Risk-taking behavior and academic self-efficacy as variables accounting for problematic internet use in adolescent university students Hatice Odacı ⁎ Karadeniz Technical University, Fatih Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences, Trabzon, Turkey abstract article info Article history: Received 3 August 2012 Accepted 26 September 2012 Available online 2 October 2012 Keywords: Risk-taking behavior Academic self-efficacy Problematic internet use Adolescent University students Objective: This study investigated the relationship between risk-taking behavior and academic self-efficacy and problematic internet use in adolescent university students and whether problematic internet use varies according to the variables of gender, possession of a computer and living with the family. Methods: The study was performed with 556 students from the Karadeniz Technical University Fatih Faculty of Education in Turkey. The Problematic Internet Use Scale, the Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire, the Ac- ademic Self-Efficacy Scale and Personal Information Collection Form were used in the collection of data. Results: Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between problematic internet use and risk-taking behavior (r = .37, p b .01) and a significant negative correlation between problematic in- ternet use and academic self-efficacy (r=-.12, p b .05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that risk- taking behavior and academic self-efficacy accounted for 14% of total problematic internet use variance (F (2,553) = 46.11, p b .05). The individual contribution to the model of risk-taking (β = .37) and academic self-efficacy (β =-.09) is significant. Our results also showed that university adolescents' problematic inter- net use scores vary by gender (t =-4.90, p b .05) and possession or otherwise of a computer (t = 3.10, p b .05), but not on the basis of whether they live with their families (t =-.13, p > .05). Conclusions: Risk-taking behavior and academic self-efficacy emerged as significant predictors of problematic internet use. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Today's internet is an important communication and data-sharing network that facilitates people's interfacing with the modern world and allows them to access other people and information in a fast and reliable manner. There is almost no limit to the services provided by the internet. Thanks to the internet, people are able to communi- cate with others, make academic presentations, make use of libraries and databases, play games, listen to music, watch films, shop and con- duct financial transactions (Gönül, 2002). Computers' ability to pro- vide economical and easy-to-use programs has led to an increasing number of people logging on to the internet every day. However, as with every technological innovation, in addition to the benefits of the internet, excessive use can also bring with it various transforma- tions and negativities (Odacı, 2011; Odacı & Kalkan, 2010). This negative behavior is referred to by various terms in the liter- ature and expressed in different ways by researchers. The concept considered as internet addiction has been described as the experienc- ing of symptoms such as an inability to limit internet use, continuing to use it despite its causing social and academic damage and anxiety in the event access to the internet is restricted (Griffiths, 1999; Shapira, Goldsmith, Keck, Khosla, & McElroy, 2000). Kandell (1998), on the other hand, described this behavior as a psychological dependency leading to problems in areas such as time management, social relations and health resulting from excessive internet use and particularly affect- ing young people. Some researchers have preferred the concept of prob- lematic internet use (Beard, 2005; Davis, Flett, & Besser, 2002), and problematic use has been evaluated as a multi-dimensional syndrome causing cognitive and behavioral symptoms and leading to negative so- cial and/or academic/occupational outcomes (Caplan, 2005). Another term used is pathological internet use (Caplan, 2002; Davis, 2001; Morahan-Martin & Schumacher, 2000), expressed as a condition in- volving spending a lengthy, uninterrupted time online and that oc- cupies the mind and its functions for a long period (Young, 1999). Because of its attractiveness, the internet is a tool that takes up much of many people's time and that causes a fall in individuals' per- formance in work and academic life and also leads to communication problems (Young, 2004). Research has emphasized that the internet also has an impact in the social and individual dimension and has reported that it causes various changes in the structure of society and leads to physical and psychological problems (Arısoy, 2009). Researchers have shown that 16–24 is the age group with the highest level of internet use (Kandell, 1998; Öztürk et al., 2007). Children and Youth Services Review 35 (2013) 183–187 ⁎ Karadeniz Technical University, Fatih Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences, 61335 Söğütlü, Trabzon, Turkey. Tel.: + 90 462 377 70 77; fax: + 90 462 248 73 44. E-mail addresses: hatodaci@hotmail.com, eodaci@gmail.com. 0190-7409/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.09.011 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Children and Youth Services Review journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth