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

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

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

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

84

Phase

  • 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)
    • 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

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
Intervention / Treatment
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

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

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

Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Investigators

  • 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)

March 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

January 16, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 17, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 1, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

April 9, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 3, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID 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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