Psychometric validation of Social Network Sites Use Motivation (SNSUM) Scale among Chinese adolescents and undergraduates

Abstract

Research into the motivations for using social network sites has greatly increased in recent years. However, few studies have examined the psychometric validation of scales measuring these motivations. This research revised the Social Network Sites Use Motivations (SNSUM) Scale for application in a Chinese context. A total of 931 Chinese adolescents and undergraduates, aged 16–23 years, completed the adapted SNSUM scale and assessments of life satisfaction. Item analysis indicated all items in the SNSUM scale were retained for exploratory factor analysis (EFA). EFA results revealed a five-factor solution, explaining 75.37 % of the total variance, with factor loadings exceeding 0.40. This factor structure aligns with theoretical expectations and previous studies. Confirmatory factor analysis (χ² = 415.633; df = 92, CFI = 0.934, TLI = 0.914, RMSEA = 0.080) and measurement invariance indicate robust construct validity of the scale across diverse gender and age cohorts. It also showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.950) and excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.952). Notably, SNSUM demonstrated a significant positive correlation with life satisfaction (r = 0.531). The findings confirm that the scale has robust psychometric properties among Chinese adolescents and undergraduates, suggesting its applicability within the context of Chinese culture.