THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERNET USE and SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING: META-ANALYSIS of PREVIOUS STUDIES

<p>Substantial research on linkage between Internet use and well-being has yielded mixed findings. While some scientists provided evidence that Internet use was positively associated with well-being, others demonstrated opposite results.&nbsp; Besides, most attempts to generalize the results of various studies are represented by literature reviews that cannot guarantee a high degree of objectivity.</p><p>Accordingly, whether the Internet has a beneficial or&nbsp; adverse effect on subjective well-being still remains an open question.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The present study is aimed to examine the relationship between Internet use and subjective well-being. More precisely, the research will attempt to make an objective generalization of results of previous studies in order to provide an overall answer to the research question.&nbsp;</p><p>The questions addressed in this study include the following:</p><ul><li>To estimate the direction and the strength of associating between Internet use and the level of subjective well-being;</li><li>To identify the presence of moderators and mediators of the association between Internet use and subjective well-being.</li></ul><p>The method of meta-analysis is used in order to provide an answer to the research question. Meta-analysis is a set of techniques in which the results of two or more independent studies are statistically combined to provide an overall answer to a question of interest.</p><p>The empirical base for the research is represented by various studies on the relationship between Internet use and subjective well-being.</p><p>36 studies with total sample of 37, 362 respondents were included in the analysis.</p><p>The results of the study showed that there is no relationship between mere use of Internet and subjective well-being.</p><p>The data showed significant heterogeneity, due to that fact the results from random-effects should be taken into consideration.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to the fixed effect model the type of Internet use and the type of well-being indicator moderated the relationship between the Internet use and subjective well-being. &nbsp;However, according to the random effects-model the effect of this moderators was insignificant.</p><p>The data showed considerable heterogeneity, due to that fact the results from random-effects should be taken into consideration.</p><p>Thus &nbsp;future investigations should consider the possible sources of these differences&nbsp; among the effect sizes.</p>