Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of self-disclosure on computer addiction, negative emotional experience, physiological symptoms, and social support from friends. 45 students, who had high scores on computer addiction test which was revised based on Internet Addiction Test(The Center for On-line Addiction), were selected from 385 junior high school students. Subjects were randomly assigned three kinds of self-disclosure conditions. In relevant high self-disclosure condition, subjects disclosed their emotion and thoughts about computer-using experiences and its influences on their lives very deeply. In irrelevant high self-disclosure condition, subjects disclosed their emotion and thoughts about their classroom experiences very deeply. In irrelevant superficial self-disclosure condition, subjects were asked to describe their yesterday's and today's daily schedule. The results showed relevant high self-disclosure decreased the level of computer addiction, the level of depression and loneliness, and physiological symptoms. And this effects did not happen in irrelevant high self-disclosure condition. Social support from friends improved across all condition after self-disclosing intervention. Implications of this study's findings were discussed in relation to specific effects of the content of self-disclosure and for the prevention of computer addiction.