A psychometric comparison of the Internet Addiction Test, the Internet-Related Problem Scale, and self-diagnosis

One of the more prominent issues in the field of Internet addiction is the validity of the instrument used to assess users' level of Internet involvement. Many of the instruments used to assess Internet addiction have high face validity but have yet to be tested psychometrically. The aim of this study is to compare two of the most used Internet addiction research measures, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Internet-Related Problem Scale (IRPS), along with a self-diagnostic question simply asking Internet users if they thought they were addicted to the Internet. A total of 225 Internet users participated in the study (69 males and 156 females). Participants who defined themselves as Internet addicts had higher scores on both the IAT and IRPS, and the three different Internet addiction measures were strongly correlated to each other. For the IAT, factor analysis generated three factors (emotional/psychological conflict; time management issues; mood modification) explaining 56.3% of the variance. For the IRPS, factor analysis generated four factors (negative effects of Internet use; mood modification; loss of control; increased Internet use) explaining 60.2% of the variance. The implications for these findings are discussed.     

Internet addiction disorder: an Italian study.

The Italian version of the Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was administered online to a sample of Italian chatters (n = 236) who were different in terms of gender, age, and occupation. Results revealed that young users are more at-risk subjects for Internet addiction than adults, perceiving a compromised social and individual quality of their life that led them to make a compensatory usage of the Internet. Similarly, employed users perceive their social and individual quality of life as more compromised by the Internet than students. Moreover, subjects who declared spending much time online obtained IAT scores higher than others in all the IAT subscales. Finally, nightly users are more at-risk subjects for developing an Internet addiction disorder, diminishing their individual quality of life and disabling their time control.     

Watching pornographic pictures on the Internet: role of sexual arousal ratings and psychological-psychiatric symptoms for using Internet sex sites excessively

Excessive or addictive Internet use can be linked to different online activities, such as Internet gaming or cybersex. The usage of Internet pornography sites is one important facet of online sexual activity. The aim of the present work was to examine potential predictors of a tendency toward cybersex addiction in terms of subjective complaints in everyday life due to online sexual activities. We focused on the subjective evaluation of Internet pornographic material with respect to sexual arousal and emotional valence, as well as on psychological symptoms as potential predictors. We examined 89 heterosexual, male participants with an experimental task assessing subjective sexual arousal and emotional valence of Internet pornographic pictures. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and a modified version of the IAT for online sexual activities (IATsex), as well as several further questionnaires measuring psychological symptoms and facets of personality were also administered to the participants. Results indicate that self-reported problems in daily life linked to online sexual activities were predicted by subjective sexual arousal ratings of the pornographic material, global severity of psychological symptoms, and the number of sex applications used when being on Internet sex sites in daily life, while the time spent on Internet sex sites (minutes per day) did not significantly contribute to explanation of variance in IATsex score. Personality facets were not significantly correlated with the IATsex score. The study demonstrates the important role of subjective arousal and psychological symptoms as potential correlates of development or maintenance of excessive online sexual activity.     

负面评价恐惧与大学生网络过度使用的关系：社交焦虑和自我控制的中介作用

本研究以864名大学生为被试,探讨负面评价恐惧与网络过度使用的关系以及社交焦虑和自我控制在这一关系中的中介作用。结果发现：（1）负面评价恐惧与社交焦虑和网络过度使用之间均呈显著正相关,与自我控制存在显著负相关;（2）负面评价恐惧通过社交焦虑和自我控制的中介作用对网络过度使用产生影响,这一中介作用包含了三条路径：社交焦虑和自我控制的单独中介作用以及社交焦虑-自我控制的序列中介作用。这一结论有助于促进对大学生网络过度使用的干预与预防。     

大学新生网络使用时间与网络成瘾的关系：有中介的调节模型

通过整群取样的方法选取北京市某所高校2250名大一新生为测查对象, 采用问卷方式探讨了大学新生网络使用时间、网络社交使用占网络使用总时间的比重、网络使用的背景性渴求以及网络成瘾程度之间的关系。基于网络使用满足的相关理论以及渴求的条件反射理论, 本研究构建了一个有中介的调节模型, 即网络社交使用比重在网络使用时间与网络成瘾之间起调节作用, 而且这一调节作用通过网络使用的背景性渴求这一中介变量得以实现。结果显示：(1)大学新生每周上网时间为13.58 ± 8.94小时, 网络社交使用占全部上网时间的比重为27.18 ± 18.15%; (2)网络使用时间、网络社交使用比重、网络使用背景性渴求与网络成瘾的五个维度及总分呈显著正相关; (3)网络使用时间以及网络社交使用比重均能够直接正向预测网络成瘾, 同时网络社交比重在网络使用时间预测网络成瘾这一关系中起调节作用, 即相比较少使用网络社交的被试, 较多使用网络社交的群体表现出更高的网络成瘾程度, 且网络使用时间对网络成瘾程度的预测作用相对较低; 而且网络社交比重的调节作用部分通过网络使用的背景性渴求这一中介变量实现。     

Work addiction is associated with increased stress and reduced quality of life: Validation of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale in Danish

Addiction to work is defined as a compulsion or an uncontrollable need to work incessantly. Only few measures exist to identify work addiction and the health consequences are sparsely explored. The Bergen Workaholic Scale (BWAS) measures seven core elements of work addiction and has been used in Norway, Hungary, Brazil, Italy, USA and Poland. The aim of this study was to validate the BWAS in a Danish sample and to investigate if high risk of work addiction was associated with stress and reduced quality of life. We conducted an online screening survey with 671 participants aged 16–68 years with the Danish translation of the BWAS. We added the perceived stress scale (PSS) and the quality of life scale EQ‐5D‐5L. Those with high risk of work addiction reported significantly higher mean PSS scores (20.0 points) compared to those with low risk of addiction (12.5 points) and poorer quality of life (61.9) compared to the low risk group (81.3). Furthermore, work addiction was associated with more weekly working hours (44.0 vs. 35.6 hours/week) and having more leadership responsibility. A preliminary estimate of work addiction prevalence was 6.6%. The BWAS demonstrated good reliability (α = 0.83), and factor analyses pointed at a single factor structure. Work addiction seems to be associated with health problems in terms of stress and poorer quality of life. The BWAS is recommended as a reliable and valid tool to identify work addiction in Danish.     

Internet café addiction of Taiwanese adolescents.

With the recent vigorous development, the Internet has become a part of life. And the Internet café has become an emerging industry under this new wave of Internet heat. However, the Internet café has also brought about many unexpected social problems and negative effects on society in Taiwan. For example, Internet café addiction (or pathological use) is a particular phenomenon derived from Internet café in Taiwan. But currently there are just a few scholars who attend to this problem. This study focuses mainly on the phenomenon of Internet café addiction among adolescents in Taiwan, the Internet café patronage behavior, and the cause of this phenomenon. Result of a questionnaire survey indicate that a significant difference exists between male and female adolescent in the following two aspects: "the stay hours for each visit in Internet café" and "Internet café addiction scores." Males' stay hours in Internet café are longer than females', and males also get higher Internet café addiction scores than females. The results also indicate that participants' degree of self-esteem and support from their social network can account for 30% of variance of Internet café addiction. Further, the results also suggest that social support is positively related to Internet café addiction score, whereas a negative relationship between self-esteem and Internet café addiction score is observed.     

An ontological test of the IAT: Self-activation can increase predictive validity

Extensive research has been conducted demonstrating the predictive validity and reliability of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) for a broad array of behaviors and contexts. However, less work has been done examining its underlying construct validity. This contribution focuses on examining whether a core theoretical foundation of the IAT paradigm is valid, specifically, whether the IAT effect draws on the social knowledge structure (SKS). We present four studies within different domains that show that the IAT does indeed appear to draw on the SKS. The data show that activation of the self before the categorization task enhances the predictive validity of the IAT, as one would expect if the IAT reflects the SKS. We discuss theoretical reasons for these findings, with emphasis also on underlying statistical/psychometric issues.     

Psychometric Properties of the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) in Chinese Adolescents

The Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) was developed to assess Internet addiction in Chinese populations, but its psychometric properties in adolescents have not been examined. This study aimed to evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of CIAS-R in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. 860 Grade 7 to 13 students (38 % boys) completed the CIAS-R, the Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) in a survey. The prevalence of Internet addiction as assessed by CIAS-R was 18 %. High internal consistency and inter-item correlations were reported for the CIAS-R. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis suggested a four-factor structure of Compulsive Use and Withdrawal, Tolerance, Interpersonal and Health-related Problems, and Time Management Problems. Moreover, results of hierarchical multiple regression supported the incremental validity of the CIAS-R to predict mental health outcomes beyond the effects of demographic differences and self-reported time spent online. The CIAS is a reliable and valid measure of internet addiction problems in Hong Kong adolescents. Future study is warranted to validate the cutoffs of the CIAS-R for identification of adolescents with Internet use problems who may have mental health needs.     

Psychometric properties of an instrument for assessing cyber-sex addiction

Psychometric properties of an instrument for assessing cyber-sex addiction. Cyber-sex addiction is a ?new pathology? whose prevalence has grown rapidly in recent years. Therefore, it is important to have validated assessment instruments. The aim of this study was the adaptation and validation of the Internet Sex Screening Test (ISST) for its use in a Spanish population. The instrument was administered to 1239 Spanish college students. The results yielded five components that account for 47.5% of the variance. Internal consistency was .88 and temporal stability was .84. Moreover, the instrument had adequate convergent and discriminant validity and was related to other behaviors such as the use of pornography, internet addiction, number of hours online and sexual frequency. Therefore, this tool is proposed as an appropriate measure to assess cyber-sex addiction.     

Internet addiction: a review of current assessment techniques and potential assessment questions.

The concept of Internet addiction has been proposed as an explanation for uncontrollable and damaging use of the Internet. Symptoms of excessive Internet use have been compared to the criteria used to diagnose other addictions such as pathological gambling. Although criteria to diagnose this problem have been proposed, methods of assessing excessive Internet use are limited. A structured interview based on the criteria proposed by Beard and Wolf is proposed to aid in the assessment of "Internet addiction." This, in turn, could aid in the diagnosis and intervention of a client who enters treatment reporting difficulties with excessive Internet use.     

大学生网络成瘾对学业挫折感的影响:心理生活质量的中介作用

为探讨心理生活质量在大学生网络成瘾与学业挫折感关系间的中介作用,研究采用青年学生学业挫折感问卷、心理生活质量问卷和中文网络成瘾量表,对703名大学生进行测量。结果表明:(1)大学生网络成瘾与学业挫折感之间呈显著正相关,心理生活质量与网络成瘾、学业挫折感之间呈显著负相关;(2)大学生网络成瘾正向预测学业挫折感、负向预测心理生活质量,心理生活质量负向预测学业挫折感;(3)心理生活质量在大学生网络成瘾对学业挫折感影响中起部分中介作用。     

Prevalence of Internet addiction in Latino adolescents with psychiatric diagnosis

Internet addiction (IA) is particularly relevant in the adolescent population. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of IA in a clinical sample of Latino adolescents receiving ambulatory psychiatric treatment. The correlation between their pattern of Internet use and their respective psychiatric diagnosis was also studied. Adolescent patients from the Psychiatric Ambulatory Clinic at the Pediatric University Hospital (N=71) completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and a questionnaire about Internet use. Information regarding demographic and diagnostic data was retrieved from their clinical records. None of the subjects presented severe IA. A total of 71.8% (n=51) of the adolescents obtained scores reflecting no problem related to IA. Only 11.6% (n=5) of subjects have discussed Internet use with their therapist. Mood disorders showed a statistically significant (p=0.044) correlation with a higher score on the IAT. Mental health care practitioners must consider questions on Internet use as an essential part of the patients' evaluation given its significant correlation with diagnosis of a mood disorder.     

Cognitive behavior therapy with Internet addicts: treatment outcomes and implications.

Research over the last decade has identified Internet addiction as a new and often unrecognized clinical disorder that impact a user's ability to control online use to the extent that it can cause relational, occupational, and social problems. While much of the literature explores the psychological and social factors underlying Internet addiction, little if any empirical evidence exists that examines specific treatment outcomes to deal with this new client population. Researchers have suggested using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as the treatment of choice for Internet addiction, and addiction recovery in general has utilized CBT as part of treatment planning. To investigate the efficacy of using CBT with Internet addicts, this study investigated 114 clients who suffered from Internet addiction and received CBT at the Center for Online Addiction. This study employed a survey research design, and outcome variables such as client motivation, online time management, improved social relationships, improved sexual functioning, engagement in offline activities, and ability to abstain from problematic applications were evaluated on the 3rd, 8th, and 12th sessions and over a 6-month follow-up. Results suggested that Caucasian, middle-aged males with at least a 4-year degree were most likely to suffer from some form of Internet addiction. Preliminary analyses indicated that most clients were able to manage their presenting complaints by the eighth session, and symptom management was sustained upon a 6-month follow-up. As the field of Internet addiction continues to grow, such outcome data will be useful in treatment planning with evidenced-based protocols unique to this emergent client population.     

内隐联想测验：信度、效度及原理

内隐联想测验（Implicit Association Test）是一种评估个体对两个概念的自动化联系强度的间接测量方法,近年来被广泛应用于内隐社会认知研究。有很多证据显示,较之于外显测验,IAT能为研究提供更多新的信息,但其信度、效度指标都有待改善,而且不同学者对其测验原理仍有不同解释。因此,研究者对IAT的应用及对其结果的解释需持谨慎态度。另外,文章还简单介绍了IAT数据处理的新方法和一些IAT的变式。     

Rainbows in the society: A measure of hope for society

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a measure of social hope. Previous studies have extensively reported on personal hope and its outcomes. Although a few studies have suggested the concept of collective or social hope, there is no instrument to assess the construct. In this study, we created a 5‐item scale, drawing on Snyder's hope theory, and collected two sets of survey data online. Analysis of these data sets revealed that the new scale was structurally unidimensional and internally consistent. In association with Snyder's State Hope Scale, the Social Hope Scale showed convergent and discriminant validity. The social hope construct also exhibited theoretically meaningful relationships with political efficacy and self‐construal (concurrent validity). Finally, social hope was higher for those who had participated in certain types of social activism than it was for those who had not (predictive validity). These results suggest that the Social Hope Scale is a reliable and valid self‐report measure of hopeful thinking for society.     

The effects of behavioral inhibition/approach system as predictors of Internet addiction in adolescents

This study aimed to determine how the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioral Approach System (BAS) affect Internet addiction in adolescents. Two hundred and eleven high school students participated in this study and completed the Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), BIS/BAS scales, and several self-administered questionnaires about depression, anxiety, and impulsivity. Hierarchical regressions showed that BIS and BAS × BIS emerged as significant predictors of IAT; however, only BAS-fun seeking subscale predicted IAT among BAS related subscales. In further analyses, the BAS-fun seeking subscale was mediated by impulsivity and anxiety, and BIS was mediated by anxiety and depression. The current findings imply that BIS and BAS interdependently influence vulnerability to Internet addiction through both shared (anxiety) and different (depression and impulsivity, respectively) pathways.     

青少年创伤后应激障碍症状与网络成瘾症状的关系：惩罚敏感性和孤独感的中介及性别的调节

汶川地震9.5年后,对汶川县和都江堰市767名中学生进行调查,考察惩罚敏感性和孤独感在创伤后应激障碍症状和网络成瘾症状之间的多重中介作用及性别差异。结果发现：（1）PTSD症状正向预测网络成瘾症状,并分别通过惩罚敏感性、孤独感的单独中介作用及两者的链式中介作用显著预测网络成瘾症状;（2）女性的PTSD症状显著正向预测网络成瘾症状,并分别通过惩罚敏感性和孤独感间接影响网络成瘾症状;男性的网络成瘾症状仅被PTSD症状正向预测。     

Convergent,Discriminant, and Incremental Validity of the Pictorial Attitude Implicit Association Test and the Picture Story Exercise as Measures of the Implicit Power Motive

The Pictorial Attitude Implicit Association Test (PA‐IAT) has recently been proposed as new measure of implicit motives. We report a study that provides the first evidence for the convergent validity of the PA‐IAT by showing that the PA‐IAT correlates significantly with a standard measure of implicit motives [i.e. the Picture Story Exercise (PSE)]. Discriminant validity of the PA‐IAT was verified in the sense that the PA‐IAT shared virtually no common variance with explicit motive measures. Our analyses revealed that the PA‐IAT and PSE can best be conceived as related but distinct measures. We further showed that the PA‐IAT had incremental validity in predicting performance on a memory recall task over and above the PSE. In general, our results confirm that the PA‐IAT is a valid measure of implicit motives and can serve as valid alternative to the PSE. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大学生社会行为、成就动机与网络成瘾倾向的关系研究——以武汉市5所高校为例

运用问卷调查法探讨大学生的社会行为、成就动机与网络成瘾倾向的关系。对299位大学生的调查结果表明:(1)追求成功动机、避免失败动机和社交能力对大学生网络成瘾倾向有直接影响;(2)成就动机还通过社交能力间接影响网络成瘾倾向。