"Popular media report that people are exhibiting problematic patterns of smartphone device use with potentially negative consequences for their familial, vocational and social lives. A literature search did not reveal any existing empirical research based on the overuse of multifunction smartphone devices. Participants were sought from one Australian financial services company, yielding responses from 100 females and 156 males across various age groups, totalling 256 fully completed. The Smartphone Problematic Use Questionnaire (SPUQ) was designed for the purposes of this study, drawing on behavioural addiction criteria. In addition, participants were administered the Work Addiction Risk Test (WART). The study found that problematic smartphone use does exist, t (255) = 5.57, p < .001, two-tailed, with features similar to addiction theory including euphoria, withdrawal, loss of control, and interpersonal conflict. Additional findings include that males and females are equally likely to be affected, F = (1, 117) .036, p = .85, and that younger users are more susceptible to developing problematic smartphone usage patterns, F (2, 117) = .096, p = .056, 2 = .01. It was also found that WART scores did not significantly impact scores on the SPUQ, F (2, 117) = 2.20, p = .17, although the scores for both tests were significantly correlated, r (246) = .32, p < .001, two-tailed. This suggests that the reinforcement provided by smartphone use may not be related to work content, but that smartphone problematic use and workaholism may be similar constructs." - Abstract.