Article
A Systematic Review of the Validation Studies of Digital Socialization Scales in South Korea: Psychometric Analysis and Thematic Properties
| e-ISSN | 2982-6845 |
| p-ISSN | 1226-4474 |
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Abstract
This study defines digital socialization as the process through which individuals, mediated by digital technology, learn and reproduce social norms, values, skills, and roles, ultimately influencing developmental adjustment. This study systematically reviews 32 Korean studies validating scales of digital socialization (2011–2025). By synthesizing the psychometric properties and analyzing thematic trends of the scales, this study seeks to clarify the conceptual landscape of digital socialization and guide future research by providing a foundation for rigorous measurements. Results revealed that most measures focused on SNS- and smartphone-related domains. Psychometrically, while most studies reported structural validity and reliability, investigations of criterion validity (concurrent, discriminant, and predictive) were often limited. The thematic analysis identified six domains: ① Psychological Experiences of SNS Use, ② Online Relationship Dynamics and Interaction, ③ Digital Self-Regulation, ④ Digital Competence, ⑤ Digital Use Motivation and Adaptive Digital Use, and ⑥ Digital Addiction and Dependency. This study synthesizes existing measurement approaches to digital socialization and provides guidance for researchers to delineate measurable areas and broaden the scope of future studies into unexplored domains