Development and Validation of the Motivation of Sharenting Evaluation Scale (MSES) among Chinese parents

Abstract

Despite its popularity, the expanding phenomenon of sharenting among Chinese parents, shaped by unique cultural and familial contexts, remains underexplored. To better understand the complex motivations behind sharenting behaviors, the Motivation of Sharenting Evaluation Scale (MSES) was developed as a specialized measurement tool for Chinese sharenting studies. Our research began with interviews (N = 33) to inform the development of the scale, followed by quantitative assessments through two distinct populations (Sample 1, N = 134; Sample 2, N = 809). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a scale of 10 items and three factors - recording and showcasing, integrative, and expressive motivation - with Cronbach's alphas ranging from .803 to .855 and an overall explained variance of 73.01%. The MSES scale has been confirmed to have strong factorial validity, adequate discriminant validity, and high internal and external validity. The MSES identified three main sharenting motivations among Chinese parents, with expressive motivation being the least prominent, reflecting a cultural focus on collectivism and social harmony. The introduction of this scale offers a valuable tool for researchers to investigate the intricacies of sharenting motivation within the fields of digital parenting and family studies, promoting a more intricate comprehension of this contemporary behavior in both theoretical and practical aspects.