(IAT) Internet Addiction Test

While the Internet is a relatively new technology that has impacted the world and provided many benefits, it has also had negative ramifications. Individuals unable to control their use are jeopardizing school, employment, and relationships. The concept of “Internet addiction” is used to explain uncontrollable, damaging use of technology. It is characterized as an impulse control disorder, comparable to pathological gambling, because of overlapping diagnostic criteria and symptomatology.

Based on these studies, the IAT was constructed to capture the problematic behavior associated with compulsive use of technology, including online porn, internet gambling, and compulsive use of online games and social media.

The IAT is a self-report instrument for adolescents and adults. The IAT-F is for children and adolescents, and is completed by an informant who knows the youth well. Both instruments can be used together in assessment to obtain a well-rounded profile of the client’s Internet addiction, and also to identify discrepancies amongst raters, who could benefit from psychoeducation. 

Multiple uses for IAT, IAT-F

The assessments can be administered in a variety of mental health settings, including private practice clinics, schools, hospitals, and residential programs. They can be used when there is suspicion of Internet addiction, as part of a broad intake assessment, or for use in a wellness curriculum to help participants evaluate their own Internet behavior. The IAT can also be a valuable pre-employment screening device to detect Internet addiction among job candidates and to improve productivity and reduce corporate liability.

Based on 20 self-report items, the IAT assesses for the presence of addiction to the Internet, electronic entertainment, social media, and general use of electronic devices. It also measures the severity of addiction, in terms of mild, moderate, or severe. Furthermore, because Internet addiction may be driven by different reasons and manifest in different ways, requiring different types of treatment, the IAT produces scores related to the following areas:

• Escape
• Compulsion
• Neglecting duties
• Anticipation
• Lack of Control
• Social Avoidance

The IAT-F contains the Parent-Child Internet Addiction Test (PCIAT), a 20-item questionnaire for adolescents, and the Problematic and Risky Media Use in Children Checklist, an 8-item checklist for use with children. Both forms may be completed by a parent or other caregiver who knows the youth well. Clinical cut-off scores and severity of addiction qualifiers are provided. The PCIAT also helps identify which areas of functioning are most impaired, including:

• Attention
• Social Behavior
• Aggressive Behavior

All assessment manuals provide information about Internet addiction, research involving use of these assessments, information about interpreting findings, and recommendations for healthy Internet behavior and how to address issues of Internet addiction. Thus, these manuals can serve as the basis for a unit in a wellness curriculum on Internet addiction, as part of a treatment plan addressing Internet addiction, or for psychoeducation in individual or family therapy sessions. Case studies illustrate the application of these instruments and show their utility.

Assess all contact with web-based services

• Websites
• Internet-based games
• Social media
• Online entertainment
• All types of computers, screens, devices, phones, portable electronic devices, and other forms of information technology

Examine symptoms of addiction

• Preoccupation with Internet use
• Ability/inability to control online use
• Hiding/lying about online use
• Continuing online use, despite negative consequences of the behavior