Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Boysan, Murat; Kuss, Daria J.; Barut, Yaşar; Ayköse, Nafi; Güleç, Mustafa; Özdemir, Osman
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors. Volume 64(2017)
• Page Start: 247
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: Dissociation -- Obsessive–compulsive disorder -- Internet addiction -- Coping -- Reliability -- Validity; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; Nicotine addiction -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Periodicals; Gambling -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.29
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.09.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4603

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Of many instruments developed to assess Internet addiction, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), an expanded version of the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), has been the most widely used scale in English and non-English speaking populations. In this study, our aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of short and expanded versions of the IAT in a Turkish undergraduate sample. Method: Overall, 455 undergraduate students from Turkey aged between 18 and 30 participated in the study (63.53% were females). Explanatory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures investigated factor structures of the IADQ and IAT. The Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), Obsessive Compulsive Inventory—Revised (OCI-R) and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) were administered to assess convergent and divergent validities of the IADQ and IAT. Internal consistency and 15-day test–retest reliability were computed. Results: In the factorial analytic investigation, we found a unidimensional factor structure for each measure fit the current data best. Significant but weak to moderate correlations of the IADQ and the IAT with the CISS, OCI-R and DES provided empirical evidence for divergent validity, whereas strong associations with the subscales of the IAS pointed to the convergent validity of Young's Internet addiction construct. Internal consistency of the IADQ was weak (α = 0.67) and of the IAT was high (α = 0.93). Temporal reliability of both instruments was very high (α = 0.81 and α = 0.87; respectively). Conclusion: The IAT revealed promising and sound psychometric properties in a Turkish sample. Highlights: The Turkish version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) has sound psychometric properties. Of the studies to date, the IAT revealed the highest internal and temporal reliability. Internet addiction is correlated with pathological dissociation and obsessionality. Internet addicts are more likely to cope emotionally with stressful situations.