Evaluating technology engagement in the time of COVID-19: the Technology Engagement Scale

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researchers and communication scholars have developed a broad range of theories and instruments to evaluate the concept of user engagement. However, so far, the proposed instruments are not able to fully capture the processual nature of engaging experiences with technological devices, while focusing instead on state variables or dispositional factors. Therefore, this study aimed at describing and psychometrically validating a novel instrument to measure the dynamics of the engagement with technology, namely the Technology Engagement Scale (TES). Data were collected on a representative sample of 2021 participants in Italy. Results from both the confirmatory analysis and the Rasch model suggested the mono-dimensionality of the 5-item TES. Moreover, empirical ordinal alpha indicated a very good internal consistency. Findings provide also solid evidence for the convergent validity of the proposed instrument. Finally, it emerged that TES levels were able to predict the frequency of online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, these findings suggest that the TES could be considered a reliable and valid tool, able to evaluate the complex process of the engagement with technology in a simple, quick, and easy-to-administer manner.