Thesis
Internet usage and vulnerability in acquired brain injury
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Aug 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6989
Abstract
Objective: The proposed study will investigate the general behaviors of Internet use among individuals with acquired brain injury's (ABI). Furthermore, analyses will be done to see if they have any increased vulnerabilities when using the Internet. Internet vulnerability is defined as experiencing or being prone to experience identity theft, monetary fraud/loss, and personal exploitation. Background: Current estimates suggest that more than 60% of U.S. adults use the Internet in daily life. For people with disabilities, the Internet use has been shown to provide self-worth, wellbeing, and independence. However, research has also shown that individuals with ABI have trouble when browsing the web. It is important to understand how individuals with ABI use the Internet compared to a healthy population, in order to assess if they are vulnerable to fraud and exploitation. Method: We propose to evaluate twenty-three individuals with ABI and twenty-three healthy controls. A newly developed Internet Fraud Vulnerability Questionnaire (IFV-Q) will be given to assess general patterns of Internet usage, impulsive behaviors, comfort levels when using the Internet, and vulnerability on the Internet. Vulnerability will be measured through monetary fraud/loss and identity theft sections in the IFV-Q. In addition, to examine potential cognitive contributions to Internet vulnerability, participants will be administered three neuropsychological tests: The Symbol Digits Modality Task (SDMT) to examine attention and visual scanning, the Stroop task to examine inhibition, and the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) to examine risk taking behavior and impulsivity. It is hypothesized that people with ABI will be more vulnerable when using the Internet compared to healthy controls. It is also hypothesized that there will be relationships between high impulsivity and Internet vulnerability, and low inhibition and Internet vulnerability.
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Details
- Title
- Internet usage and vulnerability in acquired brain injury
- Creators
- Samantha Santomo - DU
- Contributors
- Maria Teresa Schultheis (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 6989; 991014632176504721