Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Master's student, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
3
Associate professorof psychology, Faculty of psychology and education, University of Semnan, Semnan, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Along social networks expansion and diversity, addiction to these networks has increased among teenage users. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Social Networking Addiction Scale (SNA) among high school students.
Method
The study population consisted of students in Torbat Heydariyeh in Iran in the academic year 2022-2023. After a multi-stage cluster sampling method, 399 students were selected and completed the SNA, Smartphone Addiction Scale, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha were used to assess the construct validity and internal consistency.
Results
The second-order confirmatory factor analysis supported the internal validity of the SNA for measuring salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse empirically. In terms of convergent and discriminant validity, the overall correlation of SNA and its dimensions with smartphone addiction was positive and significant (P<0.01, r=0.83), while satisfaction with life was negative and significant (P<0.01, r=-0.34). In addition, internal consistency coefficients of SNA subscales ranged from 0.73 to 0.97.
Conclusion
The results of this study supported Griffiths’ theory. They indicated that the SNA has appropriate psychometric properties and is a suitable tool for measuring social networking addiction in Iranian male high school students.
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