Abstract
BACKGROUND: With increasing digital engagement, children and adolescents face both opportunities and risks online. While exposure to online risks does not always lead to harm, digital resilience (DR)-the ability to cope with and recover from negative online experiences-mitigates potential adverse effects. Despite its importance, validated tools to assess DR in young populations are scarce. We developed and validated a multidimensional Digital Resilience Scale that assesses coping strategies, bouncing back, and personal growth following online risk exposure. METHODS: Guided by the UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) Digital Resilience Framework (DRF), we validated the scale with 2,014 primary and 6,014 secondary school students in Hong Kong. The instrument comprises two subscales: (1) Coping Strategies (productive coping, reference to others, non-productive coping) across three common online risks (unwanted messages, personal-information leakage, cyberbullying); and (2) Recovery (bouncing back, growth). We conducted confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), tested measurement invariance across gender and school level, and examined external validity with digital literacy (DL) and well-being. RESULTS: CFAs supported a five-factor structure (three coping factors, bouncing back, growth) with good fit (CFI = 0.967-1; RMSEA = 0.00 - 0.046). Subscales showed high reliability (ω = 0.764 - 0.910). Measurement invariance across gender and school level was supported. DR correlated positively with DL (r = 0.036 - 0.254) and well-being (r = 0.042 - 0.659), supporting external validity. CONCLUSIONS: The Digital Resilience Scale provides a reliable, multidimensional measure of students' capacity to navigate and recover from online risks. It offers a practical tool for educators, researchers, and policymakers to assess DR and inform targeted interventions. Future research should evaluate cross-cultural generalizability and longitudinal sensitivity.