Development and reliability and validity test of China college students’ online language use scale

BACKGROUND: Online language is widely used among college students and reflects their communication patterns and psychosocial characteristics in digital contexts. However, existing studies mainly focus on specific aspects such as motivation or emoji use, lacking comprehensive and validated measurement tools. This study aimed to develop and validate a multidimensional scale of online language use among Chinese college students. METHODS: A multi-stage scale development approach was employed. Initial items were generated through literature review, grounded theory-based interviews, and existing instruments, followed by expert evaluation. Data from 310 students were used for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), while 1,171 students participated in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and reliability and validity testing. A subsample of 180 students completed a one-month retest. Analyses were conducted using SPSS 27.0, AMOS 29.0, and JASP. RESULTS: The final scale comprised 15 items across three dimensions: usage effectiveness, usage motivation, and usage behavior. EFA supported a three-factor structure, which was confirmed by CFA with good model fit (GFI = 0.992, AGFI = 0.988, SRMR = 0.041, NFI = 0.988). The scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.891; McDonald's ω = 0.877) and excellent test-retest reliability (r = 0.957). Construct and criterion-related validity were also supported. CONCLUSIONS: The scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing online language use among Chinese college students, conceptualized as a multidimensional construct integrating effectiveness, motivation, and behavior.