Components of the Mobile Social Networking Sites Addiction Scale and Its Relationship with Social Overload and Religiosity

Abstract

The present study aims at adapting and validating the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS) for mobile social networking site (MSNS) addiction in the context of a developing country. The study further examines the role of social overload and religiosity in MSNS addiction. A cross-sectional survey was used to obtain data from a sample of 557 MSNS users in South Africa. The psychometric properties of the adaptation of the BFAS for MSNS addiction were robustly assessed using the structural equation modelling technique. The results suggest a five-factor addiction component model for MSNS addiction with excellent psychometric properties. Given that much of the existing literature suggests a six-factor behavioural addiction component model for SNS addiction, the findings of the present study contribute new insights into the literature and reinforce the need for far-reaching cross-cultural validation scales beyond their original contexts. Furthermore, the findings of the study make an original contribution to the literature by explaining how social overload mediates the impact of religiosity on users who are addicted to MSNS.