Development and Validation of the Always-On Mindset Scale (AOMS)

Abstract

The proliferation of smartphones and ubiquitous internet connectivity has created an internalized pressure to remain constantly available, yet no psychometrically sound measure exists to assess this disposition in non-Western contexts. This study describes the development and validation of the Urdu version of the Always-On Mindset Scale (AOMS) in a Pakistani sample. Following systematic scale development procedures, an initial pool of 42 items was generated through deductive and inductive methods. Expert review (N = 5) established content validity, reducing the scale to 25 items. Data from 258 Pakistani adults (70.5% male, 62.8% students) were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, which revealed a three-factor structure consistent with theoretical predictions: Perceived Obligation to be Accessible (10 items), Response Urgency (10 items), and Disconnection Guilt/Anxiety (5 items), explaining 58.4% of total variance. The total scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = .90), with subscale reliabilities ranging from .78 to .85. Convergent validity was supported by significant positive correlations with Fear of Missing Out (r = .55, p < .01). The Urdu AOMS demonstrates strong psychometric properties and provides a culturally appropriate instrument for assessing the psychological burden of constant connectivity in Pakistani populations. This scale has implications for research on digital wellbeing, occupational health psychology, and technology-related stress in collectivistic cultural contexts.