The International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS): a screening tool for clinical and organizational applications validated in 85 cultures from six continents

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Charzyńska, E, Buźniak, A, Czerwiński, SK, Woropay-Hordziejewicz, N, Schneider, Z, Aavik, T, Adamowic, M, Adams, BG, Al-Mahjoob, SM, Almoshawah, SAS, Arrowsmith, J, Asatsa, S, Austin, S, Aziz, S, Bakker, AB, Balducci, C, Barros, E, Bălțătescu, S, Bdier, D, Bhatia, N, Bilic, S, Boer, D, Caspi, A, Chaleeraktrakoon, T, Chan, CIM, Chien, C-J, Choi, H-S, Choubisa, R, Clark, M, Čekrlija, ?, Demetrovics, Z, Dervishi, E, de Zoysa, P, Domínguez Espinosa, AdC, Dragova-Koleva, S, Efstathiou, V, Fernandez, ME, Fernet, C, Gadelrab, HF, Gamsakhurdia, V, Garðarsdóttir, RB, Garrido, LE, Gillet, N, Gonçalves, SP, Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, Hakobyan, NR, Halim, FW, Hansenne, M, Hasan, BB, Herttalampi, M, Hlatywayo, CK, Hromatko, I, Igou, ER, Iliško, D, Isayeva, U, Ismail, HN, Jensen, DH, Kakupa, P, Kamble, S, Kerriche, A, Kubicek, B, Kugbey, N, Kun, B, Lee, JH, Lisá, E, Lisun, Y, Lupano Perugini, ML, Marcatto, F, Maslovarić, B, Massoudi, K, McFarlane, TA, Mgaiwa, SJ, Moosavi Jahanabad, ST, Moreta-Herrera, R, Nguyen, HTM, Ohtsubo, Y, Özsoy, T, Øvergård, KI, Pallesen, S, Parker, J, Plohl, N, Pontes, HM, Potter, R, Roe, A, Samekin, A, Schulmeyer, MK, Seisembekov, TZ, Serrano-Fernández, MJ, Shahrour, G, Matić, JS, Sobhie, R, Spagnoli, P, Story, J, Sullman, MJM, Sultanova, L, Sun, R, Suryani, AO, Sussman, S, Teng-Calleja, M, Torales, J, Vera Cruz, G, Wu, AMS, Yang, X, Zabrodska, K, Ziedelis, A and Atroszko, PA, 2025. The International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS): a screening tool for clinical and organizational applications validated in 85 cultures from six continents. Journal of Behavioral Addictions. ISSN 2062-5871

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2025.00005

Abstract

Background and aims: Despite the last decade's significant development in the scientific study of work addiction/workaholism, this area of research is still facing a fundamental challenge, namely the need for a valid and reliable measurement tool that shows cross-cultural invariance and, as such, allows for worldwide studies on this phenomenon.

Methods: An initial 16-item questionnaire, developed within an addiction framework, was administered alongside job stress, job satisfaction, and self-esteem measures in a total sample of 31,352 employees from six continents and 85 cultures (63.5% females, mean age of 39.24 years).

Results: Based on theoretical premises and psychometric testing, the International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS) was developed as a short measure representing essential features of work addiction. The seven-item version (IWAS-7), covering all seven components of work addiction, showed partial scalar invariance across 81 cultures, while the five-item version (IWAS-5) showed it across all 85 cultures. Higher levels of work addiction on both versions were associated with higher job stress, lower job satisfaction, and lower self-esteem across cultures. The optimal cut-offs for the IWAS-7 (24 points) and IWAS-5 (18 points) were established with an overall accuracy of 96% for both versions.

Discussion and conclusions: The IWAS is a valid, reliable, and short screening scale that can be used in different cultures and languages, providing comparative and generalizable results. The scale can be used globally in clinical and organizational settings, with the IWAS-5 being recommended for most practical and clinical situations. This is the first study to provide data supporting the hypothesis that work addiction is a universal phenomenon worldwide.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Behavioral Addictions
Creators:	Charzyńska, E., Buźniak, A., Czerwiński, S.K., Woropay-Hordziejewicz, N., Schneider, Z., Aavik, T., Adamowic, M., Adams, B.G., Al-Mahjoob, S.M., Almoshawah, S.A.S., Arrowsmith, J., Asatsa, S., Austin, S., Aziz, S., Bakker, A.B., Balducci, C., Barros, E., Bălțătescu, S., Bdier, D., Bhatia, N., Bilic, S., Boer, D., Caspi, A., Chaleeraktrakoon, T., Chan, C.I.M., Chien, C.-J., Choi, H.-S., Choubisa, R., Clark, M., Čekrlija, ?., Demetrovics, Z., Dervishi, E., de Zoysa, P., Domínguez Espinosa, A.C., Dragova-Koleva, S., Efstathiou, V., Fernandez, M.E., Fernet, C., Gadelrab, H.F., Gamsakhurdia, V., Garðarsdóttir, R.B., Garrido, L.E., Gillet, N., Gonçalves, S.P., Griffiths, M.D., Hakobyan, N.R., Halim, F.W., Hansenne, M., Hasan, B.B., Herttalampi, M., Hlatywayo, C.K., Hromatko, I., Igou, E.R., Iliško, D., Isayeva, U., Ismail, H.N., Jensen, D.H., Kakupa, P., Kamble, S., Kerriche, A., Kubicek, B., Kugbey, N., Kun, B., Lee, J.H., Lisá, E., Lisun, Y., Lupano Perugini, M.L., Marcatto, F., Maslovarić, B., Massoudi, K., McFarlane, T.A., Mgaiwa, S.J., Moosavi Jahanabad, S.T., Moreta-Herrera, R., Nguyen, H.T.M., Ohtsubo, Y., Özsoy, T., Øvergård, K.I., Pallesen, S., Parker, J., Plohl, N., Pontes, H.M., Potter, R., Roe, A., Samekin, A., Schulmeyer, M.K., Seisembekov, T.Z., Serrano-Fernández, M.J., Shahrour, G., Matić, J.S., Sobhie, R., Spagnoli, P., Story, J., Sullman, M.J.M., Sultanova, L., Sun, R., Suryani, A.O., Sussman, S., Teng-Calleja, M., Torales, J., Vera Cruz, G., Wu, A.M.S., Yang, X., Zabrodska, K., Ziedelis, A. and Atroszko, P.A.
Publisher:	Akademiai Kiado Zrt.
Date:	25 February 2025
ISSN:	2062-5871
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1556/2006.2025.00005 DOI 2387253 Other
Rights:	© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author and source are credited, a link to the CC License is provided, and changes – if any – are indicated.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	26 Feb 2025 17:12
Last Modified:	26 Feb 2025 17:12
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53138