Objectives: instruments and methods evaluate addiction to the Internet, mobile, and smartphone use. Subject-reported outcome measures, such as the
Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) assess such addiction. The objectives of this study were to cross-culturally adapt the SAS into Persian (SAS-Pr) and to evaluate the properties of reliability and validity in the Persian setting.
Methods: The English version of the SAS was translated into Persian according to the published guidelines, using forward-translation, synthesis, back translation, consolidated consensus translations from an expert committee, and in pilot-testing. The pilot trial was performed with recruited medical students (n=۵۰) with an interview used to determine the comprehensibility, readability, understandability, interpretation, and cultural relevance of the questionnaire. A further sample of medical students (n=۱۰۰) was recruited for test-retest reliability performed at baseline and ۷-۱۴ days later, using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC۲,۱) and internal consistency using Cronbach’s α.
Results: The translation of SAS-Pr was achieved with minimum difficulty. During this process, item ۱۵ was revised and in items ۲۴ and ۲۵, the “telegram” phrase was added. The participants found the comprehensibility, readability, understandability, interpretation, and completeness of the questionnaire conclusive. Furthermore, high levels of test-retest reliability (ICC۲,۱=۰.۸۱) and internal consistency (α=۰.۹۴۸) were obtained.
Discussion: The SAS-Pr adaptation was successful and the translated version showed promising positive psychometric properties. The SAS-Pr can be applied in research settings and in identifying Persian-speaking people at risk of addiction to the smartphone.