The Social Networking Addiction Scale: Translation and Validation Study among Chinese College Students

Purpose: The core component theory of addiction behavior provides a multidimensional theoretical model for measuring social networking addiction. Based on this theoretical model, the Social Networking Addiction Scale (SNAS) was developed. The aim of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the SNAS (SNAS-C). Methods: This study used a sample of 3383 Chinese university students to conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to explore the structural validity of the SNAS-C. This study examined the Pearson correlations between the six subscales of the SNAS-C (i.e., salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflict, and relapse) and "social appearance anxiety (SAA)", and "parent and peer attachment (PPA)" to test the construct validity of the SNAS-C. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to evaluate the internal consistency of both the total and subscale scores. Results: The results of the CFA indicated that the six-factor model had an acceptable model fit (χ²/df = 10.954, p < 0.001; GFI = 0.946; AGFI = 0.928; IFI = 0.964; TLI = 0.955; CFI = 0.964; RMR = 0.041; SRMR = 0.037; RMSEA = 0.054 [90% CI [0.052–0.056]). Additionally, the total score of the SNAS-C was significantly positively correlated with the total score of SAA (r = 0.43, p < 0.01), and the subscales of the SNAS-C were significantly positively correlated with the total score of SAA to a medium degree (salience, r = 0.31, mood modification, r = 0.27, tolerance, r = 0.34, withdrawal symptoms, r = 0.39, conflict, r = 0.41, relapse, r = 0.40, p < 0.01). The results of the SNAS-C and PPA were somewhat different, as the SNAS-C was significantly negatively correlated with the PPA (r = −0.12, p < 0.01), and the four subscales were significantly negatively correlated with the PPA to a low degree (tolerance, r = −0.11, withdrawal symptoms, r = −0.15, conflict, r = −0.21, relapse, r = −0.15, p < 0.01). Finally, the SNAS-C also exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.808). Conclusion: The results indicate that the six-factor model of the SNAS-C is acceptable, and its validity can meet the tendencies of social networking addiction among Chinese college students. In summary, the current translation and validation study of the SNAS-C provides an auxiliary tool for future research on social networking addiction in the Chinese context, but the generalizability of this scale in different populations requires further investigation.