Problematic Mobile Phone and Smartphone Use Scales: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Public Health

Background:

• Smartphone use is pervasive, raising concerns about problematic usage patterns.
• Extensive research has focused on developing scales to measure problematic smartphone use.
• Existing scales aim to identify, label, and characterize excessive smartphone engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate 78 validated scales for problematic smartphone use developed over the last 13 years.
• To assess the theoretical underpinnings and psychometric properties of these measurement tools.
• To identify gaps and limitations in the current assessment of problematic smartphone use.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 78 existing scales designed to measure problematic smartphone use.
• Evaluation of the theoretical foundations and psychometric properties (e.g., internal consistency, reliability) of each scale.
• Analysis of the literature supporting the development and validation of these assessment tools.

Main Results:

• A significant number of self-report scales for problematic smartphone use exist.
• Many reviewed scales demonstrate insufficient internal consistency and test-retest reliability.
• A notable lack of robust theoretical support was found for numerous scales.

Conclusions:

• Current assessment tools for problematic smartphone use are often psychometrically inadequate.
• There is a critical need for more theoretically grounded and reliable measurement instruments.
• Future research should focus on developing efficient, validated tools to prevent the proliferation of redundant scales.