Adaptation of perceived social media literacy scale to Turkish culture: The case of educators

Social media has become an integral component of contemporary digital interactions, influencing education, communication, and information access. As social media usage continues to rise, social media literacy (SML) has gained increasing attention as a crucial competency for individuals to critically assess online information, manage digital interactions, and navigate algorithmic content. While several scales have been developed to measure SML, there remains a gap in assessing the construct among educators, particularly within non-Western cultural contexts such as Türkiye. Addressing this gap, this study aims to adapt and validate the Perceived Social Media Literacy Scale (PSMLS) for use among Turkish educators and school administrators. The research sample consisted of 571 teachers and 293 school administrators, and the adaptation process involved translation, cultural adaptation, and psychometric validation. Both first- and second-level confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to examine the structural validity of the scale. The first-level CFA confirmed the original factor structure and achieved cultural fit, while the second-level CFA supported the hierarchical structure of the scale, demonstrating strong alignment with the theoretical model. Additionally, criterion validity correlations, construct reliability, Cronbach’s Alpha, and McDonald’s Omega coefficients confirmed the scale’s reliability. While gender differences in SML scores were not statistically significant, teachers aged 40 and below exhibited significantly higher SML scores than their older counterparts. The findings establish the PSMLS as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing social media literacy among educators and school administrators in Türkiye. This study contributes to the literature by providing a culturally adapted and psychometrically robust tool, enabling further research on digital literacy, media education, and social media engagement within educational contexts.