Emerging Adults and Facebook Use: the Validation of the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS)

Abstract

Based on the six key components of addiction, the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS) is a widely used instrument to assess Facebook addiction. This study aimed to conduct a psychometric validation in a Portuguese sample of emerging adults (ages 18 to 29 years). The construct validity analyses confirmed the one-factor solution and a statistically significant association found between Facebook addiction and Preference for Online Social Interaction, measured by the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2, warranted the scale criterion validity. Internal consistency was scrutinized using Cronbach's α (α = .87) and stability measured by test-retest (r = .94). Associations between BFAS scores and Brief Symptom Inventory dimensions scores (e.g., interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety) and the GPIUS2 subscale, deficient self-regulation, scores were evaluated. A subsample with higher levels of addiction was analyzed. In summary, the results of the present study support the use of the Portuguese version of the BFAS in both research and clinical milieus. Further implications for research and practice were considered. Keywords Behavioral addiction. Social networking sites. Bergen Facebook addiction scale (BFAS). Portuguese psychometric studies. Emerging adults Social networking sites (SNSs) are a global phenomenon, enjoying an exponential increase in their use (e.g., Facebook, Twitter). Participation in SNSs is currently one of the main activities on the Internet, especially for younger generations (Eurostat 2016; Kuss and Griffiths 2011). In Portugal, the use of SNSs is also extremely popular, being one of the preferred online activities of Portuguese adolescents and young adults (Pontes and Patrão 2014). SNSs constitute virtual communities where users can: (1) create a public or semi-public profile, (2) manage a list of other users with whom they have a connection, and (3) view and intersect their list of connections with those made by other users (Boyd and Ellison 2008). One specific aspect of SNSs is their focus on

Measuring Problematic Facebook Use among Adolescents and Young Adults with the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale: A Psychometric Analysis by Applying Item Response Theory

“…The BFAS psychometric properties have been assessed in different international studies, including Poland [ 26 ], Portugal [ 27 , 28 , 29 ], Brazil [ 30 ], Egypt [ 31 ], Tunisia [ 32 ], Peru [ 33 ], Pakistan [ 34 , 35 ], Bangladesh [ 36 ], Thailand [ 37 ], Turkey [ 38 ], Iran [ 39 ], and Italy [ 40 ]. Results demonstrated that satisfactory psychometric properties were found, including reliability and convergent validity.…”

“…Regarding convergent validity, the BFAS scores were found to be positively associated with Problematic Internet Use and Internet Addiction [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ], fear of missing out [ 33 ], social anxiety, loneliness, and depression [ 26 , 29 , 32 ]. Extraversion, narcissism, and low self-efficacy were also found to be associated with BFAS scores [ 26 ].…”

Assessing Problematic Social Media Use in Adolescents by Parental Ratings: Development and Validation of the Social Media Disorder Scale for Parents (SMDS-P)

“…Scales to assess PSMU in adolescence or young adults are often based on the general criteria of addictive disorders (cf. Six Core Components of Addiction Model by Griffith) [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ] or on the related construct of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) [ 12 ]. The latter has been included as a condition warranting more research in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as the first and to date only member of Internet-related disorders [ 20 ].…”

Exploring the Role of Social Media Use Motives, Psychological Well-Being, Self-Esteem, and Affect in Problematic Social Media Use

“…One of the most prominent negative effects of social media use relates to problematic use stemming from dysregulated usage (Kuss and Griffiths, 2017 ; Radovic et al, 2017 ), often triggered by the design of the social media platforms and the prevailing data business model (Montag et al, 2019 ). However, the literature remains inconclusive, fragmented, and heavily skewed toward the investigation of a single, specific social media platform (e.g., Facebook) (e.g., see Pontes et al, 2016 ; da Veiga et al, 2019 ; Rozgonjuk et al, 2020a , b ; Sindermann et al, 2020 ; for exceptions Marengo et al, 2020 ).…”