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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用项目反应理论测量互联网一维准连续统的问题使用。

有问题的互联网使用 (PUI) 描述了对在线资源的不适应使用，并被认为是一个日益严重的全球问题。在这里，我们改进了网络成瘾测试 (IAT)，用作筛选工具来衡量规范样本中的普遍互联网使用问题。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 名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关注、使用在线活动来逃避厌恶的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 的轻微或早期阶段。这 10 个项目的总分表明与全长 IAT 分数有很强的相关性，并且与冲动性和强迫性的测量具有可比性或更好的收敛性。建议的截止分数将可能有患 PUI 风险的个人与那些几乎没有自我报告的互联网使用问题的个人区分开来，具有良好的敏感性和特异性。差异项目功能测试揭示了性别、白种人和非白种人之间的测量等效性。然而，从南非和美国抽取的独立样本之间差异测试功能的证据表明，无法在不同地理区域之间对原始分数进行有意义的比较。这些发现对规范样本中 PUI 的概念化和测量具有重要意义。