Development of the digital health perception scale for adolescents: Validity and reliability study

This study aims to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool for assessing adolescents' perceptions of digital health.

The research was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, exploratory factor analysis was performed with 413 adolescents, and in the second stage, confirmatory factor analysis was performed with 434 adolescents. As part of the scale development process, an item pool was created, content validity was ensured through expert opinions, and construct validity was tested through factor analyses. As part of the reliability analyses, internal consistency coefficients were calculated and measurement invariance was examined according to sex.

Exploratory factor analysis yielded a two-factor structure explaining 41.54% of the total variance. This structure was validated in an independent sample using confirmatory factor analysis. The scale consists of two subscales: "Digital Health Management" and "Digital Socialization." It was determined that the internal consistency coefficients were high and that the scale provided measurement invariance according to sex. In addition, the interpretability of digital health perception levels was increased by determining a cutoff point.

The Digital Health Perception Scale has demonstrated sufficient psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability in adolescent samples.

The scale provides a structured framework for assessing adolescents' perceptions of digital health and may support future research and intervention planning in this area.