Development and Validation of an Indigenous Assessment Tool for Measuring the Influence of Short-Form Social Media Content on Self-Esteem among Teenagers

Abstract

The present study aimed to develop and validate an indigenous instrument to measure the influence of short-form social media content on adolescent self-esteem. The Delphi process systematically reduced the item pool to 14 items demonstrating strong conceptual relevance and cultural appropriateness. Content validity was established using the Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI), Scale-Level Content Validity Index (S-CVI), and Content Validity Ratio (CVR), with findings indicating excellent agreement among experts (S-CVI = 1.00). A pilot study conducted on 20 adolescents provided preliminary evidence regarding the clarity, comprehensibility, and practical applicability of the instrument. Subsequently, the final version of the scale was administered to a sample of 300 adolescent females. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) supported the construct validity of the scale, with an excellent Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy (KMO = .924) and a statistically significant Bartlett's Test of Sphericity (χ² = 1973.23, df = 91, p < .001). Reliability analysis demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .912. The findings suggest that the developed scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the influence of short-form social media content on adolescent self-esteem. The scale offers valuable theoretical and practical implications for researchers, psychologists, educators, and mental health professionals seeking to understand and address the psychological consequences of emerging digital media environments among adolescents.