Niveles de adicción a internet según variables sociodemográficas en adolescentes de bachillerato de la Unidad Educativa del Milenio Manuela Garaicoa de Calderón de la ciudad de Cuenca en el periodo 2025–2026

Abstract

Internet addiction is a psychosocial issue that particularly affects adolescents, manifesting through excessive and uncontrolled use of digital devices, which can negatively impact academic performance, emotional health, and interpersonal relationships. In response to this reality, the present study aims to describe the levels of Internet addiction among high school students at “Unidad Educativa del Milenio Manuela Garaicoa de Calderón.” The research was conducted using a quantitative approach with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive design. The sample consisted of 147 students from the afternoon shift, selected through non-probability convenience sampling. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and a sociodemographic questionnaire developed by the researchers were used. The results showed that most adolescents maintain controlled Internet use, followed by a small group with problematic use, and only two cases with addictive levels. No differences were found based on sex or other sociodemographic factors. The most frequent activities were social media, schoolwork, videos, and music, confirming recreational and academic patterns reported in previous studies. In conclusion, Internet addiction was not a predominant issue in this population, as the highest levels of affectation were concentrated in a minority.