Need satisfaction and adolescent pathological internet use: Comparison of satisfaction perceived online and offline

This study investigated the role of need satisfaction in adolescent pathological internet use by comparing the differences in the perception of need satisfaction online and offline. A compensatory satisfaction theory was proposed to explain the role of need satisfaction online in pathological internet use. Cross-sectional data were collected from 4559 Chinese students from 12 to 20 years of age. The participants responded to an anonymous questionnaire concerning their internet use behavior, their perceived level of need and their need satisfaction online and offline. The results of structural equation modeling showed that pathological internet use was predicted not by the level of need, but rather by the way in which the need was satisfied. Need satisfaction perceived online predicted adolescent pathological internet use positively, while need satisfaction perceived offline predicted pathological internet use negatively. Furthermore, the direct comparison of need satisfaction online and offline showed that the advantage of need satisfaction online completely mediated the effect of unsatisfied need on adolescent pathological Internet use. Enlightenment of the theory and implications for efforts to encourage offline activities are discussed.