Questionnaire “Metacognitions about Problematic Smartphone Use”: An Abbreviated Russian-Language Version for Teenagers and Young People

Abstract

Against the background of the rapid spread of mobile technologies and the emergence of related forms of problematic behavior, there is a shortage of Russian-language questionnaires that allow you to study the problematic use of smartphones by adolescents and young people. The article presents the results of a study aimed at developing an abbreviated version of the questionnaire version of the questionnaire "Metacognitions about problematic smartphone use" (S. Casale, L. Caponi, G. Fioravanti), based on the idea that metacognitions play a decisive role in the formation of problematic behavior. The sample consisted of 781 respondents aged 14-25 years. The tested version of the questionnaire includes 10 items evaluated on a 5-point Likert scale, which were isolated from the original version of the questionnaire (24 items) using the focus group method (n = 35). Analysis of the questionnaire structure (n = 636) allowed combining the questionnaire items into two scales: "Positive beliefs about problematic smartphone use" and "Negative beliefs about problematic smartphone use". Satisfactory indicators of design validity were obtained (confirmatory factor analysis: χ2/df = 1.84, p<0.01, CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.04), internal consistency of scales, (Kronbach coefficient: "Positive beliefs about problematic smartphone use" α = 0.83; "Negative beliefs about problematic smartphone use" α = 0.72), competitive validity (correlation analysis: r≥0.28 for both scales of the questionnaire and indicators of smartphone dependence, as well as problematic Internet use). Acceptable indicators of retest reliability were also obtained (correlation analysis: "Positive beliefs about problematic smartphone use" r = 0.64; "Negative beliefs about problematic smartphone use" r = 0.56). The possibilities of using the questionnaire to solve the problems of prevention, detection and overcoming of problematic smartphone use, as well as prospects for further research using the developed questionnaire are discussed.