Abstract
The objective of this study was to adapt and identify the psychometric properties of the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) among adolescents. The participants (N = 310; M = 13.1; SD = 1.22) completed the following instruments: the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), and the Brazilian version of the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI-BR). The prevalence of problematic smartphone use (PSU) was 56.1%. The SPAI-BR presented good internal consistency (α = .88) and reliable temporal stability values (intraclass correlation coefficient = .83). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) did not reveal a good factor fit (CFI = .88; TLI = .87). However, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) presented a model with 26 items and four factors. The network analysis (NA) indicated that the items related to compulsive use had higher centrality levels. The ideal cutoff score of the SPAI-BR was 10, and the scale displayed moderate correlations with the SAS-SV and IAT. This study is the first to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SPAI among adolescents. The data indicate that SPAI-BR is reliable for use in this population.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Almeida, D. E. R. G., Andrade, A. L. M., Cruz, F. D., & Micheli, D. D. (2018). Perception of freedom in leisure among substance users and nonusers. Psico-USF, 23(1), 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-82712018230102.
American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5®). Artmed Publishing House.
Andrade, A. L. M, Enumo, S. R. F., Passos, M. A. Z., Vellozo, E. P., Schoen, T. H., Kulik, M. A., Niskier, S. R., & de Souza Vitalle, M. S. (2021). Problematic internet use, emotional problems and quality of life among adolescents. Psico-USF, 26(1), 41–51.
Andrade, A. L. M., Kim, D. J., Caricati, V. V., Martins, G. D. G., Kirihara, I. K., Barbugli, B. C., Enumo, S. R. F., & de Micheli, D. (2020a). Validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version for university students and adult population. Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas), 37, e190117. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0275202037e190117.
Andrade, A. L. M, Scatena, A., Bedendo, A., Enumo, S. R. F., Dellazzana-Zanon, L. L, Prebianchi, H. B., Machado, W. L., et al. (2020b). Findings on the relationship between Internet addiction and psychological symptoms in Brazilian adults. International Journal of Psychology https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12670, 55, 941, 950.
Andrade, A. L. M., Scatena, A., Martins, G. D. G., de Oliveira Pinheiro, B., da Silva, A. B., Enes, C. C., Oliveira, W. A., et al. (2020c). Validation of Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) in Brazilian adolescents. Addictive Behaviors, 106540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106540.
Arpaci, I., & Esgi, N. (2018). Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the smartphone addiction inventory (SPAI). Current Psychology, 39, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9913-8.
Ballestar-Tarín, M. L., Simó-Sanz, C., Chover-Sierra, E., Saus-Ortega, C., Casal-Angulo, M., & Martínez-Sabater, A. (2020). Self-perception of dependence as an indicator of smartphone addiction-establishment of a cutoff point in the SPAI-Spain inventory. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(11), 3838. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113838.
Brand, M., Young, K. S., Laier, C., Wölfling, K., & Potenza, M. N. (2016). Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders: An Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 71, 252–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.033.
Brand, M., Wegmann, E., Stark, R., Müller, A., Wölfling, K., Robbins, T. W., & Potenza, M. N. (2019). The Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model for addictive behaviors: Update, generalization to addictive behaviors beyond internet-use disorders, and specification of the process character of addictive behaviors. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 104, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.032.
Brazilian Internet Management Committee (BIMC). (2019). Pesquisa sobre o uso da internet por crianças e adolescentes no Brasil: TIC kids online Brasil 2018. [Survey on internet use by children in Brazil: ICT kids online Brazil 2018] (Vol. 1). Brasilia: Comitê Gestor de Internet. Retrieved May 23, 2020, from: https://cetic.br/media/docs/publicacoes/216370220191105/tic_kids_online_2018_livro_eletronico.pdf
Chen, J., & Chen, Z. (2008). Extended Bayesian information criteria for model selection with large model spaces. Biometrika, 95, 759–771. https://doi.org/10.1093/biomet/asn034.
Chen, S. H., Weng, L. J., Su, Y. J., Wu, H. M., & Yang, P. F. (2003). Development of a Chinese Internet addiction scale and its psychometric study. Chinese Journal of Psychology, 45(3), 279–294. https://doi.org/10.1037/t44491-000.
Conti, M. A., Jardim, A. P., Hearst, N., Cordás, T. A., Tavares, H., & Abreu, C. N. D. (2012). Evaluation of semantic equivalence and internal consistency of a Portuguese version of the internet addiction test (IAT). Archives of Clinical Psychiatry, 39(3), 106–110. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-60832012000300007.
Cruz, F. A. D., Scatena, A., Andrade, A. L. M., & De Micheli, D. (2018). Evaluation of Internet addiction and the quality of life of Brazilian adolescents from public and private schools. Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas), 35(2), 193–204. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-02752018000200008.
Domoff, S. E., Foley, R. P., & Ferkel, R. (2020). Addictive phone use and academic performance in adolescents. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(1), 33–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.171.
Elhai, J. D., Dvorak, R. D., Levine, J. C., & Hall, B. J. (2017). Problematic smartphone use: A conceptual overview and systematic review of relations with anxiety and depression psychopathology. Journal of Affective Disorders, 207, 251–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.030.
Elhai, J. D., Levine, J. C., & Hall, B. J. (2019). The relationship between anxiety symptom severity and problematic smartphone use: A review of the literature and conceptual frameworks. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 62, 45–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.11.005.
Elhai, J. D., Rozgonjuk, D., Alghraibeh, A. M., Levine, J. C., Alafnan, A. A., Aldraiweesh, A. A., Aljomaa, S. S., & Hall, B. J. (2020). Excessive reassurance seeking mediates relations between rumination and problematic smartphone use. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 84(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1521/bumc_2020_84_07.
Fischer-Grote, L., Kothgassner, O. D., & Felnhofer, A. (2019). Risk factors for problematic smartphone use in children and adolescents: A review of existing literature. Neuropsychiatrie, 33, 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40211-019-00319-8.
Friedman, J., Hastie, T., & Tibshirani, R. (2008). Sparse inverse covariance estimation with the graphical lasso. Biostatistics, 9, 432–441. https://doi.org/10.1093/biostatistics/kxm045.
Fu, L., Wang, P., Zhao, M., Xie, X., Chen, Y., Nie, J., & Lei, L. (2020). Can emotion regulation difficulty lead to adolescent problematic smartphone use? A moderated mediation model of depression and perceived social support. Children and Youth Services Review, 108, 104660. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106375.
Harris, B., Regan, T., Schueler, J., & Fields, S. A. (2020). Problematic mobile phone and smartphone use scales: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 672. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00672.
Horvath, J., Mundinger, C., Schmitgen, M. M., Wolf, N. D., Sambataro, F., Hirjak, D., Kubera, K. M., Koenig, J., & Christian Wolf, R. (2020). Structural and functional correlates of smartphone addiction. Addictive Behaviors, 105, e-106334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106334.
Khoury, J. M., Freitas, A. A. C., Roque, M. A. V., Albuquerque, M. R., Neves, M. D. C. L., & Garcia, F. D. (2017). Assessment of the accuracy of a new tool for the screening of smartphone addiction. PLoS One, 12(5), e0176924. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176924.
Ko, C. H., Yen, J. Y., Chen, C. C., Chen, S. H., Wu, K., & Yen, C. F. (2006). Tridimensional personality of adolescents with internet addiction and substance use experience. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 51(14), 887–894. https://doi.org/10.1177/70674370605101404.
Kwon, M., Kim, D. J., Cho, H., & Yang, S. (2013). The smartphone addiction scale: Development and validation of a short version for adolescents. PLoS One, 8(12), e83558. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
Laurence, P. G., Busin, Y., da Cunha Lima, H. S., & Macedo, E. C. (2020). Predictors of problematic smartphone use among university students. Psicologia, Reflexao e Critica, 33(1), e8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-020-00147-8.
Lei, L. Y. C., Ismail, M. A. A., Mohammad, J. A. M., & Yusoff, M. S. B. (2020). The relationship of smartphone addiction with psychological distress and neuroticism among university medical students. BMC Psychology, 8(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-020-00466-6.
Lim, P. K., Nordin, A. S. A., Yee, A., & Tan, S. B. (2020). Prevalence of smartphone addiction in patients with depression and its association with depression severity: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 18(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00203-0.
Lin, Y. H., Chang, L. R., Lee, Y. H., Tseng, H. W., Kuo, T. B., & Chen, S. H. (2014). Development and validation of the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI). PLoS One, 9(6), e98312. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0098312.
Lin, Y. H., Lin, P. H., Chiang, C. L., Lee, Y. H., Yang, C. C., Kuo, T. B., & Lin, S. H. (2017). Incorporation of mobile application (app) measures into the diagnosis of smartphone addiction. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 78(7), 866–872. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.15m10310.
Mitchell, L., & Hussain, Z. (2018). Predictors of problematic smartphone use: An examination of the integrative pathways model and the role of age, gender, impulsiveness, excessive reassurance seeking, extraversion, and depression. Behavioral Science, 8(8), 74. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8080074.
Oliveira Pinheiro, B., Monezi Andrade, A. L., Lopes, F. M., Reichert, R. A., de Oliveira, W. A., da Silva, A. M. B., & De Micheli, D. (2020). Association between quality of life and risk behaviors in Brazilian adolescents: An exploratory study. Journal of Health Psychology, in press. 10.1177%2F1359105320953472.
Panova, T., & Carbonell, X. (2018). Is smartphone addiction really an addiction? Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(2), 252–259. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.49.
Pavia, L., Cavani, P., Di Blasi, M., & Giordano, C. (2016). Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI): Psychometric properties and confirmatory factor analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 170–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.039.
Rich, M. (2020). Can smartphones make smart kids? Pediatrics, 145(1), e20193503. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-3503.
Simó-Sanz, C., Ballestar-Tarín, M. L., & Martínez-Sabater, A. (2018). Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI): Translation, adaptation and validation of the tool in Spanish adult population. PLoS One, 13(10), e0205389. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205389.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). International classification of diseases for mortality and morbility statistics. Eleventh revision (ICD-11). World Health Organization. Geneva. Retrieved May 23, 2020, from: https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en
Yamauchi, L. M., Andrade, A. L. M., de Oliveira Pinheiro, B., Enumo, S. R. F., & de Micheli, D. (2019). Social representation regarding the use of alcoholic beverages by adolescents. Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas), 36. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0275201936e180098.
Yamauchi, L. M., Andrade, A. L. M., Pinheiro, B. O., Enumo, S. R. F & De Micheli, D. (2019). Evaluation of the social representation of the use of alcoholic beverages by adolescents. Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas), 36, e180098. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0275201936e180098.
Yang, J., Fu, X., Liao, X., & Li, Y. (2020). Association of problematic smartphone use with poor sleep quality, depression, and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 284, e112686. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112686.
Funding
This study was financed in part by the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
André Luiz Monezi Andrade: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, and original draft writing. Adriana Scatena: conceptualization, methodology, and review and editing. Bruno de Oliveira Pinheiro: conceptualization, data curation, and review and editing. Wanderlei Abadio de Oliveira: methodology and review and editing. Fernanda Machado Lopes: methodology, formal analysis, and review and editing. Denise de Micheli: conceptualization, methodology, supervision, and project administration.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Informed Consent
All research procedures followed the responsible committee’s ethical standards on human experimentation (institutional and national) and the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients regarding their inclusion in the study.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Andrade, A.L.M., Scatena, A., de Oliveira Pinheiro, B. et al. Psychometric Properties of the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI-BR) in Brazilian Adolescents. Int J Ment Health Addiction 20, 2690–2705 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00542-x
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00542-x