Trajectories of Excessive Internet Use in Families (VEIF)

Excessive internet use by young people is becoming increasingly important in science and society. International studies point to a connection with familial influencing factors, but to date there has been a lack of longitudinal studies that describe these connections in detail. This is precisely where the VEIF study comes in, analysing the course of excessive Internet use among adolescents and young adults over a period of nine years, paying particular attention to family circumstances. The aim of the study is to gain fundamental insights into the age and reasons for the onset of excessive internet use, its possible decline and the influence of the family on the individual´s development. To this end, quantitative data from family dyads - consisting of a child and a parent or guardian - has been collected annually since 2016. At the start of the study in 2016, 1,095 family dyads were surveyed. In addition to the subjective perception of the problem, established addiction research instruments were used. In order to be able to differentiate between specific problem trajectories, a test group with an increased risk of excessive internet use was recruited by means of oversampling, supplemented by a control group with no perceived problem. This analysis comprises the data from the first three waves of the survey. Initial results show that strained family circumstances and inadequate media education measures are associated with excessive internet use. Families from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and single-parent households are particularly affected. The study thus emphasises the importance of early and targeted media education support to prevent problematic usage patterns. Overall, the VEIF study provides an important empirical basis that can contribute to the development of prevention, diagnosis and intervention measures in the social and family context.