Living with Internet Addiction: Experience of Adolescent Girls during Learning from Home in COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Aims: In recent years, the internet has been seen as a positive tool that simplify various activities of human life. However, internet use is also seen as negatively impacting the lives of adolescents, especially during the Covid 19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore the life experiences of adolescent girls who became addicted to the internet while learning from home during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a qualitative phenomenology study was conducted in West Java Province, Indonesia. Total sample was 13 adolescent girls which obtained by purposive sampling technique. The inclusion criteria for this study were high school students from high schools; experienced moderate internet addition as evidenced by the result of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT); and able to communicate in Indonesian. Exclusion criteria was participants with communication problem and psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analysis was performed using the Collaizzi approach.

Results: Five themes were identified in this study: constant use of the internet due to boredom, bad mood, and curiosity; health issues due to internet use; easily influenced by internet contents; tend to forget learning materials and lazy to learn; and parental supervision.

Conclusion: Adolescent girls with internet addiction have a complex life as they are easily influenced by what they see on the internet. In addition, these girls also experience various health problems. The results of this study can provide information to the public and health workers about the importance of monitoring the use of the internet among adolescents. Controlling the use of the internet is still necessary for internet use and is good and in accordance with the needs and based on the development of adolescents.