Development and Validation of the Japanese Version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS-J)

Problematic social media use (PSMU) has become a growing concern worldwide, highlighting the need for reliable and culturally valid assessment tools to examine its psychological correlates. However, comprehensive psychometric evaluations of PSMU measures in the Japanese context remain limited. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Japanese version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS-J) among Japanese college students. A total of 314 undergraduate students completed the BSMAS-J, along with the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation Scales (BIS/BAS), and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI-J). Of these, 257 participants completed a follow-up assessment 4 weeks later. To rigorously evaluate the factor structure, an independent split-sample cross-validation approach was employed, with exploratory factor analysis conducted on one subsample (n = 100) and confirmatory factor analysis on the other (n = 214). Results confirmed a robust unidimensional structure with good model fit, high internal consistency across waves (Cronbach’s α 0.89, McDonald’s ω 0.91), and moderate 4-week test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.65). Furthermore, evidence supported both longitudinal and multigroup sex measurement invariance. Convergent validity was established through strong positive associations with generalized internet addiction. Multiple regression analysis indicated that female sex, higher neuroticism, and elevated behavioral inhibition predicted BSMAS-J scores, highlighting potential avoidance-oriented coping mechanisms. Overall, the BSMAS-J demonstrates sound psychometric properties as a brief and reliable assessment tool, establishing a solid empirical foundation for future cross-cultural and longitudinal investigations in Japan.