RT Journal Article
T1 Prevalence of problematic cell phone use in an adult population in Spain as assessed by the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS).
A1 de-Sola, Jose
A1 Talledo, Hernan
A1 Rodriguez-de-Fonseca, Fernando
A1 Rubio, Gabriel
K1 Spain
K1 Substance-Related Disorders
K1 Surveys and Questionnaires
K1 Young Adult
AB Problematic cell phone use has alarmingly increased in industrialized countries in the past 10 years. For many perpetrators, it can turn into a behavioural addiction, although this is not a recognized medical condition. Although there are many tools for evaluating this use, one of the most widely used tools is the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS), which we test on a representative sample of the population in Spain to obtain an estimate of the prevalence of problematic cell phone use in our midst. The age range consists of 16-65 years, with 1,126 surveys conducted. In this population, we verify that the reliability and internal consistency of the MPPUS (α = 0.939) are maintained. Additionally, the construct validity, considering the derived factors (Abuse and Dependence, Craving and Loss of Control, and Dependence on the Social Environment) are aligned with other research and with diverse external criteria of addiction. We establish four categories of users (Casual, Regular, At Risk, and Problematic) and obtain a prevalence of 15.4% among At Risk Users and 5.1% among Problematic Users. This finding implies a total of 20.5% of Users with Problems. A binary logistic regression analysis shows that age, gender, level of education, and daily cell phone use predict problematic cell phone use. The results, based on multiple criteria, show that such problematic use shares features of recognized addictions, affecting large segments of the population and not only adolescents.
YR 2017
FD 2017-08-03
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10668/11471
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10668/11471
LA en
NO de-Sola J, Talledo H, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Rubio G. Prevalence of problematic cell phone use in an adult population in Spain as assessed by the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS). PLoS One. 2017 Aug 3;12(8):e0181184
NO This investigation was performed in collaboration with Netquest, an online survey services business. This work was supported by the Carlos III Health Institute and the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness UE/ERDF (PI13/ 0226 to FRF) and the Network for Addictive Disorders UE/ERDF (RD12/0028/0001 and RD16/ 0017/0001 to F.R.F.).
DS RISalud
RD Apr 19, 2025