The Relationship Between Internet Addiction And Health Behavior In High School Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescents are in a phase of developing greater curiosity than adults with less self-control, so they tend to overdo activities, one of which is accessing the internet. Excessive internet use can cause behavioral changes, one of which is addiction or also called internet addiction. Adolescents are the most vulnerable internet addiction which can have a negative impact on adolescents health behaviors and also affecting the psychosocial development of adolescents who are still in the process of growing and developing. This study aims to examine the relationship between internet addiction and healthy lifestyle behaviors in adolescents. This descriptive correlative design used a cross sectional study. The population was all students in one of the State Senior High Schools in South Aceh Regency with a sample of 181 students. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires as a research instrument. Chi Square test was used in analyzing the data. The level of internet addiction among the included adolescents was found to be mild (48,6%) and moderate (16%). The results of the analysis showed that there was a significant relationship of p=0.002 (p<0.05) between internet addiction and adolescents healthy behaviors. The finding for this study can be an important input for families and schools in monitoring, preventing and estabilishing apropiate treatment to the internet addiction problem and adverse effects on healthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents.