Development of a Short Measure of Media Multitasking for Adolescents

• In Event: Advances in Measurement and Methodology

Abstract

Despite increasing research interest in media multitasking, there is a lack in measures of media multitasking that can be used with younger people. The aim of the present study was to develop a new measurement of media multitasking that is 1) short but still able to fully capture the concept of media multitasking, 2) normally distributed among adolescents, and 3) internally and externally valid. Data for this study were collected at six urban and suburban high schools. In total, 523 adolescents aged 11 to 15 (48.2% girls) participated in this study. The short measure seems to be a reliable and valid measure of media multitasking that is normally distributed among adolescent samples. Due to its brevity it can be easily applied in survey studies among children and adolescents. Because of its high utility it may be an adequate alternative for existing extensive measures of media multitasking.

Authors

• Susanne E. Baumgartner, U of Amsterdam

• Wouter Weeda, U of Amsterdam

• Mariette Huizinga, VU U - Amsterdam