Problematic internet use tied to low self-control abilities

Individuals with problematic usage of the internet (PUI) tend to show deficits in general executive functions, decision making, and stimulus-specific inhibitory control, which can lead to serious stages of addiction, reveals a study.

The authors collected data from a large-scale multicentre study in Germany between October 2021 and August 2024. Comparisons were made for three groups (ie, internet users with pathological use, n=284; risky use, n=305; problematic use, n=424), which were based on structured interviews for four types of specific PUI (gaming, buying-shopping, pornography use, social network use).

Participants underwent extensive laboratory testing, such as self-report scales and standard cognitive tasks, including Modified Card Sorting Test, Stroop test, a logical reasoning test, Game of Dice Task, a delay discounting task, and a go/no-go task with internet-related stimuli.

Significant differences were observed across groups regarding both behavioural (partial eta2 ≤0.06) and self-report measures (partial eta2 ≤0.14) of self-control abilities.

The pathological use group demonstrated the weakest mean performance in all tasks, while the risky and nonproblematic use groups slightly differed in behavioural measures and significantly differed in self-reported self-directedness and attentional impulsivity.

In post hoc analyses, significant impacts of PUI type were noted.

“Potential PUI-specific differences should be considered when designing trainings and interventions that target improving self-control abilities,” the authors said.

“Reduced cognitive functions are commonly associated with diminished self-control abilities,” they noted.