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Mental health

Validation of the Croatian Version of Motives to Use Social Networking Sites Scale

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A recent study by researchers from the University of Rijeka has provided new insights into the world of social media use among adolescents. The study developed the Motives to Use Social Networking Sites Scale (MOTUS) to assess the motivations behind social media use, distinguishing between active and passive use. The researchers tested the scale's validity and reliability in a sample of 853 Croatian high school students, finding acceptable fit and measurement invariance across gender. The study confirmed convergent validity through significant correlations between MOTUS subscales, time on social media, and fear of missing out.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Motives to Use Social Networking Sites Scale (MOTUS) was developed to assess motivations behind social media use, distinguishing between active and passive use.
  • The original eight-factor model of MOTUS showed acceptable fit after removing one item with cross-loadings (CFI = .916, TLI = .900, RMSEA = .061, SRMR = .074).
  • Measurement invariance supported configural, metric, and scalar equivalence across gender.
  • Convergent validity was confirmed through significant correlations between MOTUS subscales, time on social media, and fear of missing out (FoMO).
  • The study found significant associations between MOTUS, social media use, loneliness, and fear of missing out.
  • The Average Variance Extracted (AVE) and the Heterotrait- Monotrait (HTMT) ratio were calculated to further evaluate the MOTUS scale.
  • Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's a and Macdonald's o, showing acceptable levels of reliability.
  • The study was conducted with a sample of 853 Croatian high school students, aged 14-19 (M = 16.21, SD = 1.07), with 69.6% of participants being women.
  • Scholars Tamara Martinac Dorcic, Tamara Mohoric, and Miljana Kukic contributed to the research, with the study published in the European Journal of Mental Health.

Statistics:

  • The sample consisted of 853 adolescents aged 14-19.
  • 69.6% of participants were women.
  • The Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was calculated to evaluate the MOTUS scale.
  • The Heterotrait- Monotrait (HTMT) ratio was also calculated.
  • Cronbach's a and Macdonald's o were used to assess the reliability of the MOTUS scale.

Sources:

  • Why Do Adolescents Use Social Media? Validation of the Croatian version of Motives to Use Social Networking Sites Scale. European Journal of Mental Health, 2025,20.
  • Tamara Martinac Dorcic, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
  • Tamara Mohoric, Miljana Kukic, additional authors.
  • European Journal of Mental Health, published by Semmelweis University Institute of Mental Health.

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