Examining Junior High School Students’ Personality Factors as Predictive Indices of Adolescent Digital Technology Interaction and Importance

Abstract

Adolescents considered digital natives, have become increasingly involved in weaving together their offline and online lives before and during the pandemic. The web is an indispensable space for connecting with people and the environment. Hence, their digital use is often related to well-being and risks. Adolescent Digital Technology Interaction and Importance (ADTI) Scale took a different angle in explaining adolescents' focus on their use of digital technology. This tool is a self-report survey administered to 1,322 students from an exclusive boys’ school. Along with the Adolescent Personality Questionnaire (APQ), this study aimed to explore personality factors that are correlated with adolescent digital interaction. Results analyzed using correlation and regression showed APQ Factors were significantly correlated with ADTI and its subscales. Among these factors, some were also shown to be significant predictors of ADTI. Findings imply that personality factors influence how adolescents interact with digital technology.