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Evaluating Problematic Smartphone Use Among Chinese Primary School Students Using SABAS: An IRT and Network Analysis
Siyang Liu1,2, Qian Chen1,2, Jiayang Li1,2
1Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China.
Objectives:
This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) among Chinese primary school students, focusing on validity, reliability, and factor structure using Item Response Theory (IRT) and Network Analysis (NA).
Methods:
Data were collected from 1108 primary school students in China (52.98% female; ages 7-14 years; M = 10.58, SD = 0.99). SABAS was assessed using Item Response Theory (IRT) for factor structure, item parameters, cut-off scores, and reliability, while Differential Item Functioning (DIF) detected gender biases. Network Analysis (NA) examined the interrelationships among SABAS items.
Results:
Confirmatory factor analysis supported SABAS's unidimensional structure (RMSEA = 0.055, CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.973, SRMR = 0.025). IRT indicated high item discrimination (α = 1.47-2.47) and identified a cut-off score of 27, classifying 1.7% of students as high-risk for problematic smartphone use. Gender DIF was noted in item 6, with boys showing higher relapse tendencies (p < 0.05). NA highlighted the centrality of tolerance and withdrawal items.
Conclusions:
SABAS is a reliable tool for assessing problematic smartphone use in Chinese primary school students, particularly those at moderate to high risk.
