An analysis of problematic media use and technology use addiction scales
- Increasingly, research attention is being afforded to various forms of problematic media use. Despite ongoing conceptual, theoretical, and empirical debates, a large number of retrospective self-report scales have been produced to ostensibly measure various classes of such behaviour. These scales are typically based on a variety of theoretical and diagnostic frameworks. Given current conceptual ambiguities, building on previous studies, we evaluated the dimensional structure of 50 scales targeting the assessment of supposedly problematic behaviours in relation to four technologies: Internet, smartphones, video games, and social network sites. We find that two dimensions (‘compulsive use’ and ‘negative outcomes’) account for over 50% of all scale-items analysed. With a median of five dimensions, on average, scales have considered fewer dimensions than various proposed diagnostic criteria and models. No relationships were found between the number of items in a scale and the number of dimensions, or the technology category and theIncreasingly, research attention is being afforded to various forms of problematic media use. Despite ongoing conceptual, theoretical, and empirical debates, a large number of retrospective self-report scales have been produced to ostensibly measure various classes of such behaviour. These scales are typically based on a variety of theoretical and diagnostic frameworks. Given current conceptual ambiguities, building on previous studies, we evaluated the dimensional structure of 50 scales targeting the assessment of supposedly problematic behaviours in relation to four technologies: Internet, smartphones, video games, and social network sites. We find that two dimensions (‘compulsive use’ and ‘negative outcomes’) account for over 50% of all scale-items analysed. With a median of five dimensions, on average, scales have considered fewer dimensions than various proposed diagnostic criteria and models. No relationships were found between the number of items in a scale and the number of dimensions, or the technology category and the dimensional structure. The findings indicate, firstly, that a majority of scales place an inordinate emphasis on some dimensions over others and, secondly, that despite differences in the items presented, at a dimensional level, there exists a high degree of similarity between scales. These findings highlight shortcomings in existing scales and underscore the need to develop more sophisticated conceptions and empirical tools to understand possible problematic interactions with various digital technologies.…
Author details: | Adrian AbendrothORCiDGND, Douglas A. Parry, Daniel B. Le Roux, Jana GundlachGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45002-1_18 |
ISBN: | 978-3-030-45001-4 |
ISBN: | 978-3-030-45002-1 |
Title of parent work (English): | Responsible design, implementation and use of information and communication technology |
Subtitle (English): | what are they actually assessing? |
Publisher: | Springer |
Place of publishing: | Cham |
Editor(s): | Marié Hattingh, Machdel Matthee, Hanlie Smuts, Ilias Pappas, Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Matti Mäntymäki |
Publication type: | Conference Proceeding |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2020/04/01 |
Publication year: | 2020 |
Release date: | 2024/08/05 |
Tag: | problematic media use; self report scales; systematic review; technology addiction |
Number of pages: | 12 |
First page: | 211 |
Last Page: | 222 |
Organizational units: | Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Wirtschaftswissenschaften / Fachgruppe Betriebswirtschaftslehre |
DDC classification: | 3 Sozialwissenschaften / 33 Wirtschaft / 330 Wirtschaft |
Peer review: | Nicht ermittelbar |
External remark: | Correction: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-45002-1_40 |