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

• Autores: Charzyska, Edyta; Buniak, Aleksandra; Czerwiski, Stanisaw K.; Woropay Hordziejewicz, Natalia; Schneider, Zuzanna; Aavik, Toivo; Adamowic, Mladen; Adams, Byron G.; Al Mahjoob, Sami M.; Almoshawah, Saad A. S.; Arrowsmith, Jim; Asatsa, Stephen; Austin, Stéphanie; Aziz, Shahnaz; Bakker, Arnold B.; Balducci, Cristian; Barros, Eduardo; Bălțătescu, Sergiu; Bdier, Dana; Bhatia, Nitesh; Bilic, Snezana; Boer, Diana; Caspi, Avner; Lupano Perugini, Maria Laura; Vera Cruz, Germano; Wu, Anise M. S.; Yang, Xue; Zabrodska, Katerina; Ziedelis, Arunas; Atroszko, Paweł A.
• Año de publicación: 2025
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: BERGEN WORK ADDICTION SCALE; COMPULSIVE OVERWORKING; CROSS-CULTURAL; VALIDATION STUDY
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

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.
Fil: Charzyska, Edyta. University of Silesia in Katowice; Polonia
Fil: Buniak, Aleksandra. University of Gdańsk; Polonia
Fil: Czerwiski, Stanisaw K.. University of Gdańsk; Polonia
Fil: Woropay Hordziejewicz, Natalia. University of Gdańsk; Polonia
Fil: Schneider, Zuzanna. University of Silesia in Katowice; Polonia
Fil: Aavik, Toivo. University of Tartu; Estonia
Fil: Adamowic, Mladen. King's College London; Reino Unido
Fil: Adams, Byron G.. University of Ghent; Bélgica. University of Amsterdam; Países Bajos
Fil: Al Mahjoob, Sami M.. University of Bahrain; Bahréin
Fil: Almoshawah, Saad A. S.. Massey University; Nueva Zelanda
Fil: Arrowsmith, Jim. Massey University; Nueva Zelanda
Fil: Asatsa, Stephen. The Catholic University of Eastern Africa; Kenia
Fil: Austin, Stéphanie. Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières; Canadá
Fil: Aziz, Shahnaz. East Carolina University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Bakker, Arnold B.. University of Chieti-Pescara “G. d'Annunzio”; Italia
Fil: Balducci, Cristian. University of Chieti-Pescara “G. d'Annunzio”; Italia
Fil: Barros, Eduardo. Universidad Adolfo Ibañez; Chile
Fil: Bălțătescu, Sergiu. University of Oradea; Rumania
Fil: Bdier, Dana. University of Milano-Bicocca; Italia
Fil: Bhatia, Nitesh. Central University of Jharkhand; India
Fil: Bilic, Snezana. International Balkan University; Macedonia
Fil: Boer, Diana. University of Koblenz; Alemania
Fil: Caspi, Avner. The Open University of Israel; Israel
Fil: Lupano Perugini, Maria Laura. Universidad de Palermo; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Vera Cruz, Germano. Universite de Picardie Jules Verne (universite de Picardie Jules V);
Fil: Wu, Anise M. S.. University of Macau; China
Fil: Yang, Xue. The Chinese University of Hong Kong; China
Fil: Zabrodska, Katerina. Karlova Univerzita; República Checa. Czech Academy of Sciences; República Checa
Fil: Ziedelis, Arunas. Vilnius University; Lituania
Fil: Atroszko, Paweł A.. University of Gdańsk; Polonia