Psychometric, factor-analytic, and network validation of the Persian Social Media Parenting Scale: A stable...

The pervasive influence of social media has created a need for valid tools to assess Social Media Parenting (SMP) across cultures. This study validated the Persian version of the Social Media Parenting Scale (SMPS) for use in Iran.

In a cross-sectional study, 500 Iranian parents were selected via convenience sampling. Validation included Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA, CFA) on split-half samples, plus Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) and Bootstrap EGA to assess dimensionality. Reliability was measured with Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, Composite Reliability, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed via Average Variance Extracted and the Fornell-Larcker criterion.

EFA identified a stable six-factor structure (Learning Parenting, Digital Security, Sharenting, Parental Mediation, Teaching Parenting, Parents' Social Media Use), explaining 53.62% of variance. CFA models showed excellent fit (CFI & TLI > 0.97, RMSEA ≈ 0.04, SRMR <0.02). All subscales demonstrated high reliability (α: 0.768-0.903, ω: 0.782-0.941). Convergent (AVE > 0.50) and discriminant validity were confirmed. EGA and bootEGA strongly supported the six-factor model, replicating it in 99.8% of iterations with high stability.

The validated Persian SMPS is a reliable six-factor tool suitable for research and needs assessment to inform digital parenting interventions in Iran. Further validation is required for clinical or policy applications.