Ellen Helsper|David Šmahel
Excessive internet use by young Europeans: psychological vulnerability and digital literacy?
London School of Economics and Political Science|Masaryk University
paper combines clinicalpsychological digital literacy frameworks shed new light explanations excessive internet use eiu combination opposing approaches leads comprehensive explanation intense use negative outcomes survey random sample 18709 internetusing children 11 16 years old carried 25 european countries study shows interactional indirect relationships psychological digital literacy variables eiu psychologically vulnerable children higher levels digital engagement negative outcomes least risk nonvulnerable children high levels literacy interactional relationship reality psychologically vulnerable childrens risk negative outcomes exacerbated tendency spend time online countered lower literacy levels contradicting direct indirect relationships among vulnerable digital literacy weakly related negative outcomes implications results future research explanations eiu incorporate psychological digital literacy indicators practical implications clinical psychologists working eiu consider digital literacy developing interventions digital inclusion interventions consider potential negative impact increased internet use vulnerable young people papers original contribution lies showing whether intense internet use related negative outcomes depends psychological characteristics child