Development and validation of a Smartphone Impact Scale among healthcare professionals

Abstract

Objectives Smartphone overuse is prevalent among healthcare professionals. There is no standard scale that can measure the impact of smartphone usage on healthcare professionals. This study aimed to develop and validate a tool, the Smartphone Impact Scale (SIS), that can effectively measure the use of smartphone among healthcare professionals. Methods We developed a generic instrument to study the impact of smartphone usage among healthcare professionals. A total of 1436 healthcare professionals from various regions of KSA participated in this study through an online questionnaire-based survey. The psychometric properties of the SIS were developed using content validity index (CVI), factor analysis, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability analysis. Results A 23-item scale was selected for reliability and validity analysis. The average CVI was found to be 0.824. The internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha value was 0.91, and test-retest reliability was 0.85. The Cronbach's alpha values for Factors 1 and 2 were 0.875 and 0.803, respectively. The confirmatory factor analysis indices were as follows: root mean square of approximation = 0.0710, comparative fit index = 0.861, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.845, and the coefficient of determination = 0.969. The correlation between two factors was 0.66. After factor analysis, we developed a final questionnaire with 23 items. Conclusions Our SIS showed a three-factor structure and appropriate psychometric characteristics. Due to its adequate reliability and validity, SIS can be conveniently used to evaluate the impact of smartphone usage on healthcare professionals.

College students’ attachment to their smartphones: a subjective operant approach

“…Besides, the scope of inquiry has been heavily oriented toward a compartmentalized focus specializing in one or a small number of chosen areas of researchers’ interest. One notable exception is the Smartphone Impact Scale (SIS) by Pancani et al in assessing behavioral, social, affective and cognitive impact through human-smartphone interaction along seven dimensions [ 51 ]; there are also efforts to measure smartphone attachment utilizing multi-dimensional items in cross-sectional survey settings [ 52 , 53 ]. Our study offers competing and complementary insight on user-smartphone relationship by utilizing the Q methodology which, first developed by Stephenson (1953) as a “inverted” by-person factor analytical approach, captures intra-individual variations and holistic personified viewpoints as rendered through its sophisticated statistical rigor of structured, forced-choice ranking of subjective statements.…”