The generalized problematic internet use scale 3 modified version: Approbation and validation on the Russian sample

Abstract

The present study introduces the third version of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale which takes into account the current tendencies in internet use and is based on the second revised version of the scale (GPIUS2, Caplan, 2010). The research was carried out online among Android OS users. The factor structure was verified on a sample of 204 persons (102 males and 102 females) aged from 14 to 21 years (M=17,34; SD=2). Convergent and intercorrelation validity was verified on samples of 1100 and 707 persons respectively, the majority of respondents were females. The factor structure of the scale was verified by means of confirmatory factor analysis. A relationship between problematic internet use with psychopathological symptoms and gender was found. Girls are more likely to prefer online communication and are more compulsive and cognitively preoccupied with life in the network compared to boys, but are less likely to use the network as a way of mood regulation. The overall results confirm that the scale is an adequate measure of problematic internet use among adolescents and young adults.