Development and Psychometric Analysis of the Digital Detox Scale

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Digital Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Increasing digital technology use raises concerns about potential digital addiction.
• Digital detox, a strategy of limiting technology use, is proposed for healthier digital balance.
• University students are a key demographic experiencing high digital engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a scale measuring digital detox levels among university students.
• To provide a practical tool for assessing technology use habits.
• To support strategies for balanced digital engagement in academic and clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional methodological study involving 701 university students in Türkiye.
• Scale development included item generation, expert review, and rigorous psychometric evaluation.
• Statistical analyses were used to confirm the scale's structure, reliability, and validity.

Main Results:

• A multidimensional, 27-item scale was developed and validated.
• The scale demonstrated strong evidence of reliability and validity.
• The findings support the scale's utility for assessing digital detox.

Conclusions:

• The validated scale offers a practical instrument for measuring university students' digital detox levels.
• This tool can be utilized in academic and clinical settings to evaluate technology habits.
• The scale aids in developing interventions for healthier digital engagement and mitigating risks of digital addiction.