Abstract

The aim of the present study is to understand, in a sample of 695 adolescent (298 males and 397 female) aged from 14 to 19 years, whether the use of Internet during adolescence can be considered a resource to create/maintain friendships. The way in which internet is used as well as the quality of on-line and off-line friendship have been measured. Adolescents with a rich social life state to spend more time on the net, to use internet to make or maintain friends, to communicate feelings and emotions than adolescents with a poorer social life. The comparison between the real friend and the virtual one, reveals that the virtual friend appears to be less relevant for emotional support. Results suggest that adolescents with a richer social life in the off-line context are more involved in the on-line communication.