Exploring the Relationship of Personality, Loneliness, and Online Social Support with Interned Addiction and Procrastination

The prevalent use of internet among young generation is interfering negatively with their academic, social, and psychological functioning. Internet users, particularly students, indulge in a multitude of online activities that may distract them from their important routine assignments. In an effort to explore its antecedents and consequences, the present study investigated role of personality traits (extraversion and neuroticism), loneliness, and online social support in initiating internet addiction and its impact on procrastination. Role of age, gender, and level of education in internet addiction and procrastination were also explored. Internet Addiction Test (Young, 1998), Extraversion and Neuroticism subscales of International Personality Item Pool (Goldberg, 1999), Wittenberg Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale (Wittenberg, 1986), Online Social Support Network Scale (Moody, 2001), and General Procrastination Scale (Lay, 1986) were administered on 301 students (109 males, 192 females), with age ranging between 14 to 33 years, from different educational institutes of Islamabad. Results revealed no relevance of age, gender and education to internet addiction. Neuroticism, social, loneliness, and online social support were found significantly positively related to internet addiction. Furthermore, internet addiction was found significantly associated with procrastination after statistically controlling the effects of age, gender, neuroticism, loneliness, and online social support. The results bear significance in the academic settings, as internet addiction and procrastination may affect academic performance and interpersonal relationships of students.