Table of Contents
Game Addiction Scale
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About Scale Name
Scale Name
Game Addiction Scale
Author Details
Jeroen S. Lemmens, Patti M. Valkenburg, and Jochen Peter
Translation Availability
Not Sure
Background/Description
The “Game Addiction Scale” (GAS) is a research tool designed to measure the level of addiction to video games among adolescents. Developed by Jeroen S. Lemmens, Patti M. Valkenburg, and Jochen Peter, the scale was introduced in their 2009 article titled “Development and Validation of a Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents,” published in the journal Media Psychology.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
Participant Recruitment: Researchers or administrators typically recruit participants for the study. These participants are often adolescents who engage in video gaming.
Informed Consent: Participants are provided with information about the study, its purpose, and procedures. They are asked to provide informed consent to participate.
Questionnaire Administration:
- Self-Report Questionnaire: The GAS is a self-report questionnaire, meaning participants provide answers based on their own experiences and perceptions.
- Question Format: The questionnaire consists of a series of items or questions related to different aspects of video game playing and potential addiction.
- Likert Scale: Each question is usually accompanied by a Likert-type scale, where participants indicate the extent to which they agree or disagree with statements or behaviors related to gaming. The scale may range from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree,” or similar variations.
- Scoring: After participants complete the questionnaire, their responses are scored. The scoring might involve summing up scores from individual items to obtain a total score or scores for different subscales that represent different aspects of gaming addiction.
- Interpretation: The total or subscale scores are then interpreted to determine the level of gaming addiction. Typically, higher scores indicate a greater likelihood of addiction.
Reliability and Validity
Reliability:
Reliability is typically assessed through different methods, including internal consistency and test-retest reliability.
Internal Consistency: This indicates the extent to which the items within the scale are measuring the same underlying construct. One common measure of internal consistency is Cronbach’s alpha. A higher alpha value suggests greater internal consistency. In the case of the GAS, the authors would have calculated Cronbach’s alpha for the scale to ensure that the items are measuring a coherent construct.
Test-Retest Reliability: This assesses the stability of the scale’s measurements over time. In a test-retest reliability study, participants complete the scale on two separate occasions with a time gap in between. The scores from both instances are then correlated. A high correlation suggests good stability in measurements over time.
Validity:
Validity is established through various methods that ensure the scale accurately measures the intended construct.
Content Validity: This involves ensuring that the items in the scale cover all relevant aspects of the construct being measured. Content validity is often established through expert review and feedback.
Construct Validity: This demonstrates that the scale measures the intended psychological construct and is related to other constructs as expected. Construct validity can be assessed through techniques like factor analysis, where the scale items are analyzed to identify underlying factors or dimensions.
Convergent and Discriminant Validity: Convergent validity is shown when the scale correlates positively with other measures that assess similar constructs. Discriminant validity is demonstrated when the scale correlates less with measures that assess different constructs.
Criterion Validity: This assesses the extent to which the scale’s scores predict outcomes related to the construct being measured. For the GAS, criterion validity might involve showing that higher scores on the scale are associated with negative outcomes related to gaming addiction.
In the case of the GAS developed by Lemmens, Valkenburg, and Peter, the researchers would have undertaken a comprehensive process to establish the scale’s reliability and validity. This likely involved conducting surveys with a representative sample of adolescents, analyzing the collected data, performing factor analyses to assess the underlying structure, and correlating scale scores with other relevant measures to demonstrate validity.
Available Versions
21-Items
07-Items
Reference
Lemmens, J. S., Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2009). Development and validation of a game addiction scale for adolescents. Media Psychology, 12(1), 77-95. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213260802669458
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Game Addiction Scale (GAS)?
The Game Addiction Scale (GAS) is a measurement tool designed to assess the level of addiction to video games among adolescents. It consists of a series of questions that individuals answer to provide insights into their gaming behavior, attitudes, and potential addictive tendencies.
Who developed the Game Addiction Scale?
The Game Addiction Scale was developed by Jeroen S. Lemmens, Patti M. Valkenburg, and Jochen Peter. They introduced and validated the scale in their 2009 article titled “Development and Validation of a Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents,” published in the journal Media Psychology.
What is the purpose of the GAS?
The purpose of the Game Addiction Scale is to provide researchers and psychologists with a reliable and valid tool for assessing problematic video game playing and potential addiction among adolescents. It helps identify individuals who might be at risk of negative consequences due to excessive gaming.
How is the GAS administered?
The GAS is administered as a self-report questionnaire. Participants are presented with a series of statements or questions related to their gaming behavior, attitudes, and experiences. They indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with these statements on a Likert-type scale.
What dimensions of gaming addiction does the GAS assess?
The GAS assesses various dimensions of gaming addiction, including preoccupation (thinking about games), tolerance (needing to play more), withdrawal symptoms (irritability when not playing), conflict (interference with daily life), problems (negative consequences), and escape (using games to cope with problems).
How is the reliability of the GAS established?
The reliability of the GAS is established through methods such as internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Internal consistency measures how well the items within the scale correlate with each other. Test-retest reliability assesses the stability of the scale’s measurements over time.
How is the validity of the GAS established?
The validity of the GAS is established through content validity, construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion validity. Content validity ensures that the scale comprehensively covers the construct of gaming addiction. Construct validity involves analyzing the underlying structure of the scale. Convergent and discriminant validity assess the relationships with similar and different constructs, respectively. Criterion validity involves showing that the scale predicts relevant outcomes.
Can the GAS be used with adults or children?
The original GAS was developed specifically for adolescents. However, researchers might adapt or modify the scale for use with adults or children, considering the developmental and behavioral differences among age groups.
What are the potential applications of the GAS?
The GAS can be used in research to understand the prevalence and nature of gaming addiction among adolescents. It can also assist clinicians and psychologists in identifying individuals who might need interventions to address problematic gaming behavior.
Are there any limitations to the GAS?
Like any measurement tool, the GAS has limitations. It relies on self-reported information, which could be influenced by social desirability bias. Additionally, the scale’s applicability to different cultures and gaming contexts might require further validation and adaptation.
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