Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the internet (IOS-Q), Game (GOS-Q), and Smartphone (SOS-Q) Overuse Screening Questionnaires in a large community sample of adolescents. To achieve this goal, data from 9,336 middle school students (male: 4,796, female: 4,540) was divided into two groups and analyzed by conducting confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis, respectively. We conducted another confirmatory factor analysis on a separate sample of data from 4,536 elementary school students (male: 2,260 male, female: 2,276) and 6,551 middle school students (male: 3,013, female: 3,538) from other populations. As a result of factor analysis, IOS-Q was consisted of 17 items, GOS-Q was consisted of 19 items, and SOS-Q was consisted of 18 items. The IOS-Q and GOS-Q factors were psychological dependence, failure to control use despite recognizing problems, dangerous use, and reduced interest in other areas while the SOS-Q factors were dangerous and obsessive use, failure to control use despite recognizing problems, reduced interest in other areas, and withdrawal/tolerance. Each factor reflected the major facets of behavioral addiction or impulse control disorder, and the questionnaires had good internal consistencies of .880–.915. Latent profile and ROC analyses were conducted to determine cutoff points for screening high-risk groups. Lastly, theoretical and practical implications as well as the limitations of this study were discussed.