Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Patricia Gómez Salgado, Antonio Rial Boubeta, Teresa Braña Tobío, Jesús Varela Mallou and Carmen Barreiro Couto
Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
Background:Problematic Internet use in adolescents has become an issue of concern for a growing number of researchers and institutions over the past years. Behavioural problems, social isolation, school failure and family problems are some of the consequences of psychological and behavioural impact on teenagers. Taking into account the interest that this issue has generated at many levels, the aim of this paper is to develop a screening tool for early detection of problematic Internet use in teenagers. Method: A survey of Compulsory Secondary School students from Galicia involving a total of 2,339 individuals was carried out. Results: The results obtained allow (1) gauging the magnitude of the problem, establishing the risk levels among the adolescents, and (2) presenting a new, simple and short screening instrument. Conclusions: The present scale has sufficient theoretical and empirical support, including good psychometric properties (a = .83; specificity = .81; sensitivity = .80; ROC curve = .90), making it an interesting applied tool.
Evaluación y detección precoz del uso problemático de Internet entre adolescentes. Antecedentes: el uso problemático de Internet entre los adolescentes preocupa cada vez más a investigadores e instituciones. Problemas de conducta, aislamiento social, fracaso escolar y problemas familiares son algunas de las consecuencias del impacto a nivel psicológico y conductual que ello produce. Habida cuenta del interés que el tema suscita a diferentes niveles, el objetivo de este trabajo es desarrollar una herramienta de screening para la detección precoz de uso problemático de Internet entre adolescentes. Método: se realizó una encuesta a escolares de Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria de la comunidad gallega, en la que participaron un total de 2.339 individuos. Resultados: los resultados obtenidos permiten: (1) evaluar la magnitud del problema, permitiendo conocer los niveles de riesgo existente, y (2) presentar un nuevo instrumento de screening o cribado, breve y sencillo. Conclusiones: la presente escala cuenta con suficiente aval teórico y empírico y con unas buenas propiedades psicométricas (a = ,83; especificidad = ,81; sensibilidad = ,80; Curva COR = ,90), lo cual la convierte en una herramienta de interés a nivel aplicado.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2013.109