Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS)
Background: Distraction is a functional emotion regulation strategy utilized to relieve emotional distress. Within the attention economy perspective, distraction is increasingly associated with digital technology use, performance impairments and interference with higher-order cognitive processes. Re...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.642634/full |
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| author | Melina A. Throuvala Halley M. Pontes Ioannis Tsaousis Mark D. Griffiths Mike Rennoldson Daria J. Kuss |
| author_facet | Melina A. Throuvala Halley M. Pontes Ioannis Tsaousis Mark D. Griffiths Mike Rennoldson Daria J. Kuss |
| author_sort | Melina A. Throuvala |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Distraction is a functional emotion regulation strategy utilized to relieve emotional distress. Within the attention economy perspective, distraction is increasingly associated with digital technology use, performance impairments and interference with higher-order cognitive processes. Research on smartphone distraction and its association with problematic smartphone use is still scarce and there is no available psychometric assessment tool to assess this cognitive and emotive process parsimoniously.Method: The present study reports the development and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, construct validity, gender invariance, and latent mean differences. The study was conducted in a sample of British university students (N = 1,001; M = 21.10 years, SD = 2.77).Results: The 16-item SDS was best conceptualized in a four-factor model solution comprising attention impulsiveness, online vigilance, emotion regulation, and multitasking. Construct validity was established using relevant psychosocial and mental health measures, with SDS scores being moderately associated with deficient self-regulation and problematic social media use. Gender measurement invariance was achieved at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, and latent mean differences indicated that females had significantly higher means than males across all four SDS latent factors.Discussion: The SDS presents with several strengths, including its theoretical grounding, relatively short length, and sound psychometric properties. The SDS enables the assessment of distraction, which appears to be one of the pathways to problematic smartphone use facilitating overuse and overreliance on smartphones for emotion regulation processes. The assessment of distraction in relation to problematic use in vulnerable populations may facilitate interventions that could encourage metacognition and benefit these groups by allowing sustained productivity in an increasingly disrupted work and social environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:08:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c43649eb19d54708a0aa50390a557315 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:08:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-c43649eb19d54708a0aa50390a5573152022-12-21T18:26:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-03-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.642634642634Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS)Melina A. Throuvala0Halley M. Pontes1Ioannis Tsaousis2Mark D. Griffiths3Mike Rennoldson4Daria J. Kuss5International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United KingdomDepartment of Organizational Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymnon, GreeceInternational Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United KingdomPsychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United KingdomInternational Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United KingdomBackground: Distraction is a functional emotion regulation strategy utilized to relieve emotional distress. Within the attention economy perspective, distraction is increasingly associated with digital technology use, performance impairments and interference with higher-order cognitive processes. Research on smartphone distraction and its association with problematic smartphone use is still scarce and there is no available psychometric assessment tool to assess this cognitive and emotive process parsimoniously.Method: The present study reports the development and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, construct validity, gender invariance, and latent mean differences. The study was conducted in a sample of British university students (N = 1,001; M = 21.10 years, SD = 2.77).Results: The 16-item SDS was best conceptualized in a four-factor model solution comprising attention impulsiveness, online vigilance, emotion regulation, and multitasking. Construct validity was established using relevant psychosocial and mental health measures, with SDS scores being moderately associated with deficient self-regulation and problematic social media use. Gender measurement invariance was achieved at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, and latent mean differences indicated that females had significantly higher means than males across all four SDS latent factors.Discussion: The SDS presents with several strengths, including its theoretical grounding, relatively short length, and sound psychometric properties. The SDS enables the assessment of distraction, which appears to be one of the pathways to problematic smartphone use facilitating overuse and overreliance on smartphones for emotion regulation processes. The assessment of distraction in relation to problematic use in vulnerable populations may facilitate interventions that could encourage metacognition and benefit these groups by allowing sustained productivity in an increasingly disrupted work and social environment.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.642634/fullsmartphone usedistractionattentionsocial media usesmartphone distraction scale |
| spellingShingle | Melina A. Throuvala Halley M. Pontes Ioannis Tsaousis Mark D. Griffiths Mike Rennoldson Daria J. Kuss Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) Frontiers in Psychiatry smartphone use distraction attention social media use smartphone distraction scale |
| title | Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) |
| title_full | Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) |
| title_short | Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) |
| title_sort | exploring the dimensions of smartphone distraction development validation measurement invariance and latent mean differences of the smartphone distraction scale sds |
| topic | smartphone use distraction attention social media use smartphone distraction scale |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.642634/full |
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