Role of Internet Addiction on Interpersonal Relationships and Quality of Life among Married Couples

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the relationship between internet addiction, interpersonal relationships, and quality of life among married couples. For this purpose, 200 internet users (age ranging from 18 years to 45 years) were taken from Islamabad and Rawalpindi through social media (what's app and Instagram). The first hypothesis states that there is a significant negative relationship between internet addiction and interpersonal relationships. Secondly, it was assumed that internet addiction will negatively correlate with the quality of life. Thirdly, it was hypothesized that demographics will have a significant relation with study variables. Internet addiction was assessed by internet addiction test (Young 1998), for interpersonal relationships, positive and negative relationship quality (Rogge and Fincham 2017) scale was used. To measure the quality of life World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL Group 1996) was used. Results revealed that there is a significant relationship between internet addiction, interpersonal relationships, and quality of life among married couples. The results of the correlation analysis revealed that internet addiction is negatively correlated with positive relationship quality and positively correlated with negative relationship quality. Results of correlation also revealed internet addiction negatively predicts all four domains of quality of life physical, psychological, environmental, and social relationships respectively. This study also explored the role of demographic variables with study variables. Females showed more Quality of life and PNR positive than males. Married couples of age 18-25 are most internet addicted according to the results of the study. Individuals aging between 26-35 showed most PNR positive. Undergraduates are most prone to internet addiction according to the finding of the study.