Review Article Open Access

Internet Usage among Malaysian Youth and Its Effects on Positive Youth Development

Abstract

The process of youth development is positively encouraged with the aid of Internet. The present study was an attempt to find the relationship between the purpose of using Internet, attitudes towards Internet, and age with the 5Cs (connection, competence, character, caring, confidence) of Positive Youth Development (PYD). Furthermore, the mediation effect of Internet use gratification was studied throughout the research. Religion and the level of participants' education were also considered as moderators in the PLS model. A quantitative survey method was used to collect data from a total of 440 undergraduate and post-graduate students (142 male and 298 female), from University Putra Malaysia using stratified random sampling. The findings of the study revealed that the relationship between age and all dimensions of positive youth development (except for character) is statistically meaningful. There is no impact between attitudes towards Internet and 5Cs except for character. There is not any significant relationship between the purpose of using Internet and the 5Cs, except for connection. However, the relationship between purpose of using Internet and gratification of using Internet is significant. Significant relationship is also found between gratification of using Internet and all dimensions of PYD except for connection. There is no moderator effect for under-graduate and post-graduate, however, there is moderator effect between Muslim and non-Muslim groups. Implications of the study are also discussed.

Toktam Namayandeh*

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