Supervisors info:
Γιοβαζολιάς Θεόδωρος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ψυχολογία, Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης
Μαλλιώρη Μινέρβα-Μελπομένη, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Βασιλειάδου Μαρία, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Θεολογικής Σχολής, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The present M.Sc. thesis entitled “The influence of attachment and of the fear of intimacy in the problematic internet use in young adults” refers to the bibliographic and research considerations of the above-mentioned title.
The theoretical approach clarifies the concepts of "attachment" as well as the types, active models and its effect on the subsequent relationships, whether interpersonal or not. It should be noted here that according to the theory of at-tachment, there is the idea that people create mental representations of them-selves and the important people around them, based on their interpersonal experiences.
The concept of "fear of intimacy" is then analyzed. The inability of an indi-vidual (due to emotional disturbance) to exchange important thoughts and feel-ings for himself, with another person he appreciates and wants to relate to.
Next, the concepts: addiction, dependence, abuse with or without chemicals are discussed. Reference is made to the addictive substances, the concept of biological tolerance and the concept of withdrawal syndrome. In closing, an attempt to neurobiological approach to the dependencies is made, which is the basis of this for the transition from biological dependence to chemical-addicted addiction.
The next concept that is analyzed is the internet addiction. It is a new form of dependence on the excessive use of this instrument and its effects on the be-havior of those who are unable to manage it. Internet dependency patterns, crite-ria for diagnosing internet addiction, dependency profile, the nature of addic-tion, and differences in diagnostics (DSM IV-V) are being studied. In conclusion, the concept of "internet addiction" is changed in the sense of "problematic use of the internet".
At the end of the theoretical part is attempted the bibliographical relation between the concepts of "attachment", "fear of intimacy" "problematic use of the internet", concepts that are dealt with and the research study of the present.
The research aimed to distinguish whether and to what extent the attach-ment and the fear of intimacy predict (provoke or reinforce) the problematic use of the internet. The survey was conducted through three questionnaires that qualitatively evaluate the above phenomenon. The questionnaire for the evalua-tion of attachment (Fraley Chris, Brumbaugh, Heffernan, & Vicary, 2011), about the fear of Intimacy (Descutner & Thelen, 1991) and of the internet addiction (Filippaki, . & Giovazolias, T., 2015).
The research studied 150 young Greek-speaking adults aged 18-25 years, with mean aged 22.6 years, of whom 62 are men and 88 are women.
The following hypotheses were investigated following demographic control and presentation. Differentiation of the variables with respect to the gender of the sample, as well as the correlations and linear regression of the variables among them.
In particular, it was observed that: in the avoidance-type variable there is a differentiation between the sexes (p.Sig = 0.031). A slightly higher (0.373) male score is seen from the mean values of the sample. In the variable of the anxiety type there is no significant differentiation with respect to sex (p.Sig = 0.052 / 0.059> 0.05). In the variable of interpersonal security fear there is gender differen-tiation (p.Sig = 0.00). From the average values of the sample there was a slightly higher (0.300) score for men. In the Internet addiction variable, there is a differ-ence between the sexes (p.Sig = 0.00). Mean values in the sample show a slightly higher (0.225) score for men.
Regarding the correlations, the following were observed. The avoidance type is not statistically relevant to the anxious type or problematic use of the in-ternet. There was a correlation of the type of avoidance with the fear of intimacy (r = 0,606, p. Sig = 0,00), the anxiety type with the fear of intimacy (r = 0,299, p. Sig = 0,00), the anxiety type with (r = 0,325, p. Sig = 0,00) and fear of interpersonal with the problematic use of the internet (r = 0,312, p. Sig = 0,00). Εventulaly, was observed a statistically significant regression equation (F(5,144)=7,320, p. Sig=0,00<0,05, R2=0,175) determined by the equation y = 1,947-0,215 (gender) + 0,94(aggression) + 0.35 (F.o.I).
Finally, the results and limitations of the research are analyzed, and some suggestions are presented.
