The Effect Of Technology Addiction Prevention Program On University Students At Risk For Technology Addiction

May 3, 2026 updated by: Çiçek Önder, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Due to the increasing use of technological devices among adolescents, technology addiction is a serious public health problem that requires intervention. In order to cope with this problem, it is necessary to develop programs that have proven effects and are suitable for our culture and the psychosocial development of the age group in question. In the project planned to be carried out in two stages, university students at risk of technology addiction will be identified and the effect of the developed technology addiction prevention program will be evaluated. In these days when national combat studies on behavioral addictions are initiated in our country, the results of the research will contribute to the development of national action plans in the fight against technology addiction. The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to evaluate the effect of the technology addiction prevention program for university students at risk of technology addiction.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Although it is generally used for leisure purposes, the increase in technological device and internet use affects all age groups and has positive and negative effects on public health. These effects lead to various behavioral problems, especially in adolescents. As a result of the unconscious, excessive, uncontrolled and pathological use of technological devices, behavioral mental health problems such as "technology addiction" emerge. When some studies revealing the prevalence of game addiction among adolescents in European countries are examined, it is seen that it varies between 2.2% and 30.4%. In studies in Türkiye, according to the results of the research conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) with children aged 6-15 in 2021, internet usage rates in children were 82.7% and regular internet usage rates increased. It was found that internet usage and gaming rates were higher in boys than in girls. It is seen that the purpose of internet use is first for homework or learning purposes with 84.8% and second for playing games with 79.5%. 31.3% of children who use the internet regularly used social media. According to TUİK 2013 data, the rate of children who own at least one information technology product has increased. Many physical and psychological changes are observed during adolescence. Individuals' lifestyles and healthy life behaviors are shaped during this period. It is accepted that the use of technological tools and equipment, internet use and moderate gaming as part of a healthy lifestyle can have many positive effects such as emotional relaxation, strong peer support and social bonding. Behavioral problems arise as a result of excessive and uncontrolled use of technological tools. The main health problems that arise due to problematic technological tool and equipment use behavior include inadequate physical activity, unhealthy nutrition, vision or hearing problems, musculoskeletal system problems, sleep disorders, psychological problems such as depression, venous health problems such as thromboembolism and decreased academic success. Model-based approaches are needed to prevent health problems that arise in individuals as a result of problematic health behaviors and to create and develop positive healthy behaviors. Therefore, in this study, an educational program will be created using Cox's Health Behavior Interaction Model (SDEM) as a conceptual framework to evaluate the variables that affect university students' problematic technology use behaviors, the relationships between these variables, and to gain positive health behaviors. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a technology addiction prevention program for university students at risk of technology addiction.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
84

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • BEYLİKDÜZÜ.
      • Istanbul, BEYLİKDÜZÜ., Turkey (Türkiye), 34520
        • Beykent University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • University students who scored 37 and above on the young internet addiction test short form
  • University students who scored 49 and above on the technology addiction scale
  • First grade university students

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Mentally unstable

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: education
The group that received a 7-week technology addiction prevention program
Behavioral: technology addiction prevention program
technology addiction prevention program
No Intervention: plasebo
The group that received a 7-week technology addiction prevention program

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
young internet addiction test short form
Time Frame: Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
The internet addiction levels of university students will be determined with the technology addiction prevention program.
Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
technology addiction scale
Time Frame: Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
The technology addiction levels of university students will be determined with the technology addiction prevention program.
Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
screen time
Time Frame: Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
It will be used to measure students' screen time before the test, after the test and during follow-up.
Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
number of steps
Time Frame: Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
Raising awareness to increase physical activity through a technology addiction prevention program
Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
sleeping duration
Time Frame: Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test
It will be determined whether there is any change in the student during the study.
Baseline, Immediately after post-test, month 3 after the post test, month 6 after the post test

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Çiçek ÖNDER, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
  • Study Director: Aysun ARDIÇ, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 16, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 17, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 1, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 9, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IUC-NURSE-CO-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

I don't want it to be visible

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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