Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in China

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to develop a digital self-harm scale suitable for Chinese adolescents, and to test its reliability and validity. Methods Through semi-structured interview, literature analysis and expert evaluation, the initial questionnaire was developed, and 1651 s...

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Main Authors: Mingtu Xu, Cong Fu, Jingyang Li, Bo Wu, Songli Mei, Runhui Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Public Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21778-5
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author Mingtu Xu
Cong Fu
Jingyang Li
Bo Wu
Songli Mei
Runhui Tian
author_facet Mingtu Xu
Cong Fu
Jingyang Li
Bo Wu
Songli Mei
Runhui Tian
author_sort Mingtu Xu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to develop a digital self-harm scale suitable for Chinese adolescents, and to test its reliability and validity. Methods Through semi-structured interview, literature analysis and expert evaluation, the initial questionnaire was developed, and 1651 students from three middle schools in Jilin Province were selected for questionnaire survey. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis were carried out, and 843 students were selected for confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, discrimination validity, criterion validity, content consistency reliability and retest reliability. Results The results showed that the digital self-harm scale consisted of eight items divided into two factors, namely External self image harm and Inner self emotional harm. And 73.47% of the total variance was explained. The two-factor structure model fitted well (2χ/df = 4.2, CFI = 0.994, TLI = 0.989, SRMR = 0.01, RMSEA = 0.062). The total score and each factor score of the digital self-harm scale were negatively correlated with sleep duration, and positively correlated with other criteria. The Cronbach α coefficient of the total scale and each factor was 0.938–0.965, and the retest reliability was 0.983–0.991. Limitations The Inner self emotional harm dimension has few questions, the relationship and mechanism between digital self-harm and non-suicidal self-injury is not deep enough. Conclusions The digital self-harm scale developed in this study has good validity and reliability, and can be used as a measurement tool to assess the digital self-harm of Chinese adolescents.
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spelling doaj-art-a960c9b70581480aa4fbe309ff23bd9e2025-08-20T02:13:20ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-02-012511910.1186/s12889-025-21778-5Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in ChinaMingtu Xu0Cong Fu1Jingyang Li2Bo Wu3Songli Mei4Runhui Tian5Department of Mental Health, First Affiliated Hospital of Jilin UniversityDepartment of Mental Health, First Affiliated Hospital of Jilin UniversityDepartment of Mental Health, First Affiliated Hospital of Jilin UniversityDiagnosis and Treatment Center For Psychosomatic Disease, The Sixth Hospital of ChangchunDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health of Jilin UniversityDepartment of Mental Health, First Affiliated Hospital of Jilin UniversityAbstract Background The purpose of this study was to develop a digital self-harm scale suitable for Chinese adolescents, and to test its reliability and validity. Methods Through semi-structured interview, literature analysis and expert evaluation, the initial questionnaire was developed, and 1651 students from three middle schools in Jilin Province were selected for questionnaire survey. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis were carried out, and 843 students were selected for confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, discrimination validity, criterion validity, content consistency reliability and retest reliability. Results The results showed that the digital self-harm scale consisted of eight items divided into two factors, namely External self image harm and Inner self emotional harm. And 73.47% of the total variance was explained. The two-factor structure model fitted well (2χ/df = 4.2, CFI = 0.994, TLI = 0.989, SRMR = 0.01, RMSEA = 0.062). The total score and each factor score of the digital self-harm scale were negatively correlated with sleep duration, and positively correlated with other criteria. The Cronbach α coefficient of the total scale and each factor was 0.938–0.965, and the retest reliability was 0.983–0.991. Limitations The Inner self emotional harm dimension has few questions, the relationship and mechanism between digital self-harm and non-suicidal self-injury is not deep enough. Conclusions The digital self-harm scale developed in this study has good validity and reliability, and can be used as a measurement tool to assess the digital self-harm of Chinese adolescents.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21778-5Digital self-harm scaleAdolescentsReliabilityValidityScale development
spellingShingle Mingtu Xu
Cong Fu
Jingyang Li
Bo Wu
Songli Mei
Runhui Tian
Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in China
BMC Public Health
Digital self-harm scale
Adolescents
Reliability
Validity
Scale development
title Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in China
title_full Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in China
title_fullStr Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in China
title_full_unstemmed Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in China
title_short Development and validation of a digital self-harm measurement: a population-based study of adolescents in China
title_sort development and validation of a digital self harm measurement a population based study of adolescents in china
topic Digital self-harm scale
Adolescents
Reliability
Validity
Scale development
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21778-5
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