Testing the Index of Problematic Online Experiences (I-POE) with a national sample of adolescents.
This article assesses the utility of the Index of Problematic Online Experiences (I-POE) in a national sample of adolescents in the United States. The study was based on a cross-sectional national telephone survey of 1560 Internet users, ages 10 through 17. Data were collected between August, 2010 and January, 2011. The I-POE is an 18-item binary response index which can be used to assess problematic internet use across multiple behaviors and activities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a revised index with two factors: a 9-item "excessive use" scale and a 9-item "online social and communication problems" scale among this population. The I-POE showed favorable psychometric properties including adequate internal consistency for the overall scale and for the two subscales. Scores correlate with offline emotional and behavioral difficulties and the I-POE could have value for use as a part of broad mental health assessment procedures in clinical or school settings.
Crimes against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive, Suite 106, Durham, NH 03824, USA. Electronic address: Kimberly.Mitchell@unh.edu.
Kimberly J
KJ
Mitchell
Lisa M
LM
Jones
Melissa
M
Wells
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States
Adolescence; Assessment; Internet; Mental health; Problem behavior; Problematic internet use; Technology