Argyriadi Agathi, Katsarou Dimitra, Patelarou Athina, Megari Kalliopi, Patelarou Evridiki, Kotrotsiou Stiliani, Giakoumidakis Konstantinos, Abdoola Shabnam, Mantsos Evangelos, Efthymiou Efthymia, Argyriadis Alexandros
Department of Psychology, Frederick University, Nicosia 1036, Cyprus.
Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean, 85100 Rhodes, Greece.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jul 6;22(7):1080. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22071080.
(1) Background: The integration of digital technologies such as electronic health records (EHRs), telepsychiatry, and communication platforms has transformed the mental health sector a lot compared to in previous years. While these tools enhance service delivery, they also introduce unique stressors. Despite growing concerns, there is no validated instrument specifically designed to measure the digital stress experienced by mental health professionals. (2) Methods: This study involved the development and psychometric validation of the Digital Stress Scale (DSC). The process included item generation through a literature review and qualitative interviews, expert panel validation, and a two-phase statistical evaluation. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted on responses from 423 licensed mental health professionals using EHRs and digital communication tools. The scale's reliability and convergent validity were assessed via internal consistency and correlations with established mental health measures. (3) Results: The final DSC included four subscales: digital fatigue, technostress, digital disengagement, and work-life digital boundaries. CFA supported the factor structure (CFI = 0.965, RMSEA = 0.038), and the overall reliability was acceptable (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.87). Descriptive analysis showed moderate-to-high levels of digital stress (M = 11.94, SD = 2.72). Digital fatigue was the strongest predictor of total stress (β = 1.00, < 0.001), followed by technostress and work-life boundary violations. All subscales were significantly correlated with burnout (r = 0.72), job dissatisfaction (r = -0.61), and perceived stress (r = 0.68), all with a < 0.001. (4) Conclusions: The DSC is a valid and reliable tool for assessing digital stress among mental health professionals. Findings point out the urgent need for policy-level interventions to mitigate digital overload, promote healthy work-life boundaries, and enhance digital competency in mental health settings.
(1) 背景：与前些年相比，电子健康记录（EHRs）、远程精神病学和通信平台等数字技术的整合极大地改变了心理健康领域。虽然这些工具提高了服务提供效率，但也带来了独特的压力源。尽管人们越来越关注，但目前还没有专门设计用于测量心理健康专业人员所经历的数字压力的经过验证的工具。(2) 方法：本研究涉及数字压力量表（DSC）的开发和心理测量学验证。该过程包括通过文献综述和定性访谈生成项目、专家小组验证以及两阶段统计评估。对423名使用电子健康记录和数字通信工具的持牌心理健康专业人员的回复进行探索性因素分析（EFA）和验证性因素分析（CFA）。通过内部一致性以及与既定心理健康测量指标的相关性来评估该量表的信度和收敛效度。(3) 结果：最终的DSC包括四个子量表：数字疲劳、技术压力、数字脱离和工作 - 生活数字边界。CFA支持该因素结构（CFI = 0.965，RMSEA = 0.038），总体信度可接受（克朗巴哈系数 = 0.87）。描述性分析显示数字压力处于中高水平（M = 11.94，SD = 2.72）。数字疲劳是总压力的最强预测因素（β = 1.00，< 0.001），其次是技术压力和工作 - 生活边界侵犯。所有子量表与职业倦怠（r = 0.72）、工作不满（r = -0.61）和感知压力（r = 0.68）均显著相关，所有p值均 < 0.001。(4) 结论：DSC是评估心理健康专业人员数字压力的有效且可靠的工具。研究结果指出迫切需要政策层面的干预措施，以减轻数字过载、促进健康的工作 - 生活边界并提高心理健康环境中的数字能力。
