Open AccessValidation of the Greek version of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire - Short Form (PIUQ-SF-6)
Author(s) -
Panagoula Aivali,
Vasiliki Efthymiou,
Άρτεμις Τσίτσικα,
Dimitriοs Vlachakis,
George P. Chrousos,
Christina KanakaGantenbein,
Flora Bacopoulou
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
embnet journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2226-6089
DOI - 10.14806/ej.26.1.978
Subject(s) - cronbach's alpha , psychology , confirmatory factor analysis , the internet , internal consistency , convergent validity , reliability (semiconductor) , addiction , clinical psychology , construct validity , psychometrics , psychiatry , statistics , structural equation modeling , world wide web , computer science , mathematics , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics
Internet is a necessary tool of everyday routine, however, concerns about the development of abnormal behaviours in relation to its use by adolescents are constantly growing. The need of brief screening tools for problematic internet use in teenagers in Greece is imperative. The purpose of this study was to validate the 6-item short form of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ-SF-6) in a Greek sample of adolescents. The sample consisted of 200 adolescents (55.0% males, 61.6% high school students, 38.4% junior high school students) who completed the study's questionnaires i.e., a demographic questionnaire, the PIUQ-SF-6, the Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ) and the Adolescent Computer Addiction Test (ACAT). The internal consistency of the Greek version of PIUQ-SF-6 was sufficient and acceptable (Cronbach's alpha coefficient a = 0.80). Confirmatory Factor Analysis was significant, and goodness-of-fit was adequate. For establishing convergent validity, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated between the PIUQ-SF-6 and ACAT scales and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis (between PIUQ-SF-6 and YDQ) indicated an excellent accuracy. The Greek version of the PIUQ-SF-6 demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties (reliability and validity) and is recommended as a reliable screening tool for problematic internet use in Greek adolescents.