Author(s)

Weixu Wang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, MN 55455, United States

Corresponding Author

Weixu Wang

ABSTRACT

The rapid expansion of the Internet has profoundly transformed the social environment in which adolescents grow and interact. While digital technology provides unprecedented opportunities for information access, communication, and learning, it also introduces new psychological and behavioral risks for young users. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to harmful online influences due to their developmental characteristics, including identity exploration, emotional instability, and limited self-regulation. This paper examines the impact of the Internet on the formation of criminal psychology among adolescents and explores preventive strategies from multiple levels. Drawing on developmental psychology and criminology research, the paper analyzes how harmful online content, virtual social interaction, gaming addiction, and anonymity contribute to the development of delinquent attitudes and behaviors. Furthermore, it proposes comprehensive preventive measures involving social regulation, school education, family guidance, legal protection, and technological governance. By integrating psychological theory and practical prevention strategies, this study aims to provide a systematic framework for reducing online-related risks and promoting healthy adolescent development.

KEYWORDS

Internet; Juvenile Delinquency Psychology; Mechanisms of Influence; Preventive Measures

CITE THIS PAPER

Weixu Wang. The Impact of the Internet on the Development of Criminal Psychology among Adolescents and Preventive Measures. Applied & Educational Psychology (2026). Vol. 7, No.1, 68-74. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/appep.2026.070108.

REFERENCES

[1] Rong, C. (2025, December). Social Media Influence on Criminal Psychology of Children and Adolescence. In 2025 International Conference on Mental Growth and Human Resilience (MGHR 2025) (pp. 319-327). Atlantis Press.
[2] Brewer, R., Cale, J., Goldsmith, A., & Holt, T. (2018). Young people, the internet, and emerging pathways into criminality: A study of Australian adolescents. International Journal of Cyber Criminology 12(1):115-132. doi:10.5281/zenodo.1467853
[3] Paat, Y. F., & Markham, C. (2021). Digital crime, trauma, and abuse: Internet safety and cyber risks for adolescents and emerging adults in the 21st century. Social Work in Mental Health, 19(1), 18-40.
[4] Lukecha, I., Khanetska, N., & Rudenok, A. (2023). Principles and approaches of psychological correction of victim behavior of adolescents on the internet. Psychology Travelogs. doi:10.31891/pt-2023-3-20
[5] Greenfield, P., & Yan, Z. (2006). Children, adolescents, and the Internet: A new field of inquiry in developmental psychology. Developmental psychology, 42(3), 391.
[6] Yuzikova, N. (2022). Criminology Research Of The Influence Of Internet Content On Interpersonal Communication And Behavior Of Minors. Baltic Journal of Legal and Social Sciences, (3), 94-101.
[7] Wissink, I. B., Asscher, J. J., & Stams, G. J. (2025). Online Delinquent Behaviors of Adolescents: Parents as Potential "Influencers"?. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 69(8), 898-920.
[8] Jastrzębska, J. (2019). Internet crime as a threat to children and adolescents. Kwartalnik Naukowy Fides et Ratio, 37(1), 411-422.

Sponsors, Associates, and Links

---

• Advances in Educational Technology and Psychology
  
  
• Curriculum and Teaching Methodology
  
  
• Transactions on Comparative Education
  
  
• Advances in Vocational and Technical Education
  
  
• Adult and Higher Education