Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jan 28, 2024
Date Accepted: Nov 27, 2024
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Development of a Digital Sensitivity Scale Using Factor Analysis
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitalization of modern society, extending digital transformation to daily life and psychological evaluation and treatment. However, the development of competencies and literacy in handling digital technology has not kept pace, resulting in a significant deviation among individuals. Existing measurements of digital literacy were developed before the widespread ICT device adoption, mainly focusing on one’s perceptions of their proficiency and utility of device operation. In the contemporary landscape, digital transformation is evolving within specialized domains, necessitating a comprehensive evaluation of digital competencies, attitudes, and proficiency in technology application to bridge the digital divide and ensure robust digital compliance.
Objective:
This study was designed to address the shortcomings of existing scales and to formulate a digital sensitivity scale tailored to the requirements of today's society.
Methods:
Initial items of the digital sensitivity scale were collected through a literature review, and expert opinions were gathered to ensure content validity. An exploratory factor analysis included 986 adult participants, evaluating 14 digital literacy items and 6 digital efficacy items.
Results:
A robust 4-factor digital literacy solution was identified: (1) Digital application, (2) Digital communication, (3) Critical thinking, (4) Digital ethics (KMO=.891, Bartlett x2=9829.713, p<.001, Cronbach Alphas 0.782-0.947). A 2-factor solution defined digital efficacy: (1) Digital confidence, (2) Digital anxiety (KMO=.735, Bartlett x2=3282.217, p<.001, Cronbach Alphas 0.787-0.912). The scale also showed high correlation with the existing digital literacy scale (r=0.809, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
The Digital Sensitivity Scale, as a self-assessment tool, has the potential to bridge the generational information gap by promoting acceptance, motivation, and adaptation to digital technology. Furthermore, given the remote nature of digital therapeutics, an individual's familiarity with required technologies and digital communication strongly influences their acceptance of digital treatments and the efficacy thereof. This scale can play a pivotal role in enhancing compliance with digital therapeutics by preemptively assessing individual’s technological literacy and competency.
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