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Mobile phone use screening test: Development, validation, and implications for screening excessive mobile use
Manoj Kumar Sharma1, Nitin Anand1, Kalpana Srivastava2
1Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) Clinic, Department of Clinical Psychology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Industrial Psychiatry Journal
|June 23, 2021
Summary
This study developed the Mobile Phone Use Screening Test (MUST) to identify addictive smartphone use in India. The MUST effectively screens for excessive mobile phone use in young adults and adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Digital Media Studies
Background:
- Smartphone addiction poses risks to functioning and mental health.
- Early identification is crucial for timely intervention.
- No validated tool existed for assessing excessive mobile phone use in India.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Mobile Phone Use Screening Test (MUST).
- To provide a screening tool for addictive smartphone use in the Indian context.
Main Methods:
- A new 18-item self-report Likert-type scale was developed.
- The study involved 500 participants aged 18-40 in Bangalore, India.
- Data collected included sociodemographics and patterns of excessive mobile phone use.
Main Results:
- The MUST demonstrated strong reliability (test-retest: 0.93, Cronbach's alpha: 0.86).
- Scoring criteria were established: <30 (mild), 31-49 (moderate), ≥50 (excessive/addictive).
- The scale measures craving, loss of control, coping, and consequences of mobile phone use.
Conclusions:
- The MUST is a reliable and valid tool for identifying addictive/excessive smartphone use.
- It is suitable for use with adolescents and young adults.
- The MUST can aid in early identification and intervention for problematic smartphone use.
