Does internet dependence affect young people's psycho-social status? Intrafamilial and social relations, impulse control, coping ability and body image

• Internet dependence was studied in university students in late adolescence.
• Internet dependence was negatively correlated with self-image.
• Self-image subdimensions emerged as predictors of internet dependence.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between internet dependence in university students in late adolescence and self-image. The research group consisted of first year university students studying in various departments of the Karadeniz Technical University Fatih Faculty of Education. The study was performed with 623 students, 454 female and 169 male. The Internet Dependence Questionnaire, the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire and a Personal Data Form were used for data collection. Pearson product moment coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis results showed that students' internet dependence was significantly negatively correlated with the self-image subdimensions intrafamilial and social relations, impulse control, coping ability and body image. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the self-image subdimensions of intrafamilial and social relations and impulse control subdimensions significantly predict internet dependence.