Rungkarn Inthawong. Factors associated with the inappropriate internet behavior of high school students in Bangkok Mdtropolitan . Master's Degree(Public Health). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2006.
Factors associated with the inappropriate internet behavior of high school students in Bangkok Mdtropolitan
Abstract:
This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate internet using behavior and
factors associated with the inappropriate internet using behavior of high school
students in Bangkok metropolitan. The sample were 986 students who had been using
the internet for at least 12 months, and were in grade 7 to grade 12. Data were
collected by self-administered questionnaires between February and March 2005. Data
were analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis for determining the
association between personal characteristics, family factors (parental status and child
rearing patterns), friend factors (friend influence and friend behavior), Internet using
characteristics (time and place of Internet using activities) and by chance motivation
factors (stranger, banner, e-mail, search engine) with inappropriate chatting, website
using, online game playing and excessive use of the Internet (>4 hours per time).
The results in univariate analysis revealed significant association between the
inappropriate Internet behavior and student’s grade and GPA, friend factors, mother’s
and father’s income, child rearing pattern and computer placement.
Multivariate analysis showed that the factors which were significantly
associated with inappropriate Internet behavior were being male, being humanities
student, having accidentally found pornographic website via using search engine,
having ever persuaded by stranger to chat about sex, having seen pornographic
advertisement banner, having received e-mail with pornographic content, having used
Internet >4 hours per times or >6 times per week.
These findings suggest that reducing time of use of the internet, using an
internet filter program to prevent the chance motivation factors, monitoring chat
behavior and chat content will reduce risk of having inappropriate Internet behavior.
Moreover, parents should take care to place the computer in family room and take care
of child rearing patterns, internet using, and characteristics of their children and their
friends.