Vilma Jakiene, Orsolya Király, Zsolt Demetrovics, Aurelija Podlipskyte, Ausra Saudargiene, Roma Jusiene, Egle Milasauskiene, Julija Gecaite-Stonciene, Evelina Palaityte-Urbone, Julius Burkauskas, Vesta Steibliene
{"title":"Q-single: Linking functional impairment to problematic internet use through a single-question approach.","authors":"Vilma Jakiene, Orsolya Király, Zsolt Demetrovics, Aurelija Podlipskyte, Ausra Saudargiene, Roma Jusiene, Egle Milasauskiene, Julija Gecaite-Stonciene, Evelina Palaityte-Urbone, Julius Burkauskas, Vesta Steibliene","doi":"10.1556/2006.2025.00029","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Short versions of problematic internet use (PIU) questionnaires may provide a convenient and effective way of assessing internet-related problems in various contexts, ranging from research to clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate whether single yes/no question (Q-single) regarding \"functional impairment due to PIU\" could serve as a screening tool to indicate the potential absence of PIU, given the lack of functional impairment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from two online studies (N = 524 and N = 272) assessing internet-related behaviors among students were used for the analyses. Participants completed questionnaires (the nine-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire [PIUQ-9], the Compulsive Internet Use Scale [CIUS], the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, depression module [PHQ-9], the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale [GAD-7]), questions about their internet use time, besides answering the Q-Single question. Block-wise multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the predictive effect of the Q-Single on PIU (as measured with the PIUQ-9 and the CIUS) and its association with depression and anxiety symptom scores (as measured with the PHQ-9 and the GAD-7).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Q-Single demonstrated a high negative predictive value in screening the absence of PIU, however positive predictive value was low to moderate. Q-Single proved to be a good predictor of PIU (β = 0.484, p < 0.001 [PIUQ-9] and β = 0.481, p < 0.001 [CIUS]) when controlling for age, gender, and internet use time. Adjusting for the same controlling variables, the Q-Single had a moderate association with depression symptoms (β = 0.385, p < 0.001 [PHQ-9]) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.252, p < 0.001) [GAD-7]) supporting the validity of the single-question instrument.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The finding that a single question could predict absence of PIU in students, implies that functional impairment is an important indicator of PIU.</p>","PeriodicalId":15049,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral Addictions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Behavioral Addictions","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2025.00029","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Short versions of problematic internet use (PIU) questionnaires may provide a convenient and effective way of assessing internet-related problems in various contexts, ranging from research to clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate whether single yes/no question (Q-single) regarding "functional impairment due to PIU" could serve as a screening tool to indicate the potential absence of PIU, given the lack of functional impairment.
Methods: Data from two online studies (N = 524 and N = 272) assessing internet-related behaviors among students were used for the analyses. Participants completed questionnaires (the nine-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire [PIUQ-9], the Compulsive Internet Use Scale [CIUS], the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, depression module [PHQ-9], the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale [GAD-7]), questions about their internet use time, besides answering the Q-Single question. Block-wise multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the predictive effect of the Q-Single on PIU (as measured with the PIUQ-9 and the CIUS) and its association with depression and anxiety symptom scores (as measured with the PHQ-9 and the GAD-7).
Results: The Q-Single demonstrated a high negative predictive value in screening the absence of PIU, however positive predictive value was low to moderate. Q-Single proved to be a good predictor of PIU (β = 0.484, p < 0.001 [PIUQ-9] and β = 0.481, p < 0.001 [CIUS]) when controlling for age, gender, and internet use time. Adjusting for the same controlling variables, the Q-Single had a moderate association with depression symptoms (β = 0.385, p < 0.001 [PHQ-9]) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.252, p < 0.001) [GAD-7]) supporting the validity of the single-question instrument.
Conclusions: The finding that a single question could predict absence of PIU in students, implies that functional impairment is an important indicator of PIU.
期刊介绍:
The aim of Journal of Behavioral Addictions is to create a forum for the scientific information exchange with regard to behavioral addictions. The journal is a broad focused interdisciplinary one that publishes manuscripts on different approaches of non-substance addictions, research reports focusing on the addictive patterns of various behaviors, especially disorders of the impulsive-compulsive spectrum, and also publishes reviews in these topics. Coverage ranges from genetic and neurobiological research through psychological and clinical psychiatric approaches to epidemiological, sociological and anthropological aspects.