Exploring predictors of phantom phone signals: phone use, hallucination-proneness and delusional ideation

Phantom Phone Signals (PPS) describe false perceptions that a smartphone has vibrated or made a sound, which are typically non-distressing. PPS are linked to frequent phone use, mood, anxiety, and hallucination-proneness. This study explored the role of delusional ideation, resilience, and metacognition in PPS using a novel PPS assessment.

An online questionnaire study with 265 participants (mean age: 19.74; 84.2% female, no experience of psychosis) assessed PPS using the Phantom Phone Experiences and Appraisal Scale (PPEAS), along with problematic phone use (PUMP), resilience (RS-14), hallucination-proneness (MUSEQ), delusional ideation (PDI-21), and metacognitive awareness (MSAS).

PPS was highly prevalent (86.8%), generally infrequent, non-distressing and non-disruptive (mean PPEAS Impact = 4.25, SD = 3.66). PPEAS impact correlated with problematic phone use (r = .345), hallucination-proneness (r = .330), and delusional ideation (r = .288), but not resilience or metacognitive awareness. Regression indicated that problematic phone use, hallucination-proneness and delusional ideation explained 18.7% of PPEAS impact variance.

PPS appears primarily driven by problematic phone use, hallucination-proneness and delusional ideation. Behavioural interventions may be the most effective approach for reducing PPS where required. Behavioural changes related to phone use may involve adaptive notification systems that reduce perceptual errors in everyday technology use.