Lecture room: Oddi -202. Click for a map.
Working institution
Student workshop speaker: Ólína Freysteinsdóttir Rehabilitation center in Akureyri, Iceland
Mentors: Halldór S. Guðmundsson, Universcity of Iceland, Kjartan Ólafsson, University of Akureyri
Abstract
The family as a social institution has had to adapt to various changes over time as a result of alterations in the labour market, technical innovations and shifts in social values. The advent of the internet and resulting changes in communication have brought yet another challenge for the family. This study looks at the concept of adolescent internet addiction, or excessive internet use, from the point of view of family theory, asking two key questions: The first is how the issue of setting boundaries is reflected in the way adolescents who show signs of internet addiction talk about their internet use. The second is how adolescents who show signs of internet addiction describe their interaction with their parents. Data was collected as part of a European research project (EUNET ADB).
Studies have shown that if adolescents engage in a discourse with their parents on online behaviour they are less likely to suffer negative consequences as a result of online activities. For this reason it is important to support parents in engaging with their children’s internet use in a constructive way. Indeed, for many of the adolescents the internet had provided valuable opportunitiesto meet new friends and engage in what for them were interesting activities.
It might be argued that in some cases the tension between the adolescents and their parents around internet use could be eased by a different framing of the topic and a move from focussing on time spent online to the actual activities. In this respect it is also important to look at the internet use of adolescents in a broader context of their everyday life.
Keywords: Adolescents, internet addiction, internet use, family studies, parental mediation