Brief Description
The BSMAS is a 6-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess addictive use of social media. It was adapted from the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS) (Andreassen et al., 2012), with wording broadened to capture social media platforms in general rather than just Facebook. The BSMAS is a screening tool that can help clinicians identify individuals whose social media use is excessive, compulsive, or interfering with daily functioning. Excessive social media use is often associated with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor sleep, academic or occupational problems, and other behavioral addictions.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
6
Age Range for Administration
14+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
One time or yearly screener.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Each of the 6 items is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = “Very rarely” to 5 = “Very often”), giving a total score range of 6 to 30, with higher scores indicating greater risk of problematic or addictive social media use.
A commonly suggested cut-off score is ≥19, which has been proposed as indicating problematic social media use (Bányai et al., 2017). Blueprint utilizes this cut-off for scoring. However, optimal thresholds may vary across individuals and cultural contexts.
Blueprint Adjustments
N/A
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time to complete: 2-3 minutes.
The BSMAS is primarily a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. In clinical practice, elevated scores should prompt further evaluation, including the impact on functioning and possible comorbidities.
The BSMAS has been validated in multiple languages and populations, showing good psychometric properties (reliability, construct validity, and cross-cultural applicability).
Citation
Andreassen, C. S., Torsheim, T., Brunborg, G. S., & Pallesen, S. (2012). Development of a Facebook Addiction Scale. Psychological Reports, 110(2), 501–517. https://doi.org/10.2466/02.09.18.PR0.110.2.501-517
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
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