Reliability and construct validity of the Technology Device Interference Scale in a sample of children and parents

There is increasing interest in parent-child technoference: the interference with personal interactions caused by technology devices. This study examined the reliability and construct validity of the Technology Device Interference Scale (TDIS) to measure technoference in a sample of Canadian parents and children. Parents (n=883) and children (n=376) were recruited from clinical and community settings and completed the TDIS for their own and family member technoference over three timepoints (T1=2023, T2=2024, T3=2025). TDIS internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient, and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. The TDIS showed good internal consistency and adequate to good construct validity when used by children to report on their own technoference (all α >.70; CFI>.95, TLI>.95, RMSEA<.07) or their parents’ technoference (all α >.70; CFI>.95, TLI>.90, RMSEA≤.11). The TDIS had low to acceptable internal consistency and poor model fit for parent report of their own technoference ( α range: .63 - .66; CFI<.95, TLI≤.80, RMSEA≥.14) or their child’s technoference ( α range: .56 - .63; CFI<.95, TLI≤.85, RMSEA≥.11); factor loadings for the items “phone” and “tablet” were low (phone<.50, tablet<.50). Test–retest reliability was moderate for all reports. The TDIS demonstrated good reliability and construct validity of child-reported technoference. Parent-reported technoference demonstrated lower reliability and construct validity, with “phone” and “tablet” weakly associated with the other technological devices. Future studies should distinguish between handheld vs. non-handheld devices when investigating parent-reported technoference.