Assessing Online-Related Addiction in Chinese Primary School Students: An Item Response Theory Analysis of Three Scales

Online addiction has become a growing concern, especially among younger populations. This study examines the psychometric properties of three widely used scales—Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS), Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS-SF9)—in a sample of 1,108 Chinese primary school students. Using Item Response Theory (IRT), the study evaluates each scale’s reliability, validity, and precision in measuring various levels of addiction. SABAS proved most effective in identifying low to moderate addiction, while IGDS-SF9 excelled in detecting higher levels of gaming addiction. BSMAS, though moderately accurate, lacked the sensitivity to differentiate subtle variations in social media addiction. These findings provide critical insights for selecting appropriate assessment tools based on addiction severity, facilitating more targeted interventions. This study compares the psychometric performance of these instruments, contributing to cyberpsychology and providing practical guidance for clinicians and researchers addressing online addictive behaviors in children.