Psychometric Properties of the Internet Addiction Test: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This article performs a systemic review of psychometric properties of Internet Addiction Test (IAT)-the most widely used tool for assessing Internet addiction in clinic and research field. Studies measuring psychometric properties of IAT (original version) were searched through MEDLINE, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, and Embase. A total of 25 studies including 18,421 subjects were reviewed in our study. Based on meta-analysis for internal consistency, the pooled Cronbach's alpha coefficient from college/university students with a single department subgroup was 0.90 (95percent confidence interval [CI], 0.89-0.91), and that from middle-/high-school students (older than 15 years) subgroup was 0.93 (95 percent CI, 0.92-0.93). According to test-retest analysis, the pooled Spearman's correlation coefficient from college/university students with a single department subgroup was high at 0.83 (95 percent CI, 0.81-0.85), along with low publication bias. Convergent validity showed correlation coefficients of 0.62-0.84, as compared with major tools. For construct validity, the number of factors is believed to be 1-2, only considering studies that followed the guidelines. IAT appears to have acceptable internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity in specific groups. To verify these values, well-designed evidence-based studies assessing psychometric properties of IAT across diverse populations are warranted.

Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Internet Addiction Test in Peruvian University Students

“…Regarding the reliability of the scores on the IAT, the ordinal alpha coefficient showed acceptable levels for the general factor and the specific factors. On this point, most of previous studies coincide, including meta-analytical studies [65].…”

“…Additionally, there is no consideration of the ordinality of the items, which must be considered when working with Likert-type scales [64]. A meta-analysis of the internal consistency of the IAT (reliability generalization) indicates a combined alpha of 0.90 for samples of university students [65].…”

Linking parental mediation practices to adolescents’ problematic online screen use: A systematic literature review

“…Six PIU surveys (Bleakley et al, 2016;Kammerl & Wartberg, 2018;Lee, 2013;Leung & Lee, 2011;Siomos et al, 2012;Wu, Ko, et al, 2016) administered (a version of) the Internet Addiction Test (IAT; Young, 1999). The IAT has been favorably reviewed by Lortie and Guitton (2013) as well as Moon, Hwang, Kim, Shin, Bae, and Kim (2018). Other diagnostic tools used, also appraised by Lortie and Guitton (2013) as being acceptable, were the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS; Chang et al, 2015;Chou & Lee, 2017;Ko et al, 2015) and the Compulsive Internet Addiction Scale (CIUS; van den Eijnden et al, 2010).…”

Associations of personality traits with internet addiction in Chinese medical students: the mediating role of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms

“…According to the manual, total scores that range from 0 to 30 reflect a normal level of Internet usage; scores of 31 to 49 indicate the presence of a mild level of IA; scores of 50 to 79 reflect the presence of a moderate level, and scores from 80 to 100 indicate a severe dependence upon the Internet [40]. Developed as a unidimensional instrument, the IAT has demonstrated adequate psychometric properties, but its optimal overall structure has yet to emerge [39, 41, 42]. In the present study, the IAT was considered a one factor model, and the Cronbach’s alpha for the scale was 0.916.…”