The present study developed a scale of online social media use that measures the integration of the social behavior and daily routines of users, along with the importance of and emotional connection to this use. Using a sample of 616 emerging adults in college, exploratory factor analysis was conducted with a calibration sample of 308 participants and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using an equal hold-out sample to yield a final 10-item two-factor Social Media Use Integration Scale (SMUIS). Strong reliability evidence was found for data collected with the total scale (α = .914), the first 6-item subscale called Social Integration and Emotional Connection (SIEC) (α = .893), and the second 4-item subscale entitled Integration into Social Routines (ISR) (α = .828). Test–retest over a 3-week period suggested that SMUIS responses remained stable, with reliability correlations of r = .803 for total scale, r = .804 for subscale 1, and r = .676 for subscale 2. In addition, high correlations with previously published social media use measures provided convergent validity evidence, whereas nonsignificant correlations between the SMUIS subscales and other measures unrelated to online social media use offered discriminant validity evidence. The SMUIS was first developed to measure Facebook use; however, it was purposefully designed to be adapted to measure other forms of online social media use. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
The study examined interrelationships between attachment, social self-efficacy, career decision-making self-efficacy, and life satisfaction. Social cognitive career theory and attachment theory were integrated to provide a framework for this study. A conceptual model was proposed and tested to determine if social self-efficacy and career decision self-efficacy were full or partial mediators between attachment and life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling methods were utilized to test the model. Findings indicated that social self-efficacy and career decision self-efficacy partially mediated between attachment and life satisfaction among college students, the majority of whom were Caucasian females. This lends support to the idea that adult attachment is a fundamental source of efficacy information and operates as a critical component in college students’ perceptions of their efficacy in the domains of close relationships and career decisions, both of which impact life satisfaction. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
The integration of attachment theory with social cognitive career theory provided a clear and comprehensive theoretical framework for this study. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that perceived support and career barriers mediated the relationship between attachment and efficacy in students (N = 486). Participants who were more securely attached perceived greater social supports and fewer career barriers and had higher efficacy in both academic and career domains. Theoretical, practice, and research implications are discussed.
The current study developed an 18-item scale measuring individuals' social expectations in relationships related to their efficacy expectations (Subscale 1) and outcome expectations (Subscale 2) based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, using an undergraduate sample (N = 486), revealed strong psychometric evidence for this scale.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.