Psychometric Properties of the Viral Internet Challenge Scale in a Sample of Argentine Adolescents

Abstract

Relationship, information, and communication technologies (RICTs) have generated new behaviors. One of these is viral challenges on the Internet, which are very common among adolescents. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the only existing scale to evaluate them in a sample of Argentine adolescents. For this purpose, a sample of 848 adolescents from four secondary schools in Argentina, enrolled in grades 1 through 6, was formed. Forty-eight percent were male, 51% female, and the remainder were gender non-binary (1%). They completed the Ortega-Barón et al. Viral Internet Challenges Scale (VICH-S), the Bergen Instagram Addiction Scale, and the Lam et al. Internet Addiction Scale, and demographic questions. Results revealed evidence of a two-factor structure similar to the VICH-S in Spain, adequate internal consistency, and concurrent validity with Instagram and internet addiction. These results suggest that the scale is a valid and reliable tool for measuring viral challenges.