Problematic usage of the internet (PUI) describes maladaptive use of online resources and is recognized as a growing worldwide issue. Here, we refined the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) for use as a screening tool to measure generalized internet use problems in normative samples. Analysis of response data with parametric unidimensional item response theory identified 10 items of the IAT that measured most of the PUI latent trait continuum with high precision in a subsample of 816 participants with meaningful variance in internet use problems. Selected items may characterize minor, or early stages of, PUI by measuring a preoccupation with the Internet, motivations to use online activities to escape aversive emotional experiences and regulate mood, as well as secrecy, defensiveness, and interpersonal conflict associated with internet use. Summed scores on these 10 items demonstrated a strong correlation with full-length IAT scores and comparable, or better, convergence with measures of impulsivity and compulsivity. Proposed cut-off scores differentiated between individuals potentially at risk of developing PUI from those with few self-reported internet use problems with good sensitivity and specificity. Differential item function testing revealed measurement equivalence between the sexes, Caucasians and non-Caucasians. However, evidence for differential test functioning between independent samples drawn from South Africa and the United States of America suggests that raw scores cannot be meaningfully compared between different geographic regions. These findings have implications for conceptualization and measurement of PUI in normative samples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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用项目响应理论测量互联网一维拟连续体有问题的用法。

互联网（PUI）的使用有问题描述了对在线资源的不良使用，并被认为是一个日益严重的全球性问题。在这里，我们完善了互联网成瘾测试（IAT），将其用作衡量标准样本中广义互联网使用问题的筛选工具。使用参数一维项目响应理论对响应数据进行分析，确定了IAT的10个项目，这些项目在816个参与者的子样本中以高精度测量了大部分PUI潜在特征连续体，这些参与者在互联网使用问题上存在有意义的差异。通过测量对互联网的专注程度，使用在线活动来逃避厌恶情绪体验和调节情绪的动机以及与互联网使用相关的保密性，防御性和人际冲突，选定的项目可以表征PUI的次要阶段或早期阶段。这10个项目的总分显示出与IAT的全长得分有很强的相关性，并且与冲动性和强迫性的测量结果具有可比性甚至更好的收敛性。拟议的临界值将潜在发展为PUI风险的个体与自我报告互联网使用问题极少且具有良好敏感性和特异性的个体区分开来。差异项功能测试揭示了性别，高加索人和非高加索人之间的测量等价性。但是，从南非和美利坚合众国抽取的独立样本之间差异测试功能起作用的证据表明，原始分数无法在不同地理区域之间进行有意义的比较。这些发现对规范样本中PUI的概念化和度量具有影响。