Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI): Translation, adaptation and validation of the tool in Spanish adult population

The wide functionality and the vast range of attributes offered by smartphones has led to a substantial increase in the average amount of time these devices are used per day. An excessive use of these tools has been shown to result in symptomatology similar to psychological disorders caused by substance addiction. In Spain, smartphone use has risen exponentially but the effects of this increase remain unclear. Therefore, an instrument is required to help determine the extent of smartphone addiction in the Spanish population. The Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) is a valid and reliable mean to identify and measure smartphone addiction and so, the aim of this research is the translation and adaptation of SPAI to Spanish, as well as the analysis of its psychometric properties in a Spanish adult population of 2,958 adults, at the University of Valencia. A multiphase-interactive model has been used, based on classical translation-back-translation methods to translate and adapt the SPAI. Moreover, a confirmatory factor analysis to verify that the inventory showed acceptable goodness of fit indices (χ2293 = 4795.909, Comparative Fit Index = 0.927, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.919, Root Mean Square Error of approximation = 0.072, and Standardised Root Mean square Residual = 0.051) has been carried out. Also good reliability has been found for the global inventory (Cronbach's alpha = 0.949), and each of its corresponding factors: compulsive behaviour, functional impairment, abstinence, and tolerance (Cronbach's alpha = 0.856, 0.888, 0.855, and 0.712, respectively). Hence, the SPAI has been adequately translated and adapted for its use in Spain and therefore it is a useful tool for evaluating the degree of smartphone addiction in the Spanish adult population

From everyday life to measurable problematic smartphone use:The development and validation of the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has gained attention, but its definition remains debated. This study aimed to develop and validate a new scale measuring PSU-the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ).METHODS: Using two separate samples, a university community sample (N = 292) and a general population sample (N = 397), we investigated: (1) the construct validity of the SUPIQ through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses; (2) the convergent validity of the SUPIQ with correlation analyses and the visualized partial correlation network analyses; (3) the psychometric equivalence of the SUPIQ across two samples through multigroup confirmatory factor analyses; (4) the explanatory power of the SUPIQ over the Short Version of Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV) with hierarchical multiple regressions.RESULTS: The results showed that the SUPIQ included 26 items and 7 factors (i.e., Craving, Coping, Habitual Use, Social Conflicts, Risky Use, Withdrawal, and Tolerance), with good construct and convergent validity. The configural measurement invariance across samples was established. The SUPIQ also explained more variances in mental health problems than the SAS-SV.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the SUPIQ shows promise as a tool for assessing PSU. Further research is needed to enhance and refine the SUPIQ as well as to investigate its clinical utility.</p

From everyday life to measurable problematic smartphone use:The development and validation of the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has gained attention, but its definition remains debated. This study aimed to develop and validate a new scale measuring PSU-the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ).METHODS: Using two separate samples, a university community sample (N = 292) and a general population sample (N = 397), we investigated: (1) the construct validity of the SUPIQ through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses; (2) the convergent validity of the SUPIQ with correlation analyses and the visualized partial correlation network analyses; (3) the psychometric equivalence of the SUPIQ across two samples through multigroup confirmatory factor analyses; (4) the explanatory power of the SUPIQ over the Short Version of Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV) with hierarchical multiple regressions.RESULTS: The results showed that the SUPIQ included 26 items and 7 factors (i.e., Craving, Coping, Habitual Use, Social Conflicts, Risky Use, Withdrawal, and Tolerance), with good construct and convergent validity. The configural measurement invariance across samples was established. The SUPIQ also explained more variances in mental health problems than the SAS-SV.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the SUPIQ shows promise as a tool for assessing PSU. Further research is needed to enhance and refine the SUPIQ as well as to investigate its clinical utility.</p

Unraveling problematic smartphone use:The good and the bad through longitudinal, qualitative and psychometric perspectives

In an era where smartphones have become ubiquitous, discerning the fine line between normal smartphone use and Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) is critical. This dissertation investigates the dual nature of smartphone use, delineating its positive and negative consequences, defining PSU comprehensively, and exploring its etiology through a mixed-methods approach. This approach involves a longitudinal study, an in-depth qualitative exploration, and the development of the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ). Chapter 2 presents findings from a longitudinal study with 2100 Dutch high school students, examining the bidirectional relationship between PSU and adolescent peer engagement. The study identifies individuals with low perceived competence in close friendships and those who intensively engage with smartphones for peer communication as particularly vulnerable to PSU. Chapter 3 offers a qualitative exploration of PSU symptoms and possible etiology, finding the similarities and differences between PSU and established addiction criteria and highlighting the trade-off process between smartphones’ positive and negative consequences. Building on these insights, Chapter 4 details the development and validation of the SUPIQ through the analysis of two distinct samples. The SUPIQ demonstrated strong construct validity and superior predictive power for mental health problems. This thesis illuminates the intricate interplay of social, motivational, and normative factors in PSU, enriching the discourse on digital well-being. We argue for interventions that promote digital well-being through a balanced approach to smartphone use rather than advocating for its elimination, offering valuable perspectives on navigating the complexities of smartphone integration into daily life

Unraveling problematic smartphone use:The good and the bad through longitudinal, qualitative and psychometric perspectives

In an era where smartphones have become ubiquitous, discerning the fine line between normal smartphone use and Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) is critical. This dissertation investigates the dual nature of smartphone use, delineating its positive and negative consequences, defining PSU comprehensively, and exploring its etiology through a mixed-methods approach. This approach involves a longitudinal study, an in-depth qualitative exploration, and the development of the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ). Chapter 2 presents findings from a longitudinal study with 2100 Dutch high school students, examining the bidirectional relationship between PSU and adolescent peer engagement. The study identifies individuals with low perceived competence in close friendships and those who intensively engage with smartphones for peer communication as particularly vulnerable to PSU. Chapter 3 offers a qualitative exploration of PSU symptoms and possible etiology, finding the similarities and differences between PSU and established addiction criteria and highlighting the trade-off process between smartphones’ positive and negative consequences. Building on these insights, Chapter 4 details the development and validation of the SUPIQ through the analysis of two distinct samples. The SUPIQ demonstrated strong construct validity and superior predictive power for mental health problems. This thesis illuminates the intricate interplay of social, motivational, and normative factors in PSU, enriching the discourse on digital well-being. We argue for interventions that promote digital well-being through a balanced approach to smartphone use rather than advocating for its elimination, offering valuable perspectives on navigating the complexities of smartphone integration into daily life

Magic mirror on the wall: Selfie-related behavior as mediator of the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use

Objective: Recent research has suggested that problematic smartphone use is associated with several psychological factors and that mobile apps and smartphone-related behavior (i.e. selfi e behavior) may encourage the development of problematic smartphone use. However, little is known about how the interplay between dysfunctional personality characteristics and selfi e-related behavior can infl uence problematic smartphone use. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use, as well as the mediating role of selfi e-related behavior in this relationship among young men and women. Method: In the current study, a total of 627 undergraduate students (283 males and 344 females) completed a cross-sectional survey. A structural equation model was tested separately for males and females in order to evaluate the associations between narcissism, selfi e-related behavior and problematic smartphone use. Results: The results showed that greater narcissism was related to increased selfi e-related behavior, which in turn were positively associated with problematic smartphone use both for males and females. However, selfi e-related behavior mediated the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use only for females. Conclusions: The study provides fresh insight into our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying problematic smartphone use, which may inform prevention and treatment interventions

Psychometric Properties and Factor Structures of Chinese Smartphone Addiction Inventory: Test of Two Models

There has been a growing concern of excessive smartphone use that interferes with people’s daily functioning, most notably among youngsters. The Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) was constructed to assess this type of information technology addiction. Although the SPAI was developed in a Taiwanese adolescent sample, this measure has not been validated on Chinese youngsters in other regions. Moreover, the initial evidence yielded a four-factor structure, but recent findings obtained an alternative five-factor structure. As no studies have systematically compared these two factor structures, which of the models fits the data better remained unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the empirical validity of both the four- and five-factor structures of the SPAI in a sample of university students from Mainland China (n = 463). Four psychometric properties of the SPAI were examined. First, the structural validity of both factor models was evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis. Satisfactory fit was found for both the five-factor model (RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.05, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99) and the four-factor model (RMSEA = 0.07, SRMR = 0.06, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.98), but the five-factor model demonstrated an overall better model fit. Second, the five-factor model yielded good internal consistencies (all Cronbach α’s &gt; 0.70). Third, concurrent validity of the SPAI was supported by its moderately strong correlations with four widely adopted criterion variables (i.e., loneliness, social anxiety, depression, and impulsivity). Lastly, the convergent validity of the SPAI was demonstrated by its strong, positive correlation with a popular, validated measure of Internet addiction. This study is the first to demonstrate the validity of the newly proposed five-factor model of the SPAI in a sample of Mainland Chinese youngsters

Self-Perception of Dependence as an Indicator of Smartphone Addiction¿Establishment of a Cutoff Point in the SPAI-Spain Inventory.

Background: In recent years, the abusive use of the smartphone has reached a situation that could be considered pathological. In this sense, different instruments to assess this problematic use or addiction to the smartphone are used. One of these instruments is the Smartphone Addition Inventory (SPAI), which has been validated in the Spanish language (SPAI-Spain). The main difficulty of these scales is to establish a cut-off point that determines such mobile addiction. On the other hand, self-perception was used in different addictions as a predictor of the problem. Aim: The objective of this study was to establish the cut-off point in the scores of the SPAI-Spain, using as a reference the self-perception of addiction values. Methods: A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was carried out, establishing as the cut-off point the one that presented a higher value of Youden J, indicative of its sensitivity and specificity. Results: 2958 participants from the university community completed the SPAI-Spain questionnaire. Differences in SPAI-Spain scores were found among age groups and gender, even though not all of them were statistically significant. When using the self-perception of smartphone addiction as the benchmark value, a score of 44 was established as the cutting point of the SPAI-Spain questionnaire, with a Youden J corresponding to 0.416. Conclusions: The implementation of a cut-off point of the SPAI-Spain questionnaire makes it an instrument that allows early identification of those individuals at risk of addiction, as well as the establishment of preventive and/or intervention measure

The psychometric properties of the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS)

The goal of the study was to validate the English version of the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS; Csibi et al. 2016), which is a short and easy-to-use tool for screening the risk of smartphone application-based addiction. Another aim was to identify the most frequently used smartphone applications and their perceived importance by the participants. Data were collected online from 240 English-speaking volunteers, aged 18 to 69 years. The instruments used were the SABAS, the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS), the Deprivation Sensation Scale (DSS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ- 9). Participants also ranked the importance of their most frequently used smartphone applications. The six items of the SABAS yielded one component, which accounted for 52.38% of the total variance. The internal reliability of the scale was good (Cronbach’s alpha 0.81). NMP-Q was a significant predictor of SABAS, explaining 17.6% of the total variance. The regression analysis, with SABAS score as the dependent variable and NMP-Q, DSS, PHQ-9, and BSSS scores as predictors, indicated that approximately 47% of the variance in SABAS was accounted for by the predictors (R2 = 0.47). The English version of the SABAS appears to be a valid and reliable ultra-brief tool for a quick and easy assessment of smartphone application-based addiction symptoms

Psychometric properties of the smartphone addiction proneness scale in a sample of Malaysian adolescents

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the 15-item smartphone addiction proneness scale (SAPS) among a sample of Malaysian adolescents. The gathered data were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. There were 922 secondary school students involved in this study. The exploratory factor analysis extracted a three-factor solution for SAPS. These factors were named disturbance of adaptive functions, withdrawal and tolerance. Results from confirmatory factor analysis also indicated that the three-factor structure fits well with the data. The internal consistency of the scale was found to be good. The positive and moderately strong correlation between SAPS and three widely adopted criterion variables (depression, loneliness and boredom proneness) supported the concurrent validity of SAPS. The results of this study showed that the SAPS is a reliable and valid instrument for identifying problematic smartphone use among Malaysian adolescents