Towards a valid and reliable smartphone overdependence scale: Factor analysis, and measurement invariance testing

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Smartphone overdependence presents significant risks to adolescent psychological, social, and physical health.
• Developing reliable assessment tools is crucial for understanding and addressing this public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Smartphone Overdependence Scale for adolescents.
• To examine the psychometric properties of the scale using data from the 2023 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to determine the scale's internal structure.
• Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, and the greatest lower bound.
• Measurement invariance was tested across various demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Main Results:

• A robust three-factor structure (salience, loss of control, negative consequences) emerged for smartphone overdependence.
• The refined 9-item scale exhibited strong model fit and high internal consistency.
• The scale demonstrated structural stability across diverse subgroups, enabling valid comparisons.

Conclusions:

• The validated 7-item Smartphone Overdependence Scale is a reliable and psychometrically sound instrument for assessing adolescent smartphone overdependence in Korea.
• Its multifactorial nature aids in developing targeted interventions for compulsive use, self-regulation deficits, and negative outcomes.