Diagnostic questionnaire for determination of the signs of computer addiction and its impact on health

Abstract

Computer addiction is referred to a kind of social epidemic. Expansion of influence of the media environment on various human activities poses the need for development of new diagnostic methods of behavioral disorders in this kind of dependence. The study of commercial products created for the purpose of entertainment with the use of information and communication technology (ICT) has acquired a particular importance. This article presents a questionnaire developed for the diagnosis of a computer addiction, which consists of two parts: the first helps to reveal the degree of such dependence, while the second identifies the disorders in the emotional sphere and mental health. The development of the questionnaire during three years has been based on the results of our own research and other studies published in peer-reviewed journals. 720 students of technical specialties from two universities of Minsk have been interviewed within this period using a continuous method, which testifies to the sufficient representativeness of sampling.