Turkish adaptation study of Internet Addiction Scale

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Digital Health
• Cross-cultural Adaptation

Background:

• Internet addiction is a growing concern globally.
• Validated assessment tools are crucial for accurate diagnosis and intervention.
• Existing scales may not be culturally or linguistically appropriate for all populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and culturally adapt the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) for Turkish-language use.
• To rigorously test the psychometric properties, including validity and reliability, of the Turkish version of the IAS.
• To provide a reliable instrument for assessing internet addiction among Turkish speakers.

Main Methods:

• The study involved a four-phase process: translation, validity and reliability testing, discriminant validity assessment, and test-retest reliability analysis.
• Language equivalence was established by administering both Turkish and original IAS versions to English-language education students.
• Construct validity was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, while reliability was assessed through internal consistency and test-retest analyses.

Main Results:

• High levels of language equivalence were achieved between the Turkish and original IAS versions.
• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the construct validity of the Turkish IAS.
• Internal consistency and test-retest analyses demonstrated strong reliability for the Turkish version.

Conclusions:

• The Turkish adaptation of the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) is a valid and reliable measurement tool.
• This validated scale can be effectively used in clinical and research settings within Turkey.
• The findings support the cross-cultural applicability of the IAS.