Date Approved

6-27-2019

Embargo Period

8-5-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. Clinical Psychology

Department

Psychology

College

College of Science & Mathematics

Advisor

Dinzeo, Thomas

Committee Member 1

Fife, Dustin

Committee Member 2

Frierson, Georita

Keywords

Internet Addiction, Schizotypy, Social Media, Technology

Subject(s)

Schizotypal personality disorder; Internet addiction

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

This study examined the unique domains/symptom clusters within schizotypy as they relate to Facebook use and internet addiction behaviors, while controlling for co-morbid disorders such as depression and anxiety. Using an online survey, this study measured electronic media use, internet addiction behavior, and schizotypy in 270 undergraduate students (aged 18-30). We expected mood symptoms of anxiety and depression to predict both internet addiction and Facebook use in this sample, and controlled for these variables accordingly. We hypothesized that schizotypy would contribute significantly to the prediction of internet addiction and Facebook use above and beyond anxiety, depression, and demographic variables and anticipated that the strongest predictor of internet addiction would be positive schizotypy, followed by negative schizotypy, and lastly disorganized schizotypy. After a model comparison utilizing hierarchical linear regression, schizotypy total scores predicted internet addiction behavior as well as frequency of Facebook use in this sample. However, contrary to our expectations, disorganized schizotypy was found to be the best predictor of internet addiction. The details of these findings are discussed in addition to a call for more research into electronic media use in this population of emerging adults.

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