Abstract
Despite the large number of measurement tools developed to assess problematic Internet use, numerous studies use measures with only modest investigation into their psychometric properties. The goal of the present study was to validate the short (6-item) version of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) on a nationally representative adolescent sample (n = 5,005; mean age 16.4 years, SD = 0.87) and to determine a statistically established cut-off value. Data were collected within the framework of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs project. Results showed an acceptable fit of the original three-factor structure to the data. In addition, a MIMIC model was carried out to justify the need for three distinct factors. The sample was divided into users at-risk of problematic Internet use and those with no-risk using a latent profile analysis. Two latent classes were obtained with 14.4% of adolescents belonging to the at-risk group. Concurrent and convergent validity were tested by comparing the two groups across a number of variables (i.e., time spent online, academic achievement, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and preferred online activities). Using the at-risk latent profile analysis class as the gold standard, a cut-off value of 15 (out of 30) was suggested based on sensitivity and specificity analyses. In conclusion, the brief version of the (6-item) PIUQ also appears to be an appropriate measure to differentiate between Internet users at risk of developing problematic Internet use and those not at risk. Furthermore, due to its brevity, the shortened PIUQ is advantageous to utilize within large-scale surveys assessing many different behaviors and/or constructs by reducing the overall number of survey questions, and as a consequence, likely increasing completion rates.
Highlights
Problematic Internet use and Internet addiction became a widely researched area since the first scientific papers on the topic [1,2,3,4]
The measure should be (i) comprehensive, examining more aspects of problematic internet use; (ii) as concise as possible, in order to be able to assess the more impulsive population, and to fit into timelimited surveys, (iii) reliable and valid for different methods of data collection; (iv) appropriate for different age groups, and (v) appropriate in different cultural settings, and (vi) incorporate cut-off scores defined on the basis of clinical examination
The Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) [9] fulfills several of the six criteria. It is a comprehensive measure assessing three basic aspects of problematic Internet use: obsession, neglect and control disorder
Summary
Problematic Internet use and Internet addiction became a widely researched area since the first scientific papers on the topic [1,2,3,4]. The Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) [9] fulfills several of the six criteria It is a comprehensive measure assessing three basic aspects of problematic Internet use: obsession (i.e., obsessive thinking about the Internet and, mental withdrawal symptoms caused by the lack of Internet use), neglect (i.e., neglect of basic needs and everyday activities) and control disorder (i.e., difficulties in controlling Internet use). It has two versions (18-item and 9-item), both having reliable factor structures, and proven validity across both online and paper-pencil data collection methods on samples of different age groups (i.e., adults and adolescents) [8, 9]
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