Factor structure and measurement invariance of the problematic mobile phone use questionnaire-short version across gender in Chinese adolescents and young adults

Background: Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) has become a public health issue in China, particularly in
adolescents and young adults. The Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire-Short Version (PMPUQ-SV) is a
validated instrument that measures multiple aspects of PMPU. The current study aimed to test the psychometric
characteristics of a Chinese adaption of the PMPUQ-SV and examine its measurement invariance across gender.
Methods: A total of 2086 participants were recruited form nine schools (six undergraduate colleges and three
vocational colleges) through an online platform. Measures included socio-demographic variables, patterns of mobile
phone use, the Chinese version of the PMPUQ-SV (C-PMPUQ-SV), the Chinese version of the Smartphone Addiction
Proneness Scale (C-SAPS), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21).
Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted in two independent subsamples confirmed that
the postulated dimensions fit the data well. Four items, judged as either outdated or not adapted to the Chinese
context, performed poorly and were removed, resulting in a shorter 11-item scale. Convergent validity was
established through correlations between emotional symptoms and the C-PMPUQ-SV and addictive smartphone
use. Additional measurement invariance analyses showed that the scale performed largely similarly in male and
female participants.
Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that the C-PMPUQ-SV is an adequate instrument to study various
types of PMPU in Chinese adolescents and young adults. The updated 11-item scale shortens the evaluation time
and is adapted to assess contemporary smartphone use.