Digital Context Switching and Psychological Flexibility: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of “Tech Elasticity” as a Mental Health Protective Factor

There is limited understanding of how individuals adapt to frequent transitions between digital and non-digital contexts while maintaining psychological well-being. In the contemporary digital landscape, individuals navigate between online and offline environments. The purpose of this study is to introduce and empirically validate the construct of “Tech Elasticity.” This mixed-methods sequential exploratory study included 500 participants and comprised three phases: scale development and validation, ecological momentary assessment, and regression-based analyses examining predictive and moderating relationships. Through psychometric development, Tech Elasticity is a multidimensional construct comprising cognitive adaptability, emotional regulation, boundary management, and technology self-efficacy. The ecological momentary assessment revealed that participants experienced an average of 21.3 context switches per day, with transitions from digital to physical contexts associated with higher psychological strain. Higher Tech Elasticity scores significantly moderate the relationship between digital technology use and psychological well-being. These findings suggest that supporting Tech Elasticity may improve adaptation and psychological well-being.