Reliability, factor structure, and criterion validity: testing the problematic social media use scale in Chinese college students

Background Despite the increasing prevalence of problematic use of social media (PUSM) in the general population and in college students, there remains no fully agreed-upon clinical definition or assessment tool to identify and characterize PUSM. Caplan’s cognitive-behavioral model of generalized problematic use of the internet may provide a conceptual basis for understanding PUSM. Methods The present study aimed to test the psychometric properties of Caplan’s model in the context of PUSM among Chinese college students. The Chinese version of the Problematic Social Media Use Scale (PSMUS, including five subscales: preference for online social interaction (POSI), mood regulation, cognitive preoccupation, compulsive use, and negative outcomes) was administered to Chinese college students. Results Data from 788 students (mean age = 20.92 ± 2.74 years, 23.52% male) were analyzed. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the feasibility of Caplan’s model in the context of PUSM. Structural equation modeling revealed that POSI was a key factor which directly/indirectly ( via mood-regulation-oriented PUSM) related to deficient self-regulation, which strongly related to negative social media outcomes ( β = 0.85, p < .001), explaining 72% of their variance. Conclusion The results support the adequate psychometric properties of the PSMUS in Chinese college students, thereby substantiating its utility in assessing PUSM in this population.