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. 2025 Apr 28;13(1):449.
doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-02792-z.

Validation of the Farsi version of the video-game addiction scale for children: its associations with social media addiction, internet addiction and executive functions

Nima Rabiei  1 , Saeid Sadeghi  2 , Nahal Ranaei  1 , Nikzad Ghanbari  3
Affiliations

Validation of the Farsi version of the video-game addiction scale for children: its associations with social media addiction, internet addiction and executive functions

Nima Rabiei et al. BMC Psychol. .

Abstract

Addiction to video games can negatively affect cognitive and social functioning. We aim to validate the Video Game Addiction Scale for Children (VASC) among Iranian children aged 8-13 in this study. This study confirmed the four-factor structure (self-control, reward, problems, involvement) and demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89) that has significant practical implications. The VASC showed significant correlation with the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), indicating its convergent validity. The VASC was negatively correlated with executive function, as measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF).The study provided a reliable and practical tool for future clinical and research investigations of gaming addiction tendencies in Iranian culture.

Keywords: Children; Executive function; Internet addiction; Iran; Social media addiction; VASC; Validation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was conducted in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors. Ethical approval had been provided by all procedures and was approved by the Research Ethics Committees of Tarbiat Modares University (Approval ID: IR.MODARES.REC.1402.099). At the beginning of the study, participants were asked to verify that they had read the consent form carefully and signed it to ensure informed consent was obtained. The questionnaire survey was filled out voluntarily by all participants. Data anonymization was also used to protect participants’ privacy. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Model fit indexes of the Farsi version of the VASC. (a); Model fit indexes of the VASC before modification, (b); Model fit after modification
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