TY - JOUR
T1 - The International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS): A screening tool for clinical and organizational applications validated in 85 cultures from six continents
AU - Fernández Pintos, María Eugenia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s).
PY - 2025/3/28
Y1 - 2025/3/28
N2 - 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
AB - 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
KW - Bergen Work Addiction Scale
KW - compulsive overworking
KW - cross-cultural
KW - validation study
KW - work addiction
KW - workaholism
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105002303417
U2 - 10.1556/2006.2025.00005
DO - 10.1556/2006.2025.00005
M3 - Artículo
SN - 2062-5871
VL - 14
SP - 220
EP - 245
JO - Journal of Behavioral Addictions
JF - Journal of Behavioral Addictions
IS - 1
ER -