Digital Life Health Literacy: Conceptualization and Measurement

The proliferation of smartphones has ushered in a new digital life paradigm, yet problematic digital use has precipitated substantial physical and mental health challenges among emerging adults. To date, research has lacked a comprehensive framework for assessing health-promoting competencies in managing daily digital life. Integrating the eHealth Literacy Ecological Model and the Digital Well-being Theory, the present study developed a six-dimensional Digital Life Health Literacy (DLHL) model, which comprises digital environment management, digital information identification, digital behavioral autonomy, digital emotional regulation, digital relationship coordination, and digital physical–mental balance. The corresponding measurement instrument, the Digital Life Health Literacy Scale (DLHLS), was subsequently constructed. A mixed-methods design was adopted, encompassing semi-structured interviews (N = 50), expert validation, and three sequential validation studies among Chinese college students (N = 645, 729, and 780, respectively). Both the 28-item full version and the 18-item short form demonstrated robust psychometric properties. For the full scale, Cronbach’s α was .88 and four-week test-retest reliability was .86; the short form exhibited comparable internal consistency. Strong evidence supported construct, convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity. Correlational analyses revealed that DLHL was positively associated with psychological well-being (r = .46), interpersonal trust (r = .35), and prosocial behavior (r = .51), and negatively correlated with boredom proneness (r = -.47) and loneliness (r = -.28). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis further supported strict measurement invariance across gender and academic years. These findings provide the first validated measure of digital life health literacy and offer a foundation for future research on its psychological and educational implications. The DLHL framework represents a paradigm shift in digital health research - from a pathology-focused view to a competence-oriented health promotion perspective - and the DLHLS provides a reliable and valid tool for assessing and fostering healthy digital functioning among emerging adults.