The French parent-proxy Social Media Disorder Scale is a reliable measure in adolescents

Background

Problematic social media use in adolescents is increasingly recognized, yet assessment relies mainly on self-report. Parent-proxy instruments may provide complementary clinical insight, although their psychometric properties remain understudied. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the French parent-proxy Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS-P).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among French adolescents aged 10–17 years recruited in a pediatric emergency department. Parents completed the SMDS-P as proxy respondents. Psychometric properties were assessed using Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory (IRT) approaches, including internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis, item parameters, and differential item functioning (DIF).

Results

A total of 300 parent–adolescent dyads were included; analyses were conducted on 282 complete cases. Adolescents had a mean age of 13.4 years (SD = 1.7), 68% were female, and parents were predominantly mothers (72%; mean age 45.7 years, SD = 5.5). SMDS-P score distribution showed limited skewness, no ceiling effect, and a moderate floor effect. Internal consistency was good (KR-20 = 0.85; ω = 0.93). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure (CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.049; SRMR = 0.057). IRT analyses showed high discrimination (a = 1.44–3.06) and difficulty centered on the mean trait level, with maximal information at moderate severity. No DIF was observed across most variables. Small DIF was detected for item 5 by child age and moderate DIF for item 9 by parental age group, with negligible impact on total scores.

Conclusions

The SMDS-P showed good reliability and structural validity, with stable measurement across subgroups. It may serve as a reliable proxy measure of problematic social media use in adolescents, facilitating screening and early identification in clinical pediatric settings and informing targeted prevention strategies.

Key messages

• The French version of the parent-proxy Social Media Disorder Scale provides robust measurement of adolescent problematic social media use across multiple psychometric approaches.

• Parent-reported tools may complement adolescent self-report and help identify problematic social media use in clinical settings where direct assessment is limited.