Digital Well-Being and Problematic TikTok Use in Higher Education: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Preliminary Psychometric Evaluation of the TikTok Addiction Scale among Vietnamese Students

Le Minh Tien; Huynh Van Sinh

doi:10.56508/mhgcj.v9i1.373

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Digital Well-Being and Problematic TikTok Use in Higher Education: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Preliminary Psychometric Evaluation of the TikTok Addiction Scale among Vietnamese Students

Mental Health: Global Challenges

Volume 9 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)

By: Le Minh Tien and Huynh Van Sinh

Open Access

|Nov 2026

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Abstract

Introduction

Short-form video consumption dominates youth digital culture. In Vietnam, rapid adoption of TikTok intersects with emerging vulnerabilities in student mental health and digital well-being, yet empirical evidence from Southeast Asian higher education contexts remains scarce.

Purpose

This study examined the prevalence, risk factors and demographic correlates of PTU while testing the preliminary psychometric performance of the Vietnamese version of the TikTok Addiction Scale (TTAS).

Methodology

A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 365 undergraduate students from public and private universities in Vietnam via convenience sampling. Participants completed the Vietnamese version of the 15-item TTAS alongside a demographic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and multiple linear regression were performed.

Results

Participants reported a mean TikTok usage of 3.81 hours/day. The mean TTAS score was 2.58 (SD = 0.77), and 17.5% of participants exceeded the original TTAS cut-off for high-risk PTU. The Vietnamese TTAS demonstrated good overall internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .879), whereas CFA provided only marginal support for the original six-factor structure (CFI = .878, TLI = .804, SRMR = .088, RMSEA = .094). After adjusting for covariates, university type remained the only significant independent predictor of PTU (β = .272, p < .001; R² = .081).

Conclusion

Problematic TikTok engagement is an identifiable risk factor within university cohorts. Because the original TTAS cut-off has not been calibrated for the Vietnamese population and the original six-factor structure received only marginal empirical support, the Vietnamese TTAS should be regarded as a preliminary research instrument that requires further psychometric refinement and cross-cultural validation before being recommended for routine screening. Nonetheless, the findings offer an actionable foundation for campus-based MHPSS frameworks, institutional digital hygiene policies, and targeted student well-being initiatives in higher education.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56508/mhgcj.v9i1.373 | Journal eISSN: 2612-2138

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Language: English

Page range: 242 - 262

Submitted on: Jul 3, 2026

Accepted on: Nov 1, 2026

Published on: Nov 6, 2026

Published by: International Platform on Mental Health

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: Volume open

Keywords:

Mental Health,

Problematic TikTok Use,

Digital Well-Being,

Behavioral Addiction,

Tik-Tok Addiction Scale,

Psychometric Evaluation,

Higher Education,

University Students,

Vietnam

Related subjects:

Business and economics,

Psychiatry, psychotherapy,

Social sciences,

Psychology,

Psychology, other

© 2026 Le Minh Tien, Huynh Van Sinh, published by International Platform on Mental Health
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 9 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)