An Assessment of the Validity and Reliability of the Social-Media Addiction Screening Scale (S-MASS)

Authors

  • Sirinda Chanpen Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
  • Chanvit Pornnoppadol Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
  • Asara Vasupanrajit Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
  • Quankamon Dejatiwongse Na Ayudhya Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33192/smj.v75i3.261044

Keywords:

Assessment, Social Media, Addiction, Screening, Test

Abstract

Objective: The excessive use of social media can lead to addiction among many vulnerable individuals. Hence, the utilization of a valid and reliable screening test to assess social media addiction is warranted.

Materials and Methods: The Social-Media Addiction Screening Scale (S-MASS) is a newly developed, self-report screening scale containing 16 items that assess the three main components of behavioral addiction: giving priority, impaired control, and negative consequences. The S-MASS reliability was measured using Cronbachs alpha. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were employed to assess the S-MASS factorial validity. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was also carried out to identify the classes of problematic social media users.

Results: In all, 5,068 participants aged 13 years were recruited from five high schools and an online survey. Cronbachs alpha for the S-MASS was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.890.90), indicating excellent test reliability. The EFA and CFA revealed a good factorial validity for the S-MASS. Based on the LPA, the participants were classed as “lowrisk” (n = 1,227; 24.2%), “moderate-risk” (n = 2,757; 54.4%), and “high-risk” (n = 1,084; 21.4%) problematic social media users. The key differences between these classes were gender, age, necessity to use social media for work, self-perception of addiction, and time spent on social media.

Conclusion: The S-MASS is a valid and reliable screening scale for social media addiction. The criterion validity of the S-MASS should be evaluated once formal diagnostic criteria for social media addiction become available.

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Published

01-03-2023

How to Cite

Chanpen, S., Pornnoppadol, C. ., Vasupanrajit, A., & Dejatiwongse Na Ayudhya, Q. (2023). An Assessment of the Validity and Reliability of the Social-Media Addiction Screening Scale (S-MASS). Siriraj Medical Journal, 75(3), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.33192/smj.v75i3.261044

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