Validation of the Internet Addiction Test for Adolescents (IAT-A) in the Georgian language

Abstract

Background: The internet has become an integral part of daily life, impacting various aspects, especially among children and adolescents. Internet overuse has been associated with numerous physical and mental health issues. Despite its significant implications, there is no universally accepted assessment tool for internet addiction. This study focuses on validating the Georgian version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) among pediatric patients aged 9 to 17, specifically the Internet Addiction Test - Adolescence (IAT - A).

Methods: The study, conducted in 2022-2023, involved pediatric patients from Givi Zhvania Pediatric Academic Clinic, generally healthy but with parental concerns about screen time. The IAT-A, a self-administered questionnaire, was adapted for cultural relevance. Translation-back-translation was employed for linguistic validation. Data was collected twice, with a 6-month interval. Statistical analyses included the Kappa coefficient, Kendall's tau test, paired t-test, and Bland-Altman plots.

Results: The translation process ensured linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance. The study included 100 participants (59 % boys, 41 % girls) with a mean age of 12 years. The mean IAT - A score remained consistently high over both testing periods. Kendall's tau correlation coefficient indicated a strong correlation (0.97), and Bland-Altman plots confirmed repeatability. The cut-off of 40 points identified 84 % as problematic internet users. Individual question analysis showed strong correlation and agreement.

Conclusion: The Georgian version of the IAT - A demonstrated reliability and consistency in assessing internet addiction among pediatric patients. The prevalence of problematic internet use among children referred to a university hospital because parents were worried about their internet use was indeed high. The study contributes valuable insights into internet addiction research in Georgia and underscores the importance of a standardized assessment tool. The repeatability of the scores of each question was strong among both groups of problematic internet users and non-problematic internet users, confirming that the Georgian version of IAT - A has high level of accuracy and can be used in internet addiction research.

Keywords: Cross-cultural validation; Cultural adaptation of IAT questionnaire; Georgia; Internet addiction assessment; Internet addiction test reliability; Pediatric population study; Prevalence of internet addiction; Screen time impact.