Adolescent internet adaptability: A scale adaptation study.

In the current era of accelerated digitalization, adolescents' intensive internet use presents both developmental opportunities and various psychosocial risks. Internet addiction, cyberbullying, and other challenges in the digital environment can adversely impact the psychological well-being and soc...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Social Sciences Research / Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol. 15; pp. 369 - 400
Autores principales: Akman, Emrah, Çıtak, Şenel, Akman, Tuğçe Peker
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: ODU Journal of Social Sciences Research 2025 Special Issue
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:In the current era of accelerated digitalization, adolescents' intensive internet use presents both developmental opportunities and various psychosocial risks. Internet addiction, cyberbullying, and other challenges in the digital environment can adversely impact the psychological well-being and social adjustment of adolescents. In this context, measuring the extent to which adolescents cope with online risks and benefit from digital opportunities is of significant importance for educators and family counsellors. However, the lack of valid and reliable measurement tools in Turkey to assess adolescent internet adaptability in a multidimensional manner is notable. The primary aim of this study is to adapt the Adolescent Internet Adaptability Scale (AIAS), developed by Wang et al. (2025), into Turkish and to examine its psychometric properties in a sample of Turkish adolescents. A mixed-methods design was employed. In the scale adaptation process, procedures included translation, content validity, expert opinion, construct validity, and reliability analyses. The research sample consisted of 988 adolescents aged 12-26 residing in various provinces across Turkey. Construct validity was tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and the original eight-factor structure of the scale was confirmed in the Turkish sample (CFI = .96, TLI = .94, RMSEA = .05, SRMR = .04). The scale's internal consistency coefficients were found to be .86 for Cronbach's alpha and .87 for McDonald's Omega, and the test-retest correlation was .81. For criterion validity, significant negative correlations were observed between the AIAS and depression and internet addiction, while a significant positive correlation was found with subjective well-being. In conclusion, the AIAS was determined to be a valid and reliable instrument for use with Turkish adolescents. The scale can be used for assessing digital adjustment, the early identification of at-risk individuals, and in the fields of school and family counselling. Furthermore, it is recommended that future research expand the scope of the scale with different age groups and variables.