JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 32(2): 155-180, doi: 10.3897/jucs.147898
OntoKratos: An Ontology for Problematic Smartphone Use Identification and Intervention Suggestion
Gustavo Lazarotto Schroeder‡, Wesllei Felipe Heckler‡, Rosemary Francisco‡, Jorge Luis Victória Barbosa‡‡ University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, Brazil
Corresponding author: Gustavo Lazarotto Schroeder ( gustavo.schroeder@outlook.com ) © Gustavo Lazarotto Schroeder, Wesllei Felipe Heckler, Rosemary Francisco, Jorge Luis Victória Barbosa. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Citation:
Lazarotto Schroeder G, Heckler WF, Francisco R, Barbosa JLV (2026) OntoKratos: An Ontology for Problematic Smartphone Use Identification and Intervention Suggestion. JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 32(2): 155-180. https://doi.org/10.3897/jucs.147898 |  |
Abstract
Smartphone use has increased globally and has become essential in daily life. Although benefits exist, concerns arise about the negative effects of prolonged hyperconnectivity. The excessive use of smartphones combined with demographic and mental health related risk factors can lead to problematic smartphone use (PSU). PSU is characterized as the compulsive use of smartphones that disrupts an individual’s daily life, work, and relationships. Considering this scenario, the present paper proposes OntoKratos as an ontology designed to detect and prevent PSU. The ontology enables inferences, such as determining the individual’s mental health and PSU state, inferring context information, identifying PSU demographic and emotional risk factors, and suggesting interventions. OntoKratos includes 89 classes, 43 object properties, 35 data properties, and 1,113 axioms. Evaluations performed through a simulated dataset demonstrated the ontology’s effectiveness regarding PSU identification and interventions for PSU behaviors. Ontology’s rules allowed the definition of accurate axioms, improving the correct classification and inference of eight instantiated individuals. This study presents the first ontology for PSU identification and intervention suggestions on PSU behaviors. OntoKratos allows to identify and assist individuals by considering mental health and PSU status, inferring potential PSU risk factors, and providing tailored intervention suggestions to cope with PSU.
Keywords
Technology Addiction, Problematic Smartphone Use, Mental Health, Ontology, Reasoning