Which Are the Optimal Screening Tools for Internet Use Disorder in Children and Adolescents? A Systematic Review of Psychometric Evidence

The early detection of problematic Internet use (PIU) is essential to prevent the development of Internet use disorders (IUD). Although a variety of screening tools have already been developed and validated for this purpose, yet a consensus about optimal IUD assessment is still lacking. In this systematic review, we (i) describe the identified instruments for children and adolescents, (ii) critically examine their psychometric properties, and (iii) derive recommendations for particularly well-validated instruments.

We conducted a systematic literature search in five databases on January 15, 2024. Of the initial 11,408 references identified, 511 studies were subjected to a full-text analysis resulting in a final inclusion of 70 studies. These studies validated a total of 31 instruments for PIU and IUD, including the Diagnostic Interview for Internet Addiction (DIA), a semi-structured interview. In terms of validation frequency, the Internet Addition Test (IAT) had the largest evidence base, followed by the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS). Only two of the measures examined were based on the current DSM-5 criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder.

Although no screening instrument was found to be clearly superior, the strongest recommendation can be made for CIUS, and Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale (GPIUS2). Overall, the quality of the included studies can only be rated as moderate. The IUD research field would benefit from clear cut-off scores and a clinical validation of (screening) instruments.