Table 3.
Facebook Addiction Assessment Instruments
| Elphinston & Noller | 2011 | Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire | Mobile phone involvement questionnaire and Brown’s (1997) behavioural addictions criteria | I often think about Facebook when I’m not using it I often use Facebook for no particular reason Arguments have arisen with others because of my Facebook use I interrupt whatever else I am doing when I feel the need to access Facebook I feel connected to others when I use Facebook I lose track of how much I am using Facebook The thought of not being able to access Facebook makes me feel distressed I have been unable to reduce my Facebook use | 7-point scale | None provided |
| Sofiah, Omar, Bolong & Osman | 2011 | Untitled | Not reported | Facebook has become part of my daily routine I find that I stay on Facebook longer than I intended I feel out of touch when I haven’t logged onto Facebook for a while I think life without Facebook would be boring I tend to spend more time in Facebook over going out with others I often spent time playing games with friends through Facebook I often think about Facebook when I am not using it I often lose sleep due to late-night logins to Facebook I neglect everyday responsibilities to spend more time on Facebook My priority is to log on to Facebook rather than doing other things My grades are getting lower because of the amount of time I spend on Facebook | 7-point scale | None provided |
| Andreassen, Torsheim, Brunborg & Pallesen | 2012 | Bergen Facebook Addiction Scaleab | Criteria of behavioural addiction (based on pathological gambling research). Wording was based on scale of gaming addiction. | How often during the past year have you: Spent a lot of time thinking about Facebook or planned use of Facebook? (Salience) Felt an urge to use Facebook more and more? (Tolerance) Use Facebook in order to forget about personal problems (Mood modification) Tried to cut down on the use of Facebook without success? (Relapse) Became restless or troubled if you have been prohibited from using Facebook? (Withdrawal) Use Facebook so much that it has had a negative impact on your job/studies? (Conflict) | 5-point scale | None provided |
| Çam & Isbulan | 2012 | Facebook Addiction Scale | Modified version of Young’s (1998b) Internet Addiction Test | How often do you: Stay on Facebook longer than intended Neglect household chores to spend more time on Facebook Prefer the excitement of Facebook to intimacy with a partner Form new relationships with fellow Facebook users Hear others complain about the amount of time you spend on Facebook Grades or school-work suffers because of time spent on Facebook Check Facebook messages before something else that needs to be done Job performance or productivity suffers because of Facebook Become defensive or secretive when asked about Facebook activity Block out disturbing thoughts about your life with soothing thoughts of Facebook Find yourself anticipating when you will go on Facebook again Fear that life without Facebook would be boring, empty, and joyless | 6-point scale | None provided |
| Çam & Isbulan (cont.) | Snap, yell, and act annoyed if someone bothers you while you are on Facebook Lose sleep due to late night Facebook logins Feel preoccupied with Facebook when offline, or fantasise about being on Facebook Say to yourself ‘just a few more minutes’ when on Facebook Try to cut down the amount of time spent on Facebook and fail Try to hide how long you’ve been on Facebook Choose to spend more time on Facebook over going out with others Feel depressed, moody, or nervous when offline, and having this feeling go away once back on Facebook | |||||
| Lee, Cheung & Thadani | 2012 | GPIUS2a | Modified version of the Generalised Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (Caplan, 2010) | I want to, or have made unsuccessful efforts to, cut down or control my Facebook use (Deficient self-regulation) I have attempted to spend less time on Facebook but have not been able to (Deficient self-regulation) I have tried to stop using Facebook for long periods of time (Deficient self-regulation) I am preoccupied with Facebook if I cannot log on for some time (Deficient self-regulation) When not on Facebook, I wonder what is happening on there (Deficient self-regulation) I feel lost if I can’t go on Facebook (Deficient self-regulation) I have used Facebook to talk with others when I was feeling isolated (Mood regulation) | 5-point scale | None provided |
| Balakrishnan & Shamim | 2013 | No title provided2 | Brown’s (1997) behavioural addiction criteria | I spent a lot of time on Facebook (Salience) I might log into Facebook at least once daily (Salience) I constantly check for updates (Salience) Most of the time I spend on the Internet is for Facebook (Salience) I always reply to comments by my friends (Salience) Facebook has become part of life (Salience) I have the constant urge to update my status on Facebook (Salience) I go through my own profile regularly reading all the older posts (Salience) I use Facebook to check on people I met offline (Salience) I would be lost without Facebook (Salience) I think of Facebook when I am offline (Salience) Sometimes I think of Facebook while in my lecture/meeting/discussion (Salience) I think Facebook is the greatest invention ever (Salience) I lose sleep at times due to late night log-ins to Facebook (Loss of Control) I feel lost when I didn’t use Facebook for sometime (Loss of Control) I do not think I can stop using Facebook (Loss of Control) Facebook is affecting my offline life (academic, social life, etc.) (Loss of Control) I check every comment, photo, or video uploaded on my Facebook (Loss of Control) I am always online on Facebook so as not to miss any updates (Loss of Control) Sometimes I access the Internet just to get on Facebook (Loss of Control) | 5-point scale | None provided |
| Balakrishnan & Shamim (cont.) | I lose track of time when I am on Facebook (Loss of Control) I get annoyed when someone disturbs me when I am using Facebook (Loss of Control) I get disappointed when I could not access Facebook (Withdrawal) I get disappointed when my friends are not online (Withdrawal) I get disappointed when my friend request is rejected (Withdrawal) I have deactivated my account before but I have activated it again (Withdrawal) I always look forward to using Facebook Others have commented that I spend too much time on Facebook Using Facebook is affecting my studies/work I have cancelled appointments before just to spend more time on Facebook | |||||
| Koc & Gulyagci | 2013 | Facebook Addiction Scale | Previous research on Internet addiction | I have difficulties in focusing on my academic work due to my Facebook use The first thing on my mind when I get up is to log into Facebook I lose sleep over spending more time on Facebook My Facebook use interferes with doing social activities I log into Facebook to make myself feel better when I am down My family or friends think that I spend too much time on Facebook I feel anxious if I cannot access Facebook I have attempted to spend less time on Facebook but have not succeeded | 5-point scale | None provided |
| Hong, Huang, Lin & Chin | 2014 | Facebook Addiction Scalea | Modified version of Young’s (1998b) Internet Addiction Test | When you are not on Facebook, you will feel sad, in low spirits, and anxious, but after going on Facebook, these feelings will disappear (Withdrawal) When you are not on Facebook, will you still think about being on Facebook or imagine that you are on Facebook (Withdrawal) You would rather spend more time on Facebook than go out to spend time with people (Withdrawal) The time I spent on Facebook usually exceeds what I expected (Tolerance) I will overlook academic work to spend time on Facebook (Tolerance) Before I have to do something, I will check my Facebook to see if there is new information or there are games to play (Tolerance) When people ask me what I do on Facebook, I will become more defensive or private (Life problems) Because I spend too much time on Facebook, my academic work or grades have been affected (Life problems) My academic performance and attention have been affected by Facebook (Life problems) I like to make new friends on Facebook (Substitute satisfaction) I have discovered that I want to be on Facebook again (Substitute satisfaction) I am scared that without Facebook, life will become boring, empty, and uninteresting (Substitute satisfaction) | 6-point scale | None provided |
aThese measures have been subjected to factor analysis.
bThis paper was not included in Table 2 as it is an instrument development study rather than a Facebook addiction study.