Abstract
Objectives: To date, there is no reliable instrument which could be used to assess problematic Internet use (PIU) in Lithuania. The nine-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ-9) previously validated in multiple countries, could be a potential tool for measuring PIU severity. The main objective of the present study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of the questionnaire.Methods: A total of 272 students (17% men, mean age 27 ± 9 years) completed the PIUQ-9, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and answered questions about the impairment of daily functioning caused by PIU in an online survey.Results: A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a bi-factor model with one general factor “general problem” and two-specific factors “obsession” and “neglect + control disorder” fitted the data well. The presence of a strong global factor was supported by the common variance index in the bi-factor model indicating that the “general problem” factor explained 67.7% of common variance. The multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model showed that psychiatric symptoms (β = 0.25) had a moderate, while impairment due to PIU (β = 0.41) had a moderate-to-strong direct effect on the factor “general problem” supporting the construct validity of the scale.Conclusion: The Lithuanian version of the PIUQ-9 has appropriate psychometric properties to be used in measuring PIU severity in student samples.
Highlights
There is a growing global concern about the public health problems and societal costs of problematic Internet use (PIU), which has an estimated prevalence of 1–27% within the general population [1]
Neither the PIUQ-9 scores, nor impairment to engage in daily activities and social life due to excessive internet use differed between genders (p > 0.05)
The bi-factor model comprising two specific factors appeared to be the best fitting model according to the fit indices comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and standardized root mean residual (SRMR) (Table 1)
Summary
There is a growing global concern about the public health problems and societal costs of problematic Internet use (PIU), which has an estimated prevalence of 1–27% within the general population [1]. PIU is increasingly recognized as disproportionately impacting young people and represents an emerging mental health research challenge [2]. The Lithuanian PIUQ-9 Psychometric Evaluation well as symptoms of mental health conditions or personality traits leading to even more advanced engagement in problematic online behaviors. There is a huge risk that any of these behaviors could have the tendency to increase during and after the COVID-19 quarantine period [3] and may require professional intervention and support. It is crucial to have adequate adapted measurements for PIU before developing appropriate tailored interventions
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