# Cognitive Patterns and Coping Mechanisms in the Context of Internet Use
## 4 Discussion and Conclusions
Our fourth and fifth hypotheses investigated this relation in terms of prediction. Therefore, we used a multiple regression model to investigate whether coping strategies and Internet addiction predict dysfunctional negative emotions. Our results show that both Internet addiction and one specific maladaptive coping strategy (i.e., passive wishful thinking) predict emotional distress. This relation was previously investigated in both typical and atypical populations, and similar results to ours were found [48]. Internet addiction predicts negative emotions, but when we tested our sixth hypothesis, we found that the coping style mediates the relation between Internet addiction and emotional distress. Thus, even when adolescents from our group show a mild level of Internet addiction, the appearance of dysfunctional emotions is mediated by the way that they interpret the online behaviors of others and their own. There are several important implications of our research; firstly, it is important to know which are the most common activities of adolescents online and from which type of applications and sites they get their information. Considering the fact that they use a lot of applications that allow them to communicate in writing with their friends (Messenger, WhatsApp), we suggest that mental health specialists involved in school programs focus more on written assertive communication and social skills when using online platforms. On the other hand, children should also benefit from classes regarding how to select and interpret the information that is posted on social networks. Secondly, our findings show that there is a connection between Internet use and emotional distress; even though there are also other relevant factors that may influence the level of distress in adolescents, parents, teachers, and mental health specialists should pay more attention to their online behavior. Depression and anxiety symptoms may influence their academic performances and quality of life, and therefore, we should be aware and consider all the factors that may contribute to an increased level of emotional distress. Thirdly, even though depressed mood and anxiety symptoms may be linked to Internet use, we found in our research that the way that adolescents interpret the situation mediates the relation between the two. Therefore, task-oriented coping strategies seem to be more effective in reducing emotional distress, whereas emotion-focused coping strategies are less effective. Passive wishful thinking--as a coping strategy--may also be linked to the content that adolescents access online; for example, they watch other friends' posts, activities, and achievements, without having real information about the necessary steps in order to achieve certain goals. Proactivity and reappraisal strategies could be part of their educational programs and also be considered as alternatives to annual evaluation systems. Although our results are in line with the findings of other researchers [23; 24; 25] who showed that there is a link between coping strategies and negative emotions, the use of the Internet and its consequences add an interesting view of this relation. More specifically, when analyzing the types of maladaptive coping strategies, we found that passive wishful thinking is highly correlated with dysfunctional negative emotions, meaning that adolescents imagine different positive future scenarios and dream about them, but they do not act in order to fulfill their dreams, and this can increase their anxiety and depressive mood. However, there are also studies that claim [35] that the possible negative impact of technology overuse on our daily activities could be less significant than our current level of concern regarding these issues. There are a few limitations that need to be considered when interpreting the results of our research. Our measurements do not cover all of the possible factors that may influence the level of emotional distress, such as irrational beliefs, family background, personality traits, etc.