Development and Verification of an Internet Game Literacy Scale

Abstract

Background Education on internet games for parents and internet game literacy are needed to prevent problematic internet game playing in Korea. We created an 18-item Internet Game Literacy Scale (IGLS). It is a valuable tool for assessing the positive and negative aspects of internet game play. We aimed to determine the validity of the IGLS and the cut-off for the tendency for internet gameplay. Methods An online research company gathered data from 300 participants. Factor analysis, including Cronbach's α and consistency coefficient, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to verify the 18 items of the IGLS. Additionally, a K-means cluster analysis was performed to determine the cut-off values for positive and negative IGLS scores. Results The 18 items of the IGLS were proven to be reliable, as evidenced by a high Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.892). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.903, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was good (χ 2 = 1,623.314, P < 0.001). All 18 items were segregated into two factors, with nine items each. The eigenvalue of all 18 items was significant at > 0.4. In the analysis of the validity of the 18-item IGLS with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (maximum likelihood estimation, with an oblique method), the fit indices of the standard three-factor model reached acceptable standards. The cut-off point of the total score between the low positive and average positive groups was 23, and the cut-off point of the total score between the average positive and high positive groups was 30. The cut-off point of the total score between the low negative and the average negative groups was 24. The cut-off point of the total score between the average negative group and the high negative group was 32. Conclusion The study assessed the reliability and validity of the IGLS and suggested a cut-off for low, average, and high Internet game literacy degree with 300 Korean adults aged 21–49 years. The current results suggest that the IGLS has good internal consistency and a proper cut-off for positive and negative internet game literacy degrees.

The Effectiveness of Game Coding Education on Problematic Internet Gaming

“…The scale includes 9 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (“strongly disagree”) to 5 (“strongly agree”). The IGLS’s internal consistency has been reported as α=0.89 [ 25 ].…”

“…The IGLS's internal consistency has been reported as α=0.89. 25 The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depression. Each item is rated on a Likert scale ranging from 0 to 3, and a score of 10 (out of 27) is the cutoff point for depression.…”

Effect of Parental Perception on the Prevalence of Adolescent Internet Gaming Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The Internet Game Literacy Scale examines whether individuals have a positive or negative perception of Internet games [ 28 ]. It consists of nine positive scales (e.g., “gaming can reduce stress,” and “people can develop friendships and social skills through games”) and nine negative scales (e.g., “gaming can induce violence” and “games ruin living patterns in reality”), using a 5-point Likert scale rating (1=“strongly disagree,” 2=“disagree,” 3=“neutral,” 4=“agree,” and 5=“strongly agree”).…”

“…It consists of nine positive scales (e.g., “gaming can reduce stress,” and “people can develop friendships and social skills through games”) and nine negative scales (e.g., “gaming can induce violence” and “games ruin living patterns in reality”), using a 5-point Likert scale rating (1=“strongly disagree,” 2=“disagree,” 3=“neutral,” 4=“agree,” and 5=“strongly agree”). Cronbach’s alpha for the scale was=0.892 [ 28 ]. The participants were asked to evaluate their perception of the game based on the time before the COVID-19 pandemic.…”