Developing a novel parental phubbing scale of mother and father forms for adolescents in Türkiye: A validity and reliability study

Abstract

Parental phubbing occurs when parents interrupt and neglect communication with their child by focusing on their smartphones. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive scale for perceived parental phubbing and examine its psychometric properties. The scale was initially developed based on a review of existing research and essays written by secondary school adolescents aged 10–15 years, who represented the target group. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on samples of Turkish adolescents (N_EFA = 325, N_CFA=210). EFA identified a 10-item structure with two factors—“interaction interruptions” and “emotional reactions”—which accounted for a significant portion of the total variance in both the Parental Phubbing Scale-Mother (PPS-M) and Father (PPS-F) Forms. CFA confirmed this structure, with both forms demonstrating a good fit. Criterion validity was evaluated through correlations with the short forms of the Smartphone Addiction Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale, showing positive correlations. Reliability analysis indicated that both Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω coefficients exceeded 0.70 for both the PPS-MF and PPS-FF. Test-retest reliability coefficients ranged between 0.70 and 0.82 for both forms. In conclusion, the PPS-MF and PPS-FF are valid and reliable instruments for assessing parental phubbing based on adolescents' perceptions.