INTERNET ADDICTION AS A FACTOR DISRUPTING SOCIAL INTERACTION AMONG ADOLESCENTS

Аннотация

This article examines the impact of internet addiction on the quality of adolescents’ social interaction. A quantitative study was conducted on a sample of 150 adolescents (aged 10–16 years) from the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was used to assess the level of internet addiction, alongside a standardized scale for identifying social interaction problems. It was found that approximately 13–16% of adolescents exhibit a severe degree of internet addiction, and a substantial share of respondents experience difficulties in face-to-face communication. The data indicate that as the degree of addiction increases, measures of social skills deteriorate: the number of friends decreases and levels of social maladjustment rise. These results confirm previous findings that internet addiction is accompanied by social isolation and disruptions in interpersonal relationships. In conclusion, the consequences of the identified relationships are discussed, and recommendations for preventing internet addiction among adolescents are offered.