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Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS)3

Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) Test

With 26 questions and a completion time of about 5 minutes, the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) Test helps you examine withdrawal, tolerance, time management, and effects on daily life. Your result can highlight personal patterns and support focused self-reflection about how Internet use fits into your routines.

Questions: 265 minutes

Chen Internet Addiction Scale: situation and reply bubbles

October 2, 2025October 2, 2025Material has been updatedOctober 2, 2025Material has been published

17,905 views

1,278 completions

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Daniel Hall Psychologist · Test reviewer

1,100 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

Negative Consequences (RP)NC

Assesses the extent to which internet use is linked to intrapersonal difficulties and time-management problems that create negative life impact.

example score20/48

20/48Low impactexample score

12 – 23Low impact

24 – 35Moderate impact

36 – 48High impact

A score of 20 falls in the Low impact range, suggesting relatively limited negative consequences from internet use in terms of personal well-being and time management.

Composite Symptoms (IAS)CS

Integral symptoms (IAS) measures overall severity of key internet-addiction manifestations across compulsivity, withdrawal, and tolerance.

example score23/56

23/56Low symptomsexample score

14 – 27Low symptoms

28 – 41Moderate symptoms

42 – 56High symptoms

A score of 23 falls in the Low symptoms range, suggesting relatively mild overall expression of compulsive use, withdrawal reactions, and tolerance.

Time Management (TM)TM

Assesses how internet use affects planning and following a daily routine, including control over time spent online.

example score12/20

12/20Moderate impactexample score

5 – 9Low impact

10 – 14Moderate impact

15 – 20High impact

A score of 12 falls in the Moderate impact range, suggesting some difficulty keeping routines and limiting online time consistently.

Intrapersonal and Health-Related Problems (IH)IaHRP

Assesses how internet use is associated with intrapersonal difficulties and impacts psychological and physical well-being.

example score19/28

19/28Moderate impactexample score

7 – 13Low impact

14 – 20Moderate impact

21 – 28High impact

A score of 19 falls in the Moderate impact range, suggesting noticeable intrapersonal or health-related strain associated with internet use without being in the highest range.

Tolerance (TOL)T

Measures the extent to which a person needs increasing amounts of time online to achieve the same level of satisfaction.

example score9/16

9/16Moderate toleranceexample score

4 – 7Low tolerance

8 – 11Moderate tolerance

12 – 16High tolerance

A score of 9 falls in the Moderate tolerance range, suggesting some tendency to need more time online to feel similarly satisfied compared with earlier levels.

Withdrawal Symptoms (WIT)WS

Assesses the intensity of discomfort (e.g., irritability or anxiety) when internet access is limited or unavailable.

example score14/20

14/20Moderateexample score

5 – 9Low

10 – 14Moderate

15 – 20High

A score of 14 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting noticeable withdrawal-related discomfort when unable to use the internet.

Compulsive Symptoms (COM)CS

Measures the extent to which a person feels compelled to stay online and has difficulty controlling the urge to remain connected.

example score12/20

12/20Moderateexample score

5 – 9Low

10 – 14Moderate

15 – 20High

A score of 12 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable tendency toward compulsive internet use that may sometimes be hard to regulate.

Internet Addiction ScaleIAS

Measures the severity of internet addictive behavior by capturing core symptoms (tolerance, withdrawal, compulsivity) and related negative consequences.

example score74/104

74/104Highexample score

26 – 42Low

43 – 64Moderate

65 – 104High

A score of 74 falls in the High range, suggesting a pronounced tendency toward problematic internet use with stronger symptoms and impacts.

just completed the test

DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Heavy daily internet users

41%OF USERS

People who spend many hours online and worry it’s starting to affect their sleep, mood, or productivity.

Teens and young adults

34%OF USERS

Students and young people whose school, relationships, or routines are slipping because they can’t easily disconnect.

Parents and counselors

25%OF USERS

Adults who want a quick, structured check of online behavior patterns to identify risk and track changes over time.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Shaded area — where most people score

Dot — the average

You — your score lands on each curve after the test— your score, after the test

Negative consequences (RP)

You?

Average27.3

Typical rangeTypical20.7 – 33.9

Possible12 – 48

Integral symptoms (IAS)

You?

Average32.4

Typical rangeTypical25 – 39.8

Possible14 – 56

Time Management (TM)

You?

Average10.5

Typical rangeTypical8.2 – 12.8

Possible5 – 20

Issues (IH)

You?

Average16.4

Typical rangeTypical13.6 – 19.3

Possible7 – 28

Tolerance (TOL)

You?

Average12.3

Typical rangeTypical10 – 14.5

Possible4 – 16

Withdrawal Symptoms (WIT)

You?

Average16

Typical rangeTypical14 – 18

Possible5 – 20

Compulsive Symptoms (COM)

You?

Average14.7

Typical rangeTypical12.4 – 16.9

Possible5 – 20

Internet Addiction ScaleIAS

You?

Average50.1

Typical rangeTypical37.7 – 62.5

Possible26 – 104

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Below is a list of activities or descriptions of Internet-related situations that may apply to individuals with experience using the Internet. Please read each item carefully and select the response that most accurately reflects your Internet use over the past 6 months.

- Not at all applicable
- Slightly applicable
- Partially applicable
- Completely applicable
- Not at all true
- Slightly true
- Somewhat true
- Completely true
- Does not apply at all
- Slightly applies
- Somewhat applies
- Completely applies

These are 3 of the 26 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) Test - Description and methodology of the test

addiction

cyberpsychology

computer addiction

People who wonder whether online activity is becoming difficult to control can use this internet addiction assessment to organise that concern around recognizable patterns. The Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) Test helps respondents understand what their result says about areas that may deserve closer attention in everyday life. It provides a structured starting point for reflection without reducing a complex routine to one impression.

What This Assessment Explores

The questionnaire is intended for people reflecting on whether internet use is affecting control, wellbeing, or routine. It covers urges and failed attempts to cut back, discomfort when access is limited, increasing time online, and the sense that online activity has become central to daily life. It also asks about sleep, eating, physical discomfort, relationships, relaxation, school, and work. Together, these items connect core internet addiction symptoms with the consequences that make a pattern disruptive. The result describes compulsive, withdrawal, and tolerance symptoms, time-management difficulties, intrapersonal and health-related effects, negative consequences, and the overall profile. Reading the result alongside recent habits helps keep the score tied to lived context rather than a label alone.

Methodology and Evidence Base

Four choices rate each statement; scores produce subscales and totals:

Negative Consequences (12-48) measures intrapersonal/time-management impact: Low impact 12-23, Moderate impact 24-35, High impact 36-48; Time Management (5-20) measures schedule control: Low impact 5-9, Moderate impact 10-14, High impact 15-20.
Intrapersonal and Health-Related Problems (7-28) measures wellbeing: Low impact 7-13, Moderate impact 14-20, High impact 21-28.
Composite Symptoms (14-56) measures core symptoms: Low symptoms 14-27, Moderate symptoms 28-41, High symptoms 42-56.
Tolerance (4-16) measures increasing time online: Low tolerance 4-7, Moderate tolerance 8-11, High tolerance 12-16; Withdrawal Symptoms (5-20) measures offline discomfort: Low 5-9, Moderate 10-14, High 15-20.
Compulsive Symptoms (5-20) measures online compulsion: Low 5-9, Moderate 10-14, High 15-20; Internet Addiction Scale (26-104) measures overall severity: Low 26-42, Moderate 43-64, High 65-104.

Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) is the source instrument; this questionnaire is conceptually consistent, not an adaptation. Cut-offs and revisions contextualize interpretation but do not validate this version; self-report varies with context and response style.

Author: Kimberly S. Young

Literature:

Chen, Sue-Huei, Li-Jen Weng, Yi-Jen Su, Ho-Mao Wu, and Pin-Feng Yang. (2003). Development of a Chinese Internet Addiction Scale and Its Psychometric Study. Chinese Journal of Psychology, 45(3), 279-294. 10.6129/CJP.2003.4503.05
Ko, Chih-Hung, Cheng-Fang Yen, Chia-Nan Yen, Ju-Yu Yen, Cheng-Chung Chen, and Sue-Huei Chen. (2005). Screening for Internet Addiction: An Empirical Study on Cut-off Points for the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences, 21(12), 545-551. 10.1016/S1607-551X(09)70206-2
Mak, Kwok-Kei, Ching-Man Lai, Chih-Hung Ko, Chien Chou, Dong-Il Kim, Hiroko Watanabe, and Roger C. M. Ho. (2014). Psychometric Properties of the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) in Chinese Adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 42(7), 1237-1245. 10.1007/s10802-014-9851-3
Young, Kimberly S. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237-244. 10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237

Updated: 2025-10-02