The Internet Use and Alcohol Consumption among Adolescents in Northwestern Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: The Internet use is part of the daily life of adolescents who use it for social and academic activities; however, the excessive Internet use is associated with mental health problems and alcohol consumption. Objective: Analyze the effect of intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts due to the excessive Internet use on alcohol consumption in adolescents. Method: Correlational descriptive study, with a population of 1195 adolescents, a sample of 676 adolescents from primary, secondary and high school education selected through cluster sampling. A Personal Data Sheet, the Questionnaire of Experiences Related to Internet (CERI, Spanish acronym) and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Substance Use Detection Test (ASSIST V3.1) were applied. Non-parametric, descriptive and inferential statistics were used to fulfill the objective of the study. Results: The logistic regression model was found to be significant (F (656) =26.23, p<.001), with an explained variance of 10.7%, where the hours of connection (B=.155, p<.001) and the intrapersonal conflicts (B=.291, p<.001) have a positive and significant effect on alcohol consumption, whereas the interpersonal conflicts were not significant (p>.05). Conclusions: A relationship between alcohol consumption and the time of connection to Internet, the excessive Internet use, intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts was identified. In addition, alcohol consumption in adolescents is associated with the time they spend on Internet and the intrapersonal conflicts resulting from the Internet use.