Perceived Social Isolation and Internet Addiction as Predictors of Procrastination among Young Adults

Abstract

As procrastination becomes progressively more common in today\'s world, the hidden role of social isolation cannot be ignored. Feeling disconnected from real-life interactions may drive individuals toward internet addiction, ultimately increasing the chances of procrastination. The present study aims to find out the difference between the groups of AFAB and AMMB in PSI, Internet addiction and Procrastination; and to explore the interrelationships among PSI, Internet Addiction and Procrastination. All total 208 (73 AMAB and 135 AFAB) participants, aged between 18 - 30 years (mean age = 22 years), having 15 -17 years of education were selected from different regions of West Bengal, using purposive sampling. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Social Isolation Scale, Internet Addiction Test(IAT) and General Procrastination Scale (GPS) were used.Statistical Analysis was done through SPSS -27. An independent sample t-test revealed that AMAB participants reported comparatively higher levels of internet addiction and procrastination than AFAB participants. Pearson’s Coefficient of Correlation revealed significant positive relationships among procrastination, perceived social isolation and internet addiction among young adults. Regression analysis revealed PSI as a significant predicting factor for procrastination among young adults (with a weightage of 18%). Further multiple regression analysis revealed that PSI and internet addiction together significantly predict procrastination (with a weightage of 22.3%) among young adults. Thus the study highlights that internet addiction works as an important factor in translating feelings of social isolation, further leading to procrastinatory behaviour among young adults.

Introduction

This study investigates the relationship between perceived social isolation, internet addiction, and procrastination among young adults, particularly university and college students in West Bengal. While the internet has become an essential part of daily life for education, communication, and entertainment, excessive internet use has increasingly been associated with behavioral and psychological problems such as internet addiction, procrastination, and feelings of loneliness or social isolation.

Internet addiction is characterized by compulsive and uncontrolled internet use that interferes with personal, academic, and occupational functioning. Procrastination refers to the irrational delay of important tasks despite anticipating negative consequences, while perceived social isolation describes the subjective feeling of loneliness or emotional disconnection, even in the presence of social relationships. Previous research suggests that loneliness and social anxiety contribute to problematic internet use, which in turn may increase procrastination and negatively affect academic performance and psychological well-being.

The primary aim of this research is to predict procrastination through perceived social isolation and internet addiction among young adults. Specifically, the study seeks to examine the interrelationships among these variables, compare differences between AMAB and AFAB students, assess the impact of perceived social isolation on both internet addiction and procrastination, and determine the combined influence of perceived social isolation and internet addiction on procrastination.

The literature review indicates consistent positive relationships between internet addiction and procrastination across different populations. Recent studies have shown that factors such as self-control, anxiety, fear of missing out (FoMO), self-regulation, and self-esteem may mediate these relationships. Other research has linked internet addiction with depression, suicidal ideation, sleep disturbances, and reduced psychological well-being, while interventions such as quality-of-life therapy have been found to reduce both internet addiction and loneliness. These findings suggest that emotional and social factors play a significant role in excessive internet use and related behavioral outcomes.

The study employs a quantitative, correlational research design involving 208 university and college students (aged 18–30 years) from West Bengal, selected using purposive and convenience sampling between April and May 2026. Data were collected through Google Forms from participants who regularly use the internet and provided informed consent. Individuals with incomplete responses or who did not consent were excluded from the study.

The research uses standardized psychological instruments, including the PROMIS Social Isolation Scale, to measure perceived social isolation, along with established measures of internet addiction and procrastination. The collected data will be analyzed to examine correlations and predictive relationships among the study variables. The findings are expected to provide a better understanding of how emotional disconnection and problematic internet use contribute to procrastination, thereby offering insights for developing interventions to improve the psychological well-being, productivity, and academic functioning of young adults.

Conclusion

In conclusion, healthy social connection and balanced internet usage are important for the psychological well-being and daily functioning of young adults of West Bengal. Individuals who feel emotionally disconnected from others may be more likely to spend excessive time online and delay important responsibilities or tasks. The study also emphasizes the importance of maintaining healthy social relationships, emotional support, and balanced online habits for overall psychological well-being. Furthermore, this research contributes meaningful insight into the growing impact of social disconnection and excessive internet use among young adults, while adding valuable understanding to the existing literature in this area.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Samriddhi Ghosh, Sweta Chakraborty , Moubani Majumdar, Bipasha Dey, Bedostuti Deb, Dr. Sanchita Ghosh, Binita Sarkar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.