Stress and Internet Addiction in College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many facets of life. The rising usage of the internet, particularly social media platforms, is one of them. Individuals who use the internet more frequently may develop an internet addiction. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between stress and internet addiction in college students. This study utilized a survey-based correlational quantitative approach. The sample consisted of 81 students from the State University of Malang. The instruments utilized in this study were the Perceived Stress Scale-10 modified for COVID-19 to measure stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Internet Addiction Test to measure internet addiction. Data were analyzed using product moment correlation techniques. The study's findings revealed a substantial positive relationship between stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and internet addiction in college students (r = 0.333; p = 0.002). This implies that the higher the stress level related to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by an individual, the higher the tendency for internet addiction. Keywords: stress, internet addiction, COVID-19 pandemic, college student