Process / pipelinesmartphone and mobile technology addiction

Problematic Smartphone Use Scale (PSUS)

The PSUS is a self-report questionnaire measuring compulsive smartphone use, withdrawal symptoms, and loss of control related to mobile devices. Developed by Hussain, Griffiths, and Sheffield in 2017, it targets the growing phenomenon of smartphone addiction in the digital age. The PSUS captures how smartphone dependence differs from general internet addiction, with particular focus on the constant connectivity and notification-driven engagement of mobile devices. Related instruments include the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) by Kwon and colleagues, which focuses on adolescents.

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Sources

  1. Hussain, Z., Griffiths, M. D., & Sheffield, D. (2017). An investigation into problematic smartphone use: The role of narcissism, anxiety, and personality factors. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6(3), 378–386. DOI: 10.1556/2006.6.2017.009
  2. 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. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083558
  3. Chen, I. H., Pakpour, A. H., Leung, H., et al. (2020). Severe smartphone addiction and its association with depression, quality of life and spending behavior in adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(10), 3612. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17103612

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Referenced by

ScholarGatePSUS (Problematic Smartphone Use Scale). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/clinical-psychology/problematic-smartphone-use-scale