PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PSYCHOCORRECTION OF COMPUTER ADDICTION OF ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Purpose of the article is to substantiate, provide meaningful description, and prove the effectiveness of psycho-correctional work on strengthening the personal and social status of computer addicted adolescents at various levels with the aim to overcome it. The article analyzes modern approaches to understanding the psychological essence of the computer addiction and its manifestation in adolescents.

Methods. A number of theoretical and empirical methods were used to achieve the purpose of the study. Theoretical methods of research were generalization and analysis of the theoretical basis on the issue, according to the aim to determine the current degree of computer addiction development. Empirical methods included surveys, a formative experiment for determining effective ways to correct the addictive behavior of adolescents with different degree of computer dependence, and observation. Statistical data processing for a thorough comparative analysis was performed through calculating Student's t-test.

Results. It was found out that the prevention and overcoming of computer addiction in adolescents are correlated with their personal and socio-behavioral aspects of development. The motivational sphere of personality needs special attention, as immersion into virtual worlds is caused by the difficulty of meeting the basic needs of the adolescent in real interpersonal interaction. The computer addiction or the risk of its development were diagnosed in a half of all subjects. A psycho-correctional program has been developed for adolescents with and prone to computer addiction, which is aimed at solving informational, developmental, and reflexive tasks that cover the personal characteristics of the subjects vulnerable to the development of computer addiction.

Conclusions. The effectiveness of the program for overcoming computer addiction and propensity to it is confirmed by the results of a comparative study. Prospects for further research are outlined, including the motivation of parents to take part in the prevention and correction of addictive behavior of their children as a negative phenomenon of socialization and their practical implementation, and further practical psychological work with adolescents on risk and computer addiction.