Ethnic Differences in the Association between Problematic Internet Use and School Engagement and GPA: Findings from a Diverse High School Sample
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Nazar Madaski, MPHc; Rasmey Gomez, MPHc; Xiao Zhang, MPHc; Myriam Forster, PhD, MPH
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Background: Adolescents’ problematic internet use (PIU) is a public health priority as nearly all teenagers (96%) reporting 7+ hours of online activity. PIU exhibits similar characteristics to those observed in substance use disorders. Despite the many studies assessing the negative effect of PIU on mental health and academia, there remains a dearth of research assessing ethnic differences between PIU and GPA and school engagement.
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Methods: Data are baseline surveys of high school students (N=2,306) enrolled in a school-based study assessing school, health and developmental outcomes. GLMs tested the hypothesized association while adjusting for age, sex, state, and SES. 
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Results: PIU was significantly associated with lower GPA and lower behavioral school engagement, but not affective or cognitive. Non-Hispanic Whites experienced the most detriment. 
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Conclusion: Limiting students’ screen time and integrating routine screening is crucial in mitigating internet use. Future research will benefit from investigating what protective cultural/family factors could offset the negative consequences of PIU.