Table 2.
Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS)
| CIUS instruction: “Choose an answer that best applies to you.” | ||||
| Item | Criterion (Meerkerk et al., 2009) | Difficulties | Suggestions for improvement | Statements of the participants |
| (1) Do you find it difficult to stop using the Internet when you are online? | Loss of control | The item was often associated with high scorings although participants were able to stop their Internet use in case of important other tasks. | Consider to specify the context to assess the negative impact on daily life (e.g., “[…] to stop using the Internet even if you have other important things to do?”). | “It's not difficult for me to stop when I know that I have to fulfill responsibilities.” |
| (2) Do you often continue to use the Internet despite your intention to stop? | Loss of control | Strong similarity to the first item. | Check for redundancy; possibly delete one of these items. | “I compare that item with the first question. They definitely look similar to me […].” “That's the same […] that actually results from the first question.” |
| (3) Do others (e.g., friends and family) say you should use the Internet less? | Conflict | Participants' answers depend on their age. The Internet use of young people is often criticized by parents or grand-parents. This item has the potential to cover a generation conflict rather than characteristics of a behavioral addiction. | Consider to split this item into (1) conflicts with same-aged peers or partners and (2) conflicts with family members. | “Actually, no one except my grandma […]”. “Often, especially my parents.” |
| (4) Do you prefer to use the Internet instead of spending time with others (e.g., friends and family)? | Preoccupation | To date, many real-life friendships of young adults are maintained online. Some reasons are long distances after moving to another town or sudden life-changing events such as the corona pandemic. In this context, spending time with others online is not necessarily a problematic behavior but (quite the opposite) a functional way to maintain real-life friendships. | Consider to reword this item to assess problematic social withdrawal in real life (e.g., “How often do you prefer to use the Internet rather than spend time offline with others?”) | “[…; My] friends don't live here. The Internet is actually the only option to communicate with them. So, actually very often.” |
| (5) Are you short of sleep because of the Internet? | Loss of control | No relevant difficulties. The item was easy to understand. | ||
| (6) Do you think about the Internet, even when you are not online? | Preoccupation | Participants often relate to boredom or to situations when alternative leisure activities are not available. It remains unclear if high scorings of this item were associated with a negative impact on daily life. | Consider to reword and specify this item (e.g., “How often do you have a strong desire to use the Internet although you have other important things to do?”). | “I guess when it's boring […]. When you're busy, you don't think about it.” |
| The term “when you are not online” seems outdated. Nowadays, access to the Internet is possible almost always and everywhere. | See above. | “Sometimes, because I'm actually always on the Internet. No matter whether I'm on the move or at home […].” | ||
| Participants think of online social interactions or important messages that are expected but not about “the Internet” per se. | See above. | “I'm thinking a lot about the Internet […] whether someone important has written to me […] I'm still waiting for a very important answer from a colleague.” “Internet is a very broad topic, that's why you think often about the different dialogues you had on the Internet […].” |
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| (7) Do you look forward to your next Internet session? | Preoccupation | See item 6: The term “look forward to your next Internet session” seems outdated. Internet access is possible almost always and everywhere. | See item 6. Consider to delete one of these items. | “I never really look forward to it, but […] I take it for granted.” |
| The anticipation to use the Internet refers to specific activities or social contacts maintained online. This does not reflect a strong desire to use the Internet in a way that leads to negative consequences. | See above. | “That happens […] often because I'm actually looking forward to talk to my colleagues again in the evening.” | ||
| The anticipation to use the Internet refers to end unpleasant work or activities and use the Internet as a “normal” leisure activity to relax. | See above. | “After a long day, I actually always look forward to it […] I sit down on the couch, play a little bit. I say […] often” | ||
| The term “Internet session” seems difficult to understand. | See above. | “What does Internet session mean? […] Is it about WhatsApp? Writing a message? Or just watching a movie or playing games? […]” | ||
| (8) Do you think you should use the Internet less often? | Conflict | No relevant comments. The item was easy to understand. | ||
| (9) Have you unsuccessfully tried to spend less time on the Internet? | Loss of control | It is unclear if the Internet use leads to negative consequences in daily life. | Consider to reword and specify this item (e.g., “How often have you unsuccessfully tried to spend less time on the Internet because you have noticed negative consequences of your Internet use?”) | “It happened a lot. Considering that I've been on the Internet almost daily since I was 14 years old […] it often happened that I didn't managed to spend less time on the Internet.” |
| Overall, participants had significant difficulties to understand the content of the item. | Consider to rephrase the item. | “I don't understand the question.” “Unsuccessful, I would take rarely […] presupposing that I have [… tried to reduce] I have rarely done that. […] I think that's […] strange.” |
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| (10) Do you rush through your homework/schoolwork to use the Internet? | Conflict | Participants relate to the general avoidance of unpleasant tasks but not to the Internet per se. | Consider to rephrase the item (e.g., “How often do you rush through activities you actually enjoy to get on the Internet?”). | “That happens a lot. […] I vacuum faster […] to write again […] with other people […]. It's not necessarily “the Internet” but rather the free time that you have again. So, I would say […] that's often the case.” |
| (11) Do you neglect your daily obligations (work, school, or family life) because you prefer to use the Internet? | Conflict | Increased risk of overpathologizing: It is not clear if the Internet use leads to significant impairment of daily life. | Consider to assess the temporal context and negative consequences more clearly (e.g., “How often do you experience negative consequences or neglect responsibilities because you prefer to use the Internet?”). | “I think maybe I should watch a movie with my parents […] instead of being online […]. But […] their interests are different. I would say […] sometimes.” |
| (12) Do you use the Internet when you are feeling sad? | Coping/Mood modification | Participants tend to relate to functional emotional regulation strategies (e.g., social support they receive online). | Consider to rephrase the item and add a temporal reference (e.g., “How often do you use the Internet when you feel sad to forget about your problems?“) | “[…] when something doesn't go the way it should […] you go online for a while […] you have your friends there and chat with them […] they usually calm you down […].” |
| (13) Do you use the Internet to escape from sorrows or negative feelings? | Coping/Mood modification | Strong similarity to Item 12. | Check for redundancy; possibly delete one of these items. | “That's exactly the same.“ “For me, this is similar to question 12 […] I will answer question 13 the same way I answered number 12.” |
| (14) How often do you feel anxious, frustrated, or irritated when you are not able to use the Internet? | Withdrawal | Despite high scorings of this item, participants do not refer to “withdrawal” but rather to technical problems. | Consider to specify the instruction of the CIUS, e.g., “In your answers, please do not refer to technical problems.“ | “When the Internet router breaks down […] it's annoying […] that's why […] I'm […] very often irritated.” |
| Participants had difficulties to respond to this item. Nowadays, access to the Internet is possible almost always and everywhere. | Consider to specify the situation, e.g., “[…] you are not able to use the Internet because of daily obligations (e.g., school, work, or family life).” | “[…] I always have access to the Internet through my mobile phone. For me, such situations don't exist.” | ||
| Increased risk of overpathologizing: Participants refer to situations when important social concerns need to be clarified via digital channels. | Consider to rephrase the item or the instruction of the CIUS to make sure that participants do not refer to (constructive) problem-solving approaches in real life. | “I feel restless when […] I have to clarify something important, and I can't answer my mobile phone or use the Internet.” | ||
| Overall findings in the CIUS | Participants' answers strongly depend on the respective Internet activity. | Consider to assess the main activity while using the Internet in the instruction (e.g., “Please name the Internet application you use most frequently at the moment: _______. When answering the items, please refer to the application you named above.” | “It depends […] when I play video games, I stop. WhatsApp, Instagram […] I actually continue.” | |
| The time frame was unclear. | Consider to specify the time frame in the instruction. | “Is that […] related to the current situation or […] the past?” | ||