Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Korean Scale for Internet Addiction (K-Scale) in Japanese high school students. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mak, Kwok-Kei; Nam, JeeEun Karin; Kim, Dongil; Aum, Narae; Choi, Jung-Seok; Cheng, Cecilia; Ko, Huei-Chen; Watanabe, Hiroko
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 249(2017)
• Page Start: 343
• Page End: 348
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Internet Addiction -- Smartphone Addiction -- Adolescents; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.01.044
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: The Korean Scale for Internet Addiction (K-Scale) was developed in Korea for assessing addictive internet behaviors. This study aims to adopt K-Scale and examine its psychometric properties in Japanese adolescents. In 2014, 589 (36.0% boys) high school students (Grade 10–12) from Japan completed a survey, including items of Japanese versions of K-Scale and Smartphone Scale for Smartphone Addiction (S-Scale). Model fit indices of the original four-factor structure, three-factor structure obtained from exploratory factor analysis, and improved two-factor structure of K-Scale were computed using confirmatory factor analysis, with internal reliability of included items reported. The convergent validity of K-Scale was tested against self-rated internet addiction, and S-Scale using multiple regression models. The results showed that a second-order two-factor 13-item structure was the most parsimonious model (NFI=0.919, NNFI=0.935, CFI=0.949, and RMSEA=0.05) with good internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.87). The two factors revealed were "Disturbance of Adaptation and Life Orientation" and "Withdrawal and Tolerance". Moreover, the correlation between internet user classifications defined by K-Scale and self-rating was significant. K-Scale total score was significantly and positively associated with S-Scale total (adjusted R 2 =0.440) and subscale scores (adjusted R 2 =0.439). In conclusion, K-Scale is a valid and reliable assessment scale of internet addiction for Japanese high school students after modifications. Highlights: The 15-item Korean Scale for Internet Addiction (K-Scale) was developed in 2011, but has not been validated in Japanese populations. A 13-item second-order two-factor model of K-Scale is the best-fitting model for data from Japanese high school students. The two factors revealed are "Disturbance of Adaptation and Life Orientation", and "Withdrawal and Tolerance". K-Scale shows good internal reliability, as well as convergent validity against self-rated internet addiction and Smartphone Scale for Smartphone Addiction ( s -Scale).