Jonathan J. Kandell

Use of the Internet on college campuses has increased dramatically in recent years, leading to pathological use, or Internet addiction, for some students. Internet addiction is defined as a psychological dependence on the Internet and is characterized by (a) an increasing investment of resources on Internet-related activities, (b) unpleasant feelings (e.g., anxiety, depression, emptiness) when offline, (c) an increasing tolerance to the effects of being online, and (d) denial of the problematic behaviors. Individuals exhibiting such symptoms often are dealing with underlying psychological issues. College students are particularly vulnerable to pathological Internet use due to several factors. These factors include (a) the psychological and developmental characteristics of late adolescence/young adulthood, (b) ready access to the Internet, and (c) an expectation of computer/Internet use. The nature of the computer medium and the sense of control experienced when engaged in computer activities can also contribute to the potential for problematic computer/Internet use. Research on Internet addiction is in its infancy. The need for greater understanding of Internet addiction and its treatment is noted.

Using a sample of 2818 first-year college students, 51% of whom were male, and 65% of whom were Caucasian, we related their identity processing styles as determined by the Identity Styles Inventory (ISI, Berzonsky, 1992) to self-perceived academic self-efficacy and academic performance. We conceptualized obstacles to identity development and academic success and discussed proactive interventions within a context of gender and cultural diversity.

The authors present the results of a study investigating the willingness of first-year college students to volunteer for a variety of campus organizations.

Consultation on a university campus is an important adjunct mental health service to individual and small‐group counseling. It serves as a preventive and an early identification resource for both emotional‐social and educational‐vocational problems. Interventions with faculty, staff, and campus organizations are made possible with a consultation service. Consultation projects have enhanced support networks for ethnic‐minority students and increased the humanization of the campus for all students.