Development and Factor Structure of Problematic Multidimensional Smartphone Use Scale

Abstract

Living in an intensifying technological and digital environment makes people more engaged with smartphones and related internet platforms. Alongside its highly debated advantages and disadvantages, modern smartphone use is a global phenomenon which has been mainly debated within the context of cultural and technology relationships which also influence cross-cultural activities. Focusing on one of the modern factors (i.e., smartphone use) that impact human behavior, this article presents the development of a measure of the Multidimensional Smartphone Use Scale (MSUS) and tests its factor structure to offer a scale that covers smartphone-related problems from a broader perspective. Using an online survey, a total of 514 participants took part in the current study. The scale was developed to measure a multidimensional conception of smartphone use-related problems and behavioral disorders including nomophobia, ringxiety, textiety, and phubbing which were supported with exploratory and confirmatory factors analyses. The MSUS indicated good internal consistency reliability ranging from alpha = .75 to alpha = .89. This article presents the preliminary evidence regarding the reliability and validity of the MSUS which can be used in a wide range of settings to measure maladaptive modes of smartphone use and related behaviors.