A Cross-Validation Study of the WhatsApp Usage Scale

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 72
  In Roundtable Session: Emerging Trends and Tools for Preservice Teacher Preparations

Abstract

WhatsApp, with more than one billion active users, has become a globally-popular smartphone application, especially among university students. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the WhatsApp Usage Scale (WUS) measuring the application’s uses and users’ attitudes. The current study was conducted with 423 Turkish participants ages 18 and older. Both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used in this cross-validation study. The internal consistency reliability of the three-factor WUS structure having a total of 14 items was .850. The WUS can be used to learn why individuals, specifically university students, use WhatsApp.

Authors

• Ilker Soyturk, Kent State University

• Riza Memis, Kent State University