The Role of Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms, and Social Isolation of Teenage Girls Towards the Use of the Internet and Cyberspace

The current study was conducted to investigate the role of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and social isolation in internet addiction and cyberspace use among teenage girls in 2016-2017. This was a cross-sectional study. The study population included all second grade high school female students in public schools of Tehran City, Iran during the academic year of 2016-2017. Based on multi-stage cluster sampling, 300 girls were randomly selected. The study tools used for data collection were Russell's loneliness scale, Young's internet addiction test, and Achenbach’s self-report questionnaire. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using Pearson and regression tests in SPSS-20. The results show a positive and significant relationship between internalized syndrome (r=0.53), extraversion syndrome (r=0.57), and social isolation (r=0.54), with internet addiction. Regression test shows that seizure syndrome, thinking syndrome among internalized syndromes, obsessive compulsive syndrome, other problems, favourable conditions, outbreak law, problems of disorder among extraversion syndromes and social isolation had the most impact on the variability of internet addiction. The results of this study showed that individuals with internalized and externalized symptoms and girls who are socially isolated tend to use more internet and virtual space.