Predictive value of impulsivity in problematic uses of the internet and mobile phones in digital natives

Background: Due to the enormous developments taking place in New Information and Communication
Technology (NICT), evaluating inadequate use of them is of particular interest,
and analyzing possible risk factors. Objective: To analyze the possible problematic uses of the
Internet and mobile phones in teenagers and young adults in relation to the impulsivity construct.
Method: To do this, we used a sample of 191 participants aged between 15 and 38
years (X = 22.72, SD = 4.38) who responded to questions about their use of the Internet and
mobile phones, as well as their propensity to act impulsively. Results: Almost half of the digital
natives report occasional problematic use of the Internet and mobile phones, with younger
subjects showing a greater tendency to use them improperly. Likewise, it has been verified that
the age and impulsivity variables are predictive variables of the inadequate use of the Internet
and mobile phones, with age being the variable that best predicts these inappropriate uses.
Discussion: The implications of such problematic uses are discussed and lines of intervention
are proposed.