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Video game addiction test: validity and psychometric characteristics
Antonius J van Rooij1, Tim M Schoenmakers, Regina J J M van den Eijnden
1IVO Addiction Research Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. rooij@ivo.nl
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|August 21, 2012
Summary
The Video game Addiction Test (VAT) reliably measures gaming addiction in adolescents. Its validity and invariance across groups support its use in research and clinical settings for behavioral addiction studies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Video game addiction is a growing concern, often linked to internet-enabled online games.
- The Video game Addiction Test (VAT) is uniquely positioned due to its theoretical and empirical links to internet addiction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of the Video game Addiction Test (VAT).
- To assess the VAT's suitability for measuring video game addiction in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Data collected from 2,894 secondary school students (aged 13-16) in the Netherlands using paper-and-pencil questionnaires in 2009.
- Measurements included the VAT, Compulsive Internet Use Scale, gaming hours, and psychosocial variables.
Main Results:
- The VAT demonstrated excellent reliability and construct validity.
- A one-factor model fit was observed, along with high measurement invariance across gender, ethnicity, and grade level.
- Scale outcomes can be compared across subgroups with minimal bias.
Conclusions:
- The VAT is a robust tool for studying video game addiction.
- Findings support the VAT's utility in the ongoing discussion regarding the inclusion of behavioral addictions in the DSM-V.
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