Adolescents’ internet addiction and its association with physical activity intention and self-efficacy

Download this article

Jonghwa Lee and Youngho Kim

Department of Sport Science, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, 172 Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 139-743, Korea

Citation

Lee, J., Kim, Y. (2024). Adolescents’ internet addiction and its association with physical activity intention and self-efficacy. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 55(3), 297-311. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2024.55.297

Abstract

The current study investigated the relationship between Internet addiction and PA intention and self-efficacy, as well as the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between PA intention and Internet addiction, among a random sample of Korean adolescents. A total of 482 students (male: 247, female: 235, Mage = 13.35years, SD = 1.41) were recruited from two junior high schools in Seoul, Korea. The Internet addiction scale, the self-efficacy scale, the PA intention scale, and the leisure time exercise scale were used. The results indicated that there are significant differences in Internet addiction, self-efficacy, and PA intention between male and female adolescents, with males showing higher scores for all variables than females. Additionally, the current findings revealed that Internet addiction was significantly correlated with PA intention and all sub-variables of self-efficacy, and self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between PA intention and Internet addiction. This study offers theoretical and practical guidance for the treatment of Internet addiction in adolescents, especially for the suppression of addictive behavioral impulses based on the pathway of PA influencing Internet addiction

Keywords: Internet addiction, Physical activity, PA intention, Self-efficacy, Ado- lescents

---