Ronita Rajkumari, R.K. Lenin Singh, L. Roshan Singh
Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur
N. Heramani Singh
Shija Academy of Health Sciences, Imphal, Manipur
Pages: 552-557
The Internet has become an indispensable part of our lives nowadays. It has dramatically
enriched our lives, but it is not without disadvantages. Many people have developed
online addictions, particularly teenagers and adolescents who are still developing their
sense of self. Adolescents with online addictions typically have low self-esteem and
avoid socializing and interacting with others. The Internet has become their escape
route from reality. The study examines the relationship between internet addiction and
self-esteem among adolescents in Manipur. A cross-sectional study design was adopted
in the present study. Data were collected from adolescents studying in schools in
Manipur’s Imphal West and Imphal East districts. A total of 322 adolescent students
with internet addiction were selected through a stratified random sampling technique.
Once the assent (and consent from the guardian) was obtained, tools such as semistructured Performa, the InternetAddiction Test (IAT), and the Rosenberg Self-esteem
scale were administered for data collection. The majority of the adolescents with internet
addiction (75%) retain normal levels of self-esteem, 16% of them have low levels of
self-esteem, and 9% have high self-esteem. Regarding levels of internet addiction,
69% of them were found to have mild levels of internet addiction, 24% of them had
moderate levels of internet addiction, and 7% of them were found to have severe levels
of internet addiction. On the relationship between internet addiction and self-esteem
among adolescents, it was negatively correlated (r = – 0.204). The study claimed that
69% of adolescents in Manipur who were addicted to the Internet experienced mild
levels of addiction. In comparison, 24% of them experienced moderate levels of addiction,
and only 7% experienced severe levels of internet addiction. The study further revealed
that a negative correlation was found between internet addiction and self-esteem.