Psychometric evaluation of the Self-Regulation in Internet Use Scale (SRIU) for adolescents

Background: The internet has become an integral part of modern society. Despite the obvious benefits of using internet technology, excessive use poses risks to adolescent development, and there is a lack of validated tools to measure self-regulation in this context. Therefore, the current study aims to design and evaluate the psychometric properties of a self-regulation scale for internet use among Iranian adolescents. Method: In this cross-sectional study, data were selected from 472 7th to 9th-grade students, from a Junior high school in Isfahan city (center of Iran). participants (aged 12-16) completed 40 items self-regulation internet use (SRIUQ), GHQ and Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Exploratory (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) evaluated the factor structure, while divergent validity was assessed via correlation with IAT. Results: Analyses confirmed a robust six-factor model explaining 57% of variance (CFI=0.918, RMSEA=0.058), two novel constructs emerged and strong to moderate negative correlations between SRIUQ and IAT (-.68 to -.42) established divergent validity. The instrument demonstrated good internal consistency and adequate test-retest reliability. Conclusion: The SRIUQ is a psychometrically sound tool that is capable of measuring adolescents' self-regulation with their online behaviors. This tool is vital for developing targeted interventions and promoting healthier online habits.