Development and Psychometric Validation of the Brain Rot Scale: Measuring Digital Content Overconsumption Among Generation Alpha and Generation Z

Abstract

Brain rot refers to the cognitive decline and mental exhaustion resulting from excessive consumption of low-quality, short-form digital content, particularly affecting Generation Alpha and Generation Z. This study developed and validated the Brain Rot Scale (BRS) to assess digital content overconsumption among digital natives aged 8–24 years. A two-phase design employed separate Egyptian samples for exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 403) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 897). The initial 21-item Arabic scale underwent principal axis factoring with promax rotation, guided by parallel analysis. Following iterative item deletion, a 14-item scale (BRS-14) emerged with three factors: Attention Dysregulation (6 items), Digital Compulsivity (5 items), and Cognitive Dependency (3 items), accounting for 35.114% of common variance. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated excellent fit (CFI = 0.988; TLI = 0.985; RMSEA = 0.031 [0.023, 0.039]; SRMR = 0.040), with standardized loadings ranging from 0.667 to 0.758 (p < 0.001). The scale showed excellent reliability (ω = 0.900, α = 0.899), with subscale reliabilities from 0.759 to 0.857. Convergent validity was established (CR > 0.70, AVE > 0.50). Factor intercorrelations (0.636–0.671) supported a hierarchical model where a general Brain Rot factor explained 62.9–69.9% of first-order variance. The BRS-14 provides a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing problematic digital consumption patterns among contemporary youth populations.