Brief Description
The Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) is a 26-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the severity of internet addiction. The scale measures various aspects of internet use, such as compulsive use, withdrawal symptoms, and related problems (e.g., “I was told more than once that I spend too much time online”) on a scale from "does not match my experience at all” to "definitely matches my experience.” The CIAS is commonly used in clinical settings and helps clinicians track changes in symptom severity over time and is useful for assessing treatment outcomes.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
26
Age Range for Administration
18+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
Monthly
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Each item on the CIAS is rated on a Likert scale, ranging from 0 (“Does not match my experience at all”) to 4 (“Definitely matches my experience”). The total score can range from 26 to 104. Higher scores indicate greater severity of internet addiction. The clinically significant cutoff score is 64 (i.e., respondents with scores of 64 and above were classified as Internet-addicted).
Blueprint Adjustments
N/A
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 6-8 minutes.
Current research shows validation with ages 18+. It is reasonable to think this measure may be used with an adolescent population if clinically appropriate.
This measure was developed in Taiwan and has been adapted and validated for use globally.
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
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