Problematic Internet Use among adolescents: Spanish validation of the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS).

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Adolescent Health
• Digital Well-being

Background:

• Adolescent problematic internet use (PIU) has increased globally.
• The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) is a widely used international tool for PIU assessment.
• The psychometric properties of the Spanish CIUS for adolescents require validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the CIUS in a large adolescent sample.
• To confirm the validity and reliability of the CIUS for assessing problematic internet use in Spanish adolescents.
• To provide a reliable screening tool for problematic internet use in non-clinical adolescent populations.

Main Methods:

• A large sample of 1,790 Spanish adolescents (mean age 15.70) participated.
• Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the CIUS's dimensional structure.
• Reliability was assessed using McDonald's Omega, and measurement invariance was tested across age and gender.

Main Results:

• The one-dimensional CIUS model showed good fit indices.
• Strong measurement invariance was confirmed across age and gender groups.
• The scale demonstrated high reliability (McDonald's Omega = 0.91) and validity, with PIU correlating with well-being indicators.

Conclusions:

• The Spanish version of the CIUS is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing problematic internet use in adolescents.
• The CIUS is a useful tool for screening problematic internet use and related psychological difficulties in Spanish youth.
• This validated scale supports early identification and intervention for problematic internet use among adolescents.