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Newly validated scales revealed meaningful patterns in digital engagement, providing a richer understanding of its impact on the personal and social dimensions of daily life.  

A study published in June 2025 issue of Frontiers in Psychiatry underlined that existing approaches to measuring digital technology (DT) use fall short in capturing individuals’ comprehensive daily experiences, as they mainly assess usage frequency, duration, or problematic behaviors.  

Researchers developed 2 broad measures of DT use and experience that could adapt to evolving technological trends.  

They defined the measured constructs through a bottom-up analysis of a global qualitative study involving 300 individuals [N=300] focused on digital practices after COVID-19. Measure development and validation were carried out across 3 separate studies using responses from a total of 2,227 participants.  

The results showed that Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses supported a 26-item Quality of Digital Experience Scale, capturing perceptions of DT use and its effects on Well-being, Time and Efficiency, and Social Connectedness. The Immersion in Digital Life Scale included 5 questions evaluating perceived digital presence across different life domains.  

Investigators concluded that the scales reliably captured nuanced interactions with DT, offering deeper insights into its diverse effects on individuals and society. 

Source: frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1595536/full