Analysis of the Relationship between University Students’ Problematic Internet Use and Loneliness

: The computer is part of the information and communication age, and the Internet today is the most used communication tool. Studies have shown that there is a relationship between problematic Internet use and loneliness. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between problematic Internet use sub-scales and loneliness. In this study, data were collected from the college students at an Anatolian University in Turkey. The participants of this study consisted of 392 undergraduates. Of the participants, 43% are male (n = 167) and 57% female (n = 225). The average age for the participants is 22 years old. The Problematic Internet Use Scale and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale were used as data collection instruments. In the present study, structural equation modeling (SEM) procedures are used to explore the relationships that exist among the variables. The findings of the study revealed that while university students’ social benefit/social comfort of Internet has a direct effect on their excessive Internet use and negative consequences, it is related to the loneliness level indirectly. In addition, it is seen in the research model that with an increase in the negative consequences of the Internet, the loneliness level was raised. Another result from the study is that when university students’ excessive Internet use increased, their loneliness level decreased

A Longitudinal Analysis of Funding for Student Affairs in Public Institutions

This study examines longitudinal funding for 513 public institutions over the time period 1995-1999 using the !PEDS database. A comparison across institutional types is presented, and student affairs funding also is compared with other major campus units

Generational Differences in Information Technology Use and Political Involvement

A structural equation model analysis of data from a 2003 national random sample survey (n = 478) on informational technology (IT) reveals important direct and indirect effects of generational demographic and attitudinal differences on electronic forms of political participation. Younger respondents reported more support for IT and fewer technological disadvantages compared to older respondents. Younger respondents showed more desire for public IT availability and e-political participation, whereas older respondents preferred traditional electoral involvement. The more educated held more favorable views of IT generally and of public IT access more specifically. Bettereducated respondents were more active civically in both traditional and electronic forms of participation. Supportive technological views led to greater e-political participation and stronger interest in e-elections. Respondents with less concern and fear about IT were more likely to act as digital citizens and were more involved in epolitics and e-elections. Proponents of public IT access were more supportive of eelections. Our model suggests that e-citizenry will compound existing social divisions, as non-electronic voices are marginalized and electronic voices are amplified

Predicting Higher Education Graduation Rates from Institutional Characteristics and Resource Allocation

This study incorporated institutional characteristics (e.g., Carnegie type, selectivity) and resource allocations (e.g., instructional expenditures, student affairs expenditures) into a statistical model to predict undergraduate graduation rates. Instructional expenditures, library expenditures, and a number of institutional classification variables were significant predictors of graduation rates. Based on these results, recommendations as well as warranted cautions are included about allocating academic financial resources to optimize graduation rate