Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Digital Intelligence and Media Literacy Among Thai Youth

Abstract

The objective of this study was to perform a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on Digital Intelligence (DQ) and Media Literacy (ML) factors to verify the consistency between the theoretical model and empirical data among Thai youth. This quantitative research employed a questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. The sample consisted of 680 Thai university students, aged 18-25, from the top five public and private universities, selected through quota and accidental sampling based on voluntary participation. The research findings were as follows: 1) Digital Intelligence (DQ): All eight domains Digital Citizen Identity, Screen Time Management, Cyberbullying Management, Cybersecurity Management, Privacy Management, Critical Thinking, Digital Footprint, and Digital Empathy demonstrated a good to excellent fit with the empirical data (χ²/df ≤ 2, GFI ≥ .996, RMSEA ≤ .05). Factor loadings for the indicators ranged from 0.306 to 0.940, with most exceeding the 0.60 threshold. The low error variance indicated high precision and accuracy of the research instrument. 2) Media Literacy (ML): The five domains Media Reception, Media Analysis, Media Understanding, Evaluation, and Media Utilization also showed a good to excellent fit with the empirical data. All indicators yielded factor loadings greater than 0.70, which were statistically significant at the .001 level. The error variance remained at a low-to-moderate level, confirming the model’s reliability and validity. In conclusion, the findings confirmed that the five-domain Media Literacy framework was an effective and robust measurement tool. It was deemed highly suitable for future application in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and for the development of strategic guidelines to promote media literacy among the youth population.