Review of Gender Differences in Determination of Personality and Family Environment Characteristics for Addiction to the Internet

Internet addiction is recognized as an individual dependency on the internet use which is accompanied by some psychological, social or job related problems. Researchers are trying to identify the root and predictive factors of this disorder. The objective of this study is to review gender differences in determining the personal characteristics and family environment features leading to the internet addiction. The sample population is 240 students, including 120 girls and 120 boys, from among the first graders of public high schools in District 5 of Tehran’s Education Department during the academic year 1391-1392 (started September 22, 2012). The sample was chosen based on the clustering method. Yang’s internet addiction disorder questionnaire (IAD), Costa and McCrae’s personal characteristics scale (NEO-PI-R) and Mouse & Mouse’s family environment questionnaire were also applied. Based on its subject matter and from the viewpoint of objectives, the research study is an applied survey and of co-relational type. To probe the study questions, synchronous regression analysis has been used. The findings of the research show that boys tend to get internet addiction more than girls (t=2.71). In girls group and boys group, personal characteristics and family environment account for the total of 82.8 % and 83.3 % of the internet addiction variance, respectively. In addition, in boys and girls groups, the predictive variables are neuroticism and conscientiousness, which are positively predictive of internet addiction, extroversion, agreeableness and the personal growth features of the family environment, which are negatively predictive of the internet addiction. According to the results obtained, it can be said that similar personal characteristics and family factors among girls and boys are factors paving the way for getting addicted to the internet and internet dependency.