Development and Psychometric Analysis of the Digital Obesity Scale

OpenAlex · İngilizce

Modern lifestyles have been influenced by digital technologies, which has led to the issue of “digital obesity” due to excessive and unconscious usage. In this context, this study aims to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool to assess the level of digital obesity among university students. This methodological study was conducted with 701 students enrolled at an university in Türkiye. IBM SPSS 22.0 and IBM AMOS 25.0 software were used for data analysis, with descriptive statistics employed for analyzing numerical variables. Construct validity was evaluated through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The content validity index for the Digital Obesity Scale items ranged from 0.86 to 1.00. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient was 0.901, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant (χ2 = 4047.624, p < 0.001), supporting factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure consisting of 27 items, explaining 53.02% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the model fit (χ2/df = 2.993, RMSEA = 0.075, NFI = 0.90, NNFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.90, GFI = 0.90). The Cronbach’s alpha value of the scale was 0.919, while the Cronbach’s alpha values for the subscales were 0.870, 0.878, 0.784, and 0.631, respectively. The DOS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing digital obesity levels among university students. This scale contributes to the development of effective intervention strategies to combat digital addiction and promote healthy digital habits.