Techno-stressors in Social and Institutional Contexts among Metropolitan Costa Rican University Students

Abstract The growing presence of digital systems in higher education has reshaped how students engage with academic technologies, exposing them to new forms of technology‑related strain. In this study, we examine technostress among university students in Costa Rica and validate a refined three‑factor structure of the Technostress Scale for University Students (TS4US). A total of 279 students participated in a cross sectional survey, and the 19 item scale was analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using polychoric correlations and robust estimation methods. The resulting model demonstrated solid psychometric properties and achieved robust goodness‑of‑fit indicators. Its three dimensions, Perceived Technological Overload and Complexity, Lack of Social Support for the Use of Information Technologies, and Insufficient Institutional Support and Digital Culture, capture the multidimensional nature of technostress in digitally mediated learning environments. Sociodemographic analyses indicated that contextual and organizational variables, particularly educational journey and employment status, were more strongly associated with technostress than individual demographic characteristics. The results underscore that technostress is shaped by broader organizational conditions and emphasize the role of institutional practices in fostering healthier digital learning environments. The study expands regional evidence on the TS4US and underscores the need to integrate human centered strategies into sustainable digital transformation processes in higher education.