The Bergen–Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS): longitudinal measurement invariance across a two-year interval
Creators: name: Gomez, Rapson
name: Zarate, Daniel
name: Brown, Taylor
name: Hein, Kaiden
name: Stavropoulos, Vasileios
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Evolutionary Biology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Science Policy
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Mental Health
subject: Infectious Diseases
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: This study aims to examine the longitudinal measurement invariance of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) over a two-year interval, addressing a gap in research on its consistency over time. Confirmatory Factor Analysis with a robust maximum likelihood chi-square estimator was utilised to assess the BSMAS among 276 adults (mean age = 31.86 years; SD = 9.94 years; 71% male) at three time points across two years. This method evaluates the scale’s structural consistency and reliability longitudinally. The analysis supported full measurement invariance (configural, metric, scalar, and error variance) of the BSMAS, indicating stable measurement properties over time. Furthermore, temporal stability and equivalency of the BSMAS total mean scores were confirmed across the three-time points, suggesting consistent measurement of social media addiction. The findings validate the BSMAS as a reliable instrument for measuring social media addiction over extended periods. Demonstrating its psychometric stability enhances its utility for longitudinal studies, making it a valuable tool for tracking changes in social media addiction behaviours. These results have significant implications for future research and clinical practice, highlighting the BSMAS’s applicability in long-term studies. <b>What is already known about this topic:</b>The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale is a widely utilised instrument for measuring social media addiction.There is a lack of research on testing for measurement invariance of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale.Social media addiction can be a persistent issue across an individual’s lifespan thus, measurements of social media addiction need to display invariance across a long time. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale is a widely utilised instrument for measuring social media addiction. There is a lack of research on testing for measurement invariance of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Social media addiction can be a persistent issue across an individual’s lifespan thus, measurements of social media addiction need to display invariance across a long time. <b>What this topic adds:</b>Findings showed the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale displayed support for longitudinal measurement invariance.The latent factors of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale remain consistent across different time points.The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale can be used to monitor the developmental changes of social media addiction symptoms and clinical treatment effects over a reasonable length of time. Findings showed the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale displayed support for longitudinal measurement invariance. The latent factors of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale remain consistent across different time points. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale can be used to monitor the developmental changes of social media addiction symptoms and clinical treatment effects over a reasonable length of time.