[Development, validity and reliability of a general addiction scale. A preliminary study].

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• A novel General Scale was developed to quantify addiction intensity.
• The scale addresses both substance (excluding alcohol/opiates) and behavioral addictions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a new instrument for measuring addiction.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the General Scale for diverse addictive behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A self-administered scale with eleven items was distributed to 55 medical students.
• Participants rated their addiction levels across various substances and behaviors (tobacco, caffeine, sweets, alcohol, sex, technology, sports).
• Data were collected using the General Scale and a separate criterion scale for addiction severity.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis indicated the scale is unidimensional, explaining 63% of the variance.
• High construct validity and reliability were demonstrated (Cronbach's alpha: 0.94; split-half reliability: 0.92).
• All scale items showed significant common variance (≥52%) with the general addiction concept.

Conclusions:

• The General Scale is a valid and reliable tool for addiction research.
• It provides a measurable approach to comparing groups regarding 'new addictions'.