Highlights•Social Networking Service (SNS) application has been suggested as an influential application that cause problematic smartphone use.•Exploring the psychological and motivational predictors of problematic smartphone use among smartphone-based SNS users.•Reward responsiveness is the most potent predictor on problematic smartphone use.•Low self-control is a predictor to increase the risk of problematic smartphone use.•Anxiety predicts the higher risk of problematic smartphone use.