Development and validation of a smartphone addiction scale (SAS)

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Smartphone addiction is a growing concern.
• Existing diagnostic tools for internet addiction may not fully capture smartphone-specific behaviors.
• A dedicated, reliable, and valid scale is needed to assess smartphone addiction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a self-diagnostic scale for smartphone addiction (SAS).
• To ensure the scale distinguishes smartphone addicts.
• To validate the reliability and accuracy of the SAS.

Main Methods:

• 197 participants completed questionnaires, including the SAS, Korean Internet Addiction Scale (K-scale), and visual analogue scale (VAS).
• Statistical analyses included factor analysis, internal-consistency tests, t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation analysis.
• The DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence and abuse were also considered.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis led to a six-factor SAS, excluding "disturbance of reality testing".
• The SAS demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.967) and concurrent validity.
• SAS scores significantly correlated with K-scale, Y-scale, and VAS, and showed differences based on job, education, and self-reported addiction.

Conclusions:

• The developed Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) is the first of its kind for diagnostic manuals.
• The SAS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing smartphone addiction.
• This scale aids in the objective identification and diagnosis of problematic smartphone use.