cited by
- 100
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 21.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
- Locations
- General Hospital Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Institutional Repository (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- internet addiction, attachment styles, attachment anxiety, family functioning, family relationships, depression, male patients, Family Assessment Device
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Anxiety, Depression, Family Relations, Humans, Male, Object Attachment, Surveys and Questionnaires, Cohort Studies, Case-Control Studies, Behavior, Addictive, Internet, Young Adult
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