By the Numbers - Mar. 30, 2015
30,000
The number of Airmen who "may be struggling with unhealthy patterns of Internet use," according to survey results extrapolated from a RAND Corporation survey of 3,479 active-duty, guard, and reserve Airmen in 2012. The survey, discussed in a recent RAND report on problematic Internet use, used the 15-item Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) scale, measuring "indicators on undesirable behavior such as turning to the Internet when feeling down or lonely, thinking obsessively about going online, having difficulty controlling Internet use, and experiencing adverse life events due to Internet use." The full survey results were reported in an earlier RAND report -- Information and Communication Technologies to Promote Social and Psychological Well-Being in the Air Force.
Among Airmen, negative GPIUS2 scores were significantly correlated with poor self-rated mental health, depressed mood, and loneliness. If the survey results are representative, more than 30,000 Airmen may be struggling with unhealthy patterns of Internet use.
The current report -- A Review of Research on Problematic Internet Use and Well-Being: With Recommendations for the U.S. Air Force -- "reviews the scientific literature on the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of problematic Internet use (PIU) with the goal of informing Air Force policies aimed at mitigating PIU's negative impact on operations and the mental health of Airmen."
30,000
The number of Airmen who "may be struggling with unhealthy patterns of Internet use," according to survey results extrapolated from a RAND Corporation survey of 3,479 active-duty, guard, and reserve Airmen in 2012. The survey, discussed in a recent RAND report on problematic Internet use, used the 15-item Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) scale, measuring "indicators on undesirable behavior such as turning to the Internet when feeling down or lonely, thinking obsessively about going online, having difficulty controlling Internet use, and experiencing adverse life events due to Internet use." The full survey results were reported in an earlier RAND report -- Information and Communication Technologies to Promote Social and Psychological Well-Being in the Air Force.
Among Airmen, negative GPIUS2 scores were significantly correlated with poor self-rated mental health, depressed mood, and loneliness. If the survey results are representative, more than 30,000 Airmen may be struggling with unhealthy patterns of Internet use.
The current report -- A Review of Research on Problematic Internet Use and Well-Being: With Recommendations for the U.S. Air Force -- "reviews the scientific literature on the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of problematic Internet use (PIU) with the goal of informing Air Force policies aimed at mitigating PIU's negative impact on operations and the mental health of Airmen."