Adolescent computer use: Approach, avoidance, and parental control

Figures & data

Table I. Items from Charlton (2002) forming the measures of computer engagement and problematic computer use

Engagement	Problematic
1. I tend to want to spend more and more time using computers	1. I often don't get enough sleep because of my computing activities
2. I often feel a buzz of excitement while computing	2. Arguments have sometimes happened at home because of the time I spend on computing activities
3. I hardly ever think about computing when I am not using a computer^†	3. I have tried but can't cut back on the time I spend computing
4. It is important for me to be good at computing	4. I never miss meals because of my computing activities^†
5. The less I have to do with computers the better^†	5. When I am not using a computer I often feel agitated
6. I like the challenge that learning to use a computer presents	6. Computing activities have sometimes interfered with my school work
7. It would not matter to me if I never used a computer again^†	7. My social life has sometimes suffered because of my computer activities
Note: ^†Reverse scored item.

Table II. Zero-order correlations between major variables

Explanatory variables	Computer use variables					Substance use
	Engage	Problem	Hours	Trend	Expect	Cigarette use	Alcohol use
Age	.04	.20**	.26***	.05	.05	.28***	.45***
Gender (M = 0, F = 1)	−.18*	−.13	−.14	.10	−.09	−.13	−.19**
BAS	.18*	.18*	.21**	.13	−.09	.26***	.26***
BIS	.01	.11	−.02	.14	.07	−.20**	−.26***
Mother control	.17*	.24**	.07	.09	−.03	.05	.05
Father control	.17*	.15	.09	.18*	−.06	.09	.07
Notes: BAS = behavioural activation system; BIS = behavioural inhibition system; “Expect” = expected positive emotional effects from the possible use of a computer later that day; “Trend” = recent increase or decrease in computer use as perceived by the student.
Hours spent computing is ranked.
*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Table III. Multiple regression of predictors and measured variables

	Computer Engagement	Computer Problematic	Hours spent computing	Cigarette use	Alcohol use
Predictors
Age	−.03	.16*	.24**	.29***	.44***
Gender (M = 0, F = 1)	−.22*	−.13	−.04	.02	.04
BAS	.15	.16*	.20*	.28***	.31***
BIS	.09	.16*	−.03	−.23**	−.30***
Mother control	.13	.25**	.04	−.02	−.01
Father control	.13	.04	.08	.14	.12
ΔR^2	4.6%*	6.7%**	1.0%	1.7%	1.3%
Total R^2	11.3%**	17.1%***	11.8%**	20.8%***	35.3%***
Notes: BAS = behavioural activation system; BIS = behavioural inhibition system.
Table entries are standardised coefficients; ΔR^2, change in R^2 for parental control variables as a block.
*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Table IV. Multiple regression results for different computer use types

	Games	News/Spreadsheet	Art/Writing	Music/Chat
Predictors
Age	−.32***	.19*	.05	.31***
Gender (M = 0, F = 1)	−.26**	−.02	.21*	.33***
BAS	.03	.17*	.02	.26**
BIS	−.20**	−.10	.03	.02
Mother control	.02	−.04	.02	.01
Father control	−.08	−.06	−.02	.02
Engagement	.34***	.33***	.24**	.07
Problematic	.13	−.25**	−.25**	.09
Total R^2	34.8***	16.1%**	9.6%*	22.6%***
Notes: BAS = behavioural activation system; BIS = behavioural inhibition system.
Table entries are standardised coefficients.
*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.