Citation

Jelenchick LA, Eickhoff J, Christakis DA, Brown RL, Zhang C, Benson M, Moreno MA. Comput. Hum. Behav. 2014; 35(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA ; Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chb.2014.01.035

PMID

24882938

PMCID

PMC4035908

Abstract

Problematic Internet use (PIU) is a growing health concern among adolescents and young adults. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to develop and refine a theoretically-grounded and psychometrically-validated assessment instrument for PIU specifically tailored to adolescents and young adults. An item pool was developed using concept mapping and a review of the literature, and administered to 714 students from two universities between 18 and 25 years of age. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used in a development subsample (n=500) to construct the scale. A cross-validation sample (n=214) was used to confirm the scale's reliability. The Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) is an 18-item scale with three subscales: Social Impairment, Emotional Impairment, and Risky/Impulsive Internet Use. Based on its strong theoretical foundation and promising psychometric performance, the PRIUSS may be a valuable tool for screening and prevention efforts in this population.

Language: en