Chronic Stress · Published 2026-06-01 · DOI 10.1177/24705470261462663
Aleksandra M. Rogowska, Davide Marengo, Gabriela Chlebowska
Introduction Doomscrolling refers to a problematic pattern of compulsive engagement with negative or distressing news, particularly through social media, which may be difficult to interrupt despite its adverse emotional consequences, such as high distress and low well-being levels. However, more research is required to explain the link between doomscrolling and mental health in the context of other phenomena related to addiction-like behavior, such as problematic social media use (PSMU) and fear of missing out (FOMO). This study examines for assessing doomscrolling in the Polish cultural setting associations between doomscrolling, maladaptive media use and mental health dimensions. Methods The total sample of 585 adults aged 18 to 79 ( M = 27.66, SD = 10.37), including 49% men, participated in the cross-sectional study. The sample was divided into Sample 1 ( n = 291) and Sample 2 ( n = 294) to examine structural validity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), respectively. The following tools were used to assess criterion validity: Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Fear of Missing Out scale (FOMO), the 4-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results Both EFA and CFA revealed a one-factor structure for the DS-15, with a single factor explaining 65% of the variance in doomscrolling. Reliability of the DS-15 was 0.96 for Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω, in both samples, and an adequate fit to the data in Sample 2, including χ 2 / df = 2.44, SRMR = 0.042, RMSEA = 0.070 (95% CI = 0.029; 0.112), and CFI = 0.964. Although EFA yielded a one-factor solution for the brief 4-item version of the scale (DS-4), the fit indices were unacceptable in CFA. Doomscrolling, assessed by the DS-15, was negatively related to life satisfaction and positively related to daily smartphone and social media use, PSMU, FOMO, distress symptoms, and self-rated socioeconomic status. No relationships were found between doomscrolling and age, gender, and education levels. Conclusions The unidimensional DS-15 is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing doomscrolling in Polish-language samples. It is not recommended to use the short version of the Doomscrolling Scale.
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Rogowska, A., Marengo, D., Chlebowska, G. (2026). Validation and Polish Adaptation of the Doomscrolling Scale. Chronic Stress. https://doi.org/10.1177/24705470261462663