Development and Validation of a New Gadget Addiction Scale (Screen Dependency Scale) among Pre-School Children in Malaysia

Azwanis Abdul Hadi (), Siti Ruziana Roslan, Edre Mohammad Aidid, Nurzulaikha Abdullah and Ramli Musa
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Azwanis Abdul Hadi: Department of Family Medicine, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan 25200, Malaysia
Siti Ruziana Roslan: Department of Family Medicine, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan 25200, Malaysia
Edre Mohammad Aidid: Department of Community Medicine, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan 25200, Malaysia
Nurzulaikha Abdullah: Biostatistics and Research Methodology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, Health campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
Ramli Musa: Department of Psychiatry, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan 25200, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Excessive screen time in young children is associated with many harmful consequences including screen dependency. Research has shown a worrying prevalence of media-related dependency among adolescents and pre-school children. There are a few available questionnaires among adolescents but none for pre-school children. This study aimed to design and validate a questionnaire to assess screen dependency among pre-school children aged 4 to 6 years old. Methodology: A cross-sectional two-phase study was carried out to develop the scale. In phase 1, a preliminary parent-report measure questionnaire was developed in Bahasa Malaysia. Later, it was sent to four experts for content validity followed by face validity. In Phase 2, a total of 386 parents of pre-school children aged 4 to 6 years old, split into two samples, were involved in the field study for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Result: Sample 1 was used to perform EFA to determine the factorial structure of the SDS. All items with a factor loading of >0.4 were included. Sample 2 was used to perform the CFA. RMSEA and CFI analysis showed that the SDS has a good fit and confirms the dimensional structure found via EFA. The final questionnaire consists of 15 items with a 4 factors’ structure and has excellent internal consistency reliability. Conclusions: The Screen Dependency Scale (SDS) is a reliable and valid questionnaire to detect screen dependency among pre-school children aged 4 to 6 years old in Malaysia.

Keywords: screen dependency; validation; pre-school children; questionnaire; Malaysia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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