Validation of the arabic multidimensional facebook intensity scale and its relationships with life satisfaction, happiness, and physical activity.

Abstract

Purpose: Despite Facebook's widespread use in Arab countries, validated Arabic tools to assess the intensity of its use and related psychological and behavioral outcomes are lacking. This study aims to validate the Arabic version of the Multidimensional Facebook Intensity Scale (A-MFIS) and examine its associations with life satisfaction, happiness, and physical activity in a large Tunisian adult sample.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 1,068 adults. The survey included sociodemographic questions, the A-MFIS, the Arabic Satisfaction with Life Scale (ASWLS), the Arabic Scale of Happiness (ASH), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The sample was randomly split into an exploratory group and a confirmatory group. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to assess the factorial structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the A-MFIS.

Results: Analyses supported a second-order model with four factors and 13 items, showing acceptable model fit. The A-MFIS demonstrated strong internal consistency and construct validity. Significant negative correlations were found between Facebook intensity and life satisfaction, happiness, and physical activity levels.

Conclusion: The A-MFIS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing Facebook use intensity in Arabic-speaking contexts. It can facilitate future research, clinical assessments, and interventions aimed at improving digital well-being. Future studies should explore its applicability in other Arab cultures and longitudinal settings. This validated instrument provides researchers and practitioners in Arabic-speaking populations with a culturally appropriate tool to assess Facebook usage intensity, enabling future research and interventions on digital well-being.