The effect of object relations and loneliness on problematic internet use based on defense styles among young adults

The aim of this study is to assess the effects that various types of loneliness and object relations have on problematic internet use based on the type of defense styles that are being used among young adults. Within the scope of this study, 343 participants consisting of young adults within the age group of 18-30 completed an online survey that included a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire, the Loneliness Scale, The Defense Style Questionnaire and the Bell Object Relations and Reality Testing Inventory. For the data analysis, firstly Pearson Corelation Analysis was performed to examine the assosiation between Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire and its sub-scales, namely adverse effects, online preoccupations and social interactions with the sub-scales of each independent variable. Then, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis was conducted to analyze how the sub-dimensions of each independent variable predicted problematic internet use and its sub-scales. The factors that predicted problematic internet use the best are social isolation, insecure attachment, alienation and social incompetence; the factors that predicted advers effects the best are alienation, social isolation and egocentricity; the factors that predicted online preoccupation the best are alienation and insecure attachment; and the factors that predicted social interactions the best are alienation, social isolation and egocentricity. In the second part of the analysis, the participant were categorized based on whether the defense style score was above or under avarage , and another Multiple Linear Regression was conducted. Based on these analyses, the findings were discussed in the frame of the defense style score level and how it effects the predicting factors of problematic internet use and its sub-scales. Keywords: Problematic Internet Use, Object Relations, Loneliness, Defense Style