INTERNET ADDICTION TEST

To assess your level of addiction, answer the following questions using this scale:

1 = Not at all	2 = Rarely
3 = Occasionally	4 = Often	5 = Always

1.		How often do you find that you stay on-line longer than you intended?
1 2 3 4 5
2.		How often do you neglect household chores to spend more time on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
3.		How often do you prefer the excitement of the Internet to intimacy with your partner?
1 2 3 4 5
4.		How often do you form new relationships with fellow on-line users?
1 2 3 4 5
5.		How often do others in your life complain to you about the amount of time you spend on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
6.		How often do your grades or school work suffer because of the amount of time you spend on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
7.		How often do you check your e-mail before something else that you need to do?
1 2 3 4 5
8.		How often does your job performance or productivity suffer because of the Internet?
1 2 3 4 5
9.		How often do you become defensive or secretive when someone asks you what you do on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
10.		How often do you block out disturbing thoughts about your life with soothing thoughts of the Internet?
1 2 3 4 5
11.		How often do you find yourself anticipating when you will go on-line again?
1 2 3 4 5
12.		How often do you fear that life without the Internet would be boring, empty, and joyless?
1 2 3 4 5
13.		How often do you snap, yell, or act annoyed if someone bothers you while you are on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
14.		How often do you lose sleep due to late-night log-ins?
1 2 3 4 5
15.		How often do you feel preoccupied with the Internet when off-line, or fantasize about being on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
16.		How often do you find yourself saying "just a few more minutes" when on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
17.		How often do you try to cut down the amount of time you spend on-line and fail?
1 2 3 4 5
18.		How often do you try to hide how long you've been on-line?
1 2 3 4 5
19.		How often do you choose to spend more time on-line over going out with others?
1 2 3 4 5
20.		How often do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you are off-line, which goes away once you are back on-line?
1 2 3 4 5

Add the numbers you selected for each response to obtain a final score. Here's a general scale to help measure your score:

20-39 points: You are an average on-line user. You may surf the Web a bit too long at times, but you have control over your usage.

40-69 points: You are experiencing frequent problems because of the Internet. You should consider their full impact on your life.

70-100 points: Your Internet usage is causing significant problems in your life. You need to address them now.

(as found in CAUGHT IN THE NET by Kimberly S. Young, 1998)