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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Date
2025-02-25
Open Access Location
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Akadémiai Kiadó
Rights
(c) 2025 The Author/s
CC BY-NC 4.0
CC BY-NC 4.0
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.
Description
Keywords
Bergen Work Addiction Scale, compulsive overworking, cross-cultural, validation study, work addiction, workaholism
Citation
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 Đ, 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, 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, Atroszko PA. (2025). The International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS): A screening tool for clinical and organizational applications validated in 85 cultures from six continents.. J Behav Addict. Online First.