- Research Article
- 10.70478/psicothema.2026.38.03
Assessing Positive Digital Experiences: A Spanish Validation of the Digital Flourishing Scale for Adolescents.
- Feb 01, 2026
- Psicothema
- Alfredo Zarco-Alpuente + 5 more +5
Adolescents are immersed in digital communication, which can benefit or harm their well-being. Digital flourishing captures positive perceptions of this communication-connectedness, authentic self-presentation, positive social comparison, civil participation, and self-control-and how it contributes to well-being. In Spain there is still no validated instrument for adolescents. We adapted and validated the Digital Flourishing Scale for Adolescents (DFSA) for Spanish adolescents. Study 1 involved a pilot survey (n = 13) and cognitive interviews (n = 10) to improve clarity and cultural relevance. Study 2 used a cross-sectional survey (n = 1,786) to examine the DFSA's latent structure, measurement invariance by gender and age, internal reliability of scores, and validity evidence based on relationships to other variables. Study 3 assessed test-retest reliability of scores and longitudinal measurement invariance over six weeks (n = 289). Study 1 improved item clarity and cultural relevance through linguistic adjustments. Study 2 confirmed a five-factor model, showing strict age invariance and metric gender invariance. All subscales correlated with well-being indicators. Study 3 showed poor to moderate temporal stability of scores but supported scalar longitudinal invariance. The Spanish DFSA is a promising tool for assessing adolescents' digital flourishing in the Spanish context.
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