Understanding Youth Online Experiences and Mental Health: Development and Validation of the Digital Activity and Feelings Inventory (DAFI)

IF 2.5 3区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research Pub Date : 2025-06-17 DOI:10.1002/mpr.70028

Kostyrka-Allchorne Katarzyna, Bourgaize Jake, Murray Aja, Stoilova Mariya, Abbas Iqra, Bridgwood Amy, Azeri Eliz, Hollis Chris, Townsend Ellen, Livingstone Sonia, Edmund J. S. Sonuga-Barke, the Digital Youth Research Programme

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

We created the Digital Activity and Feelings Inventory (DAFI) to measure youth digital activities and the psychological reactions they evoke, established its psychometric properties and tested its validity in predicting mental health relative to screen time estimates.

Methods

An initial pool of items was generated using the existing research on youth digital activity and mental health and further refined via consultations with experts and young people (online youth panel sessions, n = 14). The participants (n = 383, mean age = 19 years) completed the resulting DAFI alongside established measures of depression, anxiety, wellbeing, and screen time. The DAFI factor structure, reliability and predictive validity were tested.

Results

Exploratory factor analyses identified five digital activity subscales: Risky Content, Risky Interactions, Social Comparison, Leisure Activities and Social Engagement and three psychological reactions subscales: Negative Self-Reactions, Negative Stress Reactions, and Positive Reactions. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were high. Social Comparison and Negative Self-Reactions, but not screen time, independently predicted depression and anxiety symptoms. Positive Reactions, lack of Negative Self-Reactions, lower screen time and Social Engagement predicted wellbeing.

Conclusion

The DAFI is a reliable measure of digital activities and associated psychological reactions and predicts youth mental health better than screen time.

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了解青少年在线体验与心理健康：数字活动与情感量表（DAFI）的开发与验证

目的编制数字活动与情感量表（DAFI），测量青少年数字活动及其引发的心理反应，建立其心理测量特性，并检验其在预测屏幕时间与心理健康相关方面的有效性。方法利用现有的关于青少年数字活动和心理健康的研究产生了一个初始的项目库，并通过与专家和年轻人的协商进一步完善（在线青年小组会议，n = 14）。参与者（n = 383，平均年龄= 19岁）完成了结果DAFI以及确定的抑郁、焦虑、健康和屏幕时间测量。对DAFI因子结构、信度和预测效度进行检验。结果探索性因子分析确定了5个数字活动子量表：风险内容、风险互动、社会比较、休闲活动和社会参与；3个心理反应子量表：消极自我反应、消极压力反应和积极反应。内部一致性和重测信度高。社会比较和消极的自我反应，而不是屏幕时间，独立预测抑郁和焦虑症状。积极的反应，缺乏消极的自我反应，较少的屏幕时间和社会参与预示着幸福。结论DAFI是数字活动和相关心理反应的可靠指标，比屏幕时间更能预测青少年的心理健康状况。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

5.20

自引率

6.50%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research (MPR) publishes high-standard original research of a technical, methodological, experimental and clinical nature, contributing to the theory, methodology, practice and evaluation of mental and behavioural disorders. The journal targets in particular detailed methodological and design papers from major national and international multicentre studies. There is a close working relationship with the US National Institute of Mental Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Diagnostic Instruments Committees, as well as several other European and international organisations. MPR aims to publish rapidly articles of highest methodological quality in such areas as epidemiology, biostatistics, generics, psychopharmacology, psychology and the neurosciences. Articles informing about innovative and critical methodological, statistical and clinical issues, including nosology, can be submitted as regular papers and brief reports. Reviews are only occasionally accepted. MPR seeks to monitor, discuss, influence and improve the standards of mental health and behavioral neuroscience research by providing a platform for rapid publication of outstanding contributions. As a quarterly journal MPR is a major source of information and ideas and is an important medium for students, clinicians and researchers in psychiatry, clinical psychology, epidemiology and the allied disciplines in the mental health field.