The Impact of The Internet Use in Physical Activity, Exercise and Academic Performance of School Students Aged 14-16 Years Old

Lapousis George, Petsiou Elisavet

In most countries, the vast majority of young people use the internet several times a week. The increasing use and the importance of the internet among teens, has gradually lead those who deal with the health in professional level, to address the serious health effects possibly related to this activity. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between the use of the internet and the relation with exercise, physical activity and academic performance. In was investigated, through questionnaires, the profile of adolescents who use the computer and the internet connection as well as their correlation with social demographic characteristics (gender, age), sports activities and school performance. The survey involved 171 students (79 boys and 92 girls) high school students aged 14-16 years. The selection of the sample students was randomly sampled among high school students. For data processing it was used the principal components of factor analysis and ANOVA analysis of variance. Regarding to gender results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between boys and girls on the frequency of the negative thoughts because of the internet connection absence. Regarding the age there were statistically significant differences with the frequency of the satisfaction feelings because of the online connection, (F2,165 = 10,20, p = 0.00), frequency of the negative thoughts because of the internet connection absence, (F2,165 = 10,68, p = 0,00), frequency of abnormal reactions because of the online connection, (F2,165 = 27, 30, p = 0,00), frequency of decreased performance in courses because of online connection and (F2,168 = 18,79, p = 0,00). Also, there were statistically significant differences between the students who exercised with the frequency of decreased performance in courses because of online connection (F(1,169) = 4,3, p = 0,40), with those students who have practiced more have better performance at the grade in their lessons. In conclusion the use of the internet was found to have a direct positive relationship to health, such as the existence of abnormal reactions, as well as the existence of negative emotions and a direct negative relationship with school performance of teenagers’ students.