The Impact of Digital Detox Training on Screen Use, Sleep Quality, and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Adolescents (DIGIDETOX-RCT)

April 21, 2026 updated by: HÜSEYİN ÇAPUK, Şırnak Üniversitesi

Effects of Digital Detox Training on Screen Use, Sleep Quality, and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study evaluates the effects of a digital detox program on screen time, sleep quality, and healthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents aged 10-19 years. Excessive use of smartphones and digital devices is associated with poor sleep quality, reduced well-being, and impaired daily functioning.

Participants will be randomly assigned to either a digital detox intervention group or a control group. The intervention consists of ten weekly 60-minute sessions designed to reduce screen time, increase awareness of digital media use, and improve sleep hygiene. The control group will not receive any intervention.

Data will be collected at baseline and approximately 10 weeks after the intervention using standardized questionnaires and screen time measures. The study aims to evaluate whether a structured digital detox program improves behavioral and sleep-related outcomes in adolescents.

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

Digital screen use has become a central part of daily life worldwide, particularly among adolescents. Excessive screen exposure has been associated with sleep disturbances, psychological distress, and reduced academic performance.

Previous studies have demonstrated associations between problematic smartphone use and poor sleep quality, with pre-sleep behaviors acting as a mediating factor. Digital detox interventions, defined as structured reductions in digital device use, have been reported to improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and support healthier behavioral patterns.

However, there is limited experimental evidence evaluating structured digital detox programs in adolescent populations within educational settings. Therefore, this randomized controlled trial aims to examine the effects of a structured digital detox program on screen use behavior, sleep quality, and lifestyle outcomes among adolescents.

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.
160

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 Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Merkez
      • Şırnak, Merkez, Turkey (Türkiye), 73000
        • Şırnak University, Vocational School of Health Services

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

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria Aged 10-19 years Smartphone user At least 3 hours of daily screen time Willing to participate in the digital detox program Written informed consent and parental consent obtained No diagnosed chronic medical condition or sleep disorder Exclusion Criteria Outside the age range (10-19 years) Does not use a smartphone Daily screen time less than 3 hours Diagnosed chronic medical illness (e.g., diabetes, asthma, epilepsy) Diagnosed sleep disorder Current psychiatric treatment or medication use Previous participation in a similar digital detox or sleep intervention Unable to attend intervention sessions regularly Refusal to complete study assessments

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: None (Open Label)

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: Digital Detox Intervention
Arm 1: Experimental - Digital Detox Intervention Participants receive a structured 10-week digital detox program consisting of weekly 60-minute sessions including psychoeducation, behavioral strategies, goal setting, self-monitoring, and sleep hygiene education.
Behavioral: Digital Detox Intervention
Behavioral Intervention: Digital Detox Program A structured 10-week program delivered in weekly 60-minute sessions. The program includes psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral strategies, reduction of screen use behaviors, goal setting, self-monitoring, and sleep hygiene training. Participants track daily screen time and receive guided feedback.
No Intervention: Control Group
Arm 2: Control - No Intervention Participants continue their usual daily routine and receive no structured intervention during the study period. Assessments are completed at scheduled time points.

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
Changes in Multi-Screen Addiction Levels
Time Frame: Baseline and approximately 10 weeks post-intervention
Participants' levels of problematic multiscreen use will be assessed using the total score of the Multiscreen Addiction Scale. Higher scores indicate higher levels of problematic screen use. Changes will be evaluated by comparing baseline and post-intervention measurements following a 10-week digital detox program.
Baseline and approximately 10 weeks post-intervention

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
Changes in the Level of Healthy and Sustainable Lifestyle
Time Frame: Baseline and approximately 10 weeks post-intervention
Healthy and sustainable lifestyle behaviors will be assessed using the total score of the Healthy and Sustainable Lifestyle Scale (range: 24 to 120). Higher scores indicate healthier and more sustainable lifestyle behaviors. Changes will be evaluated by comparing baseline and post-intervention measurements.
Baseline and approximately 10 weeks post-intervention
Changes in Sleep Quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI)
Time Frame: Baseline and approximately 10 weeks post-intervention
Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) total score (range: 0 to 21). Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality. A score greater than 5 indicates poor sleep quality. Changes will be evaluated by comparing baseline and post-intervention measurements.
Baseline and approximately 10 weeks post-intervention

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.
Şırnak Üniversitesi

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.

General Publications

  • Ağargün, M. Y. K., Hayrettin. Anlar, Ömer. (1996). Pittsburgh uyku kalitesi indeksinin gecerligi ve guvenirligi. Turk Psikiyatri Dergisi, 7, 107-115. Akram, B., Irshad, S., Nazim, H., Waheed, A., & Riaz, S. (2025). Effect of Digital Detoxification on Sleep quality and Cognitive Performance: A Newer Intervention Trent in Current Era. Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), 14(2), 26-29. Amez, S., & Baert, S. (2020). Smartphone use and academic performance: A literature review. International Journal of Educational Research, 103, 101618. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101618 Bozkurt, A., Demirdöğen, E. Y., & Akıncı, M. A. (2024). The Association Between Bedtime Procrastination, Sleep Quality, and Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents: A Mediation Analysis. Eurasian J Med, 56(1), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.5152/eurasianjmed.2024.23379 Brockmeier, L. C., Keller, J., Dingler, T., Paduszynska, N., Luszczynska, A., & Radtke, T. (2025). Planning a digital detox: Findings from a randomized controlled trial to reduce smartphone usage time. Computers in human behavior, 168, 108624. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2025.108624 Buysse, D. J., Reynolds III, C. F., Monk, T. H., Berman, S. R., & Kupfer, D. J. (1989). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Research, 28(2), 193-213. Choi, S., & Feinberg, R. A. (2021). The LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability) scale development and validation. Sustainability, 13(4), 1598. Gökkaya, D. (2024). Sağlıklı ve Sürdürülebilir Yaşam Tarzı Ölçeği: Türkçe Geçerlilik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 13(3), 1173-1191. Kemp, S. (2025). Digital 2025: Global Overview Report. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-global-overview-report Accessed 24.10.2025 Moody, R. (2025). Screen Time Statistics: Average Screen Time by Country. https://www.comparitech.com/tv-streaming/screen-time-stati

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.
January 1, 2026

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.
April 12, 2026

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.
April 12, 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).
April 12, 2026

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 21, 2026

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 29, 2026

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.
April 29, 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.
April 21, 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.
April 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.
  • SIRNAKUNI-DIGIDETOX-2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The data collected in this study include participants' personal and sensitive behavioral information. Individual-level raw data will not be shared with other researchers due to privacy and confidentiality concerns.

Data will be analyzed within the scope of this study and reported in aggregate form. No personally identifiable information will be disclosed. All data will be stored in encrypted and password-protected systems.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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