The Effect of Digital Literacy Education Based on Social Learning Theory on Digital Addiction and Social Comparison in Fourth-Grade Students

The Effect of Digital Literacy Education Based on Social Learning Theory on Digital Addiction and Social Comparison in Fourth-Grade Students: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction and Aims:

Digital technologies have significantly transformed children's learning levels, communication skills, and socialization patterns. However, the early and uncontrolled use of digital tools can lead to an increase in digital addiction tendencies among children and intensify social comparisons with peers. Elementary school-aged children, in particular, are in a sensitive period of growth and development when their behavioral patterns and self-perceptions are being shaped. Therefore, there is a need for school-based, nurse-led, theory-based educational programs that support children in developing healthy and conscious behaviors on digital platforms. Social Learning Theory provides a strong framework for such interventions by explaining that children's digital behaviors are shaped through observation, modeling, self-regulation, and self-evaluation processes. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the Digital Literacy Education Program, developed based on Social Learning Theory, on digital addiction and social comparison among fourth-grade elementary school students.

Method:

This study will be conducted as a two-phase, prospective, single-center, two-group (1:1) parallel design, pre-test-post-test randomized controlled trial. Social Learning Theory is a theoretical framework consisting of six components to understand and support behavioral change. In the first phase, Digital Literacy Education based on Social Learning Theory will be developed, and in the second phase, its effectiveness will be evaluated with 200 students. The sample will consist of 200 fourth-grade students studying in central Şanlıurfa, who will be divided into intervention and control groups at a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the intervention group will receive a three-week, multi-component training program based on Social Learning Theory, while participants in the control group will receive routine general advice. Assessments will be conducted at the beginning, after the training, and at 6 months. Research data will be collected using a Personal Information Form, the Digital Addiction Scale for Children, the Digital Literacy Scale for Elementary School Students, and the Social Comparison Scale. The data will be evaluated using descriptive statistical analyses and relevant tests

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Digital Addiction; Digital Literacy; Social Comparison
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Digital Literacy Education Based on Social Learning Theory

Detailed Description

Study Design This study will be conducted as a two-phase, prospective, single-center, two-group (1:1) parallel-group, pre-test-post-test randomized controlled trial. The TIDier checklist and guidelines (Hoffmann et al., 2014; Yakut et al., 2020) will be used to define the study intervention and develop the protocol; the "Reporting of Multi-Arm Parallel-Group Randomized Trials: Extension of the CONSORT 2025 Statement" will be used for reporting.

Research hypotheses:

H1: There is a significant difference in the pre-test to post-test change in digital addiction levels between the intervention group, which received digital literacy training based on Social Learning Theory, and the control group, which did not.

H2: There is a significant difference in the pre-test to post-test change in social comparison levels between the intervention group that received digital literacy training based on Social Learning Theory and the control group that did not.

H10: There is no significant difference in the pre-test to post-test change in digital addiction levels between the intervention group that received digital literacy training based on Social Learning Theory and the control group that did not.

H20: There is no significant difference in the pre-test to post-test change in social comparison levels between the intervention group that received digital literacy training based on Social Learning Theory and the control group that did not.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 200
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: MÜJDE J ARSLAN; Phone Number: +90 0553 735 73 34; Email: 255340003@ogrenci.harran.edu.tr
• Study Contact Backup: Name: SELMA L KAHRAMAN; Phone Number: +90 0544 771 32 57; Email: skahraman1308@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a 4th-grade student at a public elementary school in the city center of Şanlıurfa
• The student and their parent or guardian must complete a written informed consent form to participate in the study
• The student must not have any mental or physical conditions that would prevent communication

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to complete a written informed consent form for the student and parent's participation in the study
• Presence of a mental or physical illness that impairs communication
• Withdrawal from school during the study period due to reasons such as absenteeism
• Withdrawal of parental consent by the parents themselves during the study period
• Failure to participate in at least one of the pre-test or post-test measurements
• Currently receiving counseling for digital addiction or another psychological disorder 9

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention Group; Students assigned to the intervention group will receive a digital literacy training intervention based on Social Learning Theory. This training program will be developed following a comprehensive literature review. The training program will be designed in accordance with the principles of Social Learning Theory and will be divided into six sections. Bandura has grounded the Social Learning Theory in six principles: "Reciprocal Determinism, Symbolization Capacity, Predictive Capacity, Indirect Learning Capacity, Self-Regulation Capacity, and Self-Evaluation Capacity." A digital literacy education intervention based on Social Learning Theory will be implemented	Behavioral: Digital Literacy Education Based on Social Learning Theory; Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the literature indicate that school-based interventions, programs, and training are effective in reducing negative digital behaviors. However, there are no randomized controlled trials examining the effects of digital literacy education grounded in Social Learning Theory on digital addiction and social comparison. This highlights the originality of the present study. The training content will consist of presentations based on evidence-based findings, case studies, and role-playing exercises, enabling participants to experience both theoretical knowledge and practical behavioral applications simultaneously. In this regard, the intervention differs from other traditional digital training programs, as it will focus on incorporating components of Social Learning Theory aimed at behavioral change rather than merely transferring information.
No Intervention: Control Group; Participants in the control group will receive informational brochures on digital literacy training based on Social Learning Theory and its effects. Face-to-face interviews will be conducted at T0 (baseline), after the training (T1), and 6 months after the training (T2) to monitor the participants' progress and answer any questions they may have.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Digital Addiction Score	Digital Addiction Scale for Children: In order to determine the levels of digital addiction among 4th-grade elementary school students, Durmaz and colleagues adapted the Digital Addiction Scale for Children-developed by Hawi, Samaha, and Griffiths (2019)-into Turkish in 2023 to create a valid and reliable measurement tool. According to the results of the confirmatory factor analysis conducted, the model fit indices for the Digital Addiction Scale for Children-which consists of 25 items and 9 subscales-were found to be at a good level. The scale's Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient was found to be .95.	Data collection will take place at three time points during the study: T0 (baseline), immediately after the intervention (T1), and 6 months after training (T2), via in-person interviews.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Social Comparison Score	Social Comparison Scale; The scale items are structured as pairs of bipolar adjectives designed to determine the individual's perceived position when comparing themselves to others. They are assessed using a Likert-type rating scale ranging from 1 to 6.The scale, originally developed by Gilbert and Trent as a 5-item instrument, was expanded to an 18-item scale in its Turkish adaptation following a study conducted by Şahin and Şahin (1992), which involved the addition of several items. It is a Likert-type scale scored on a scale of 1 to 6. Higher scores indicate a positive self-schema, while lower scores indicate a negative self-schema. Its validity and reliability for the Turkish language were established by Öksüz and Malhan in 2004.	Data collection will take place at three time points during the study: T0 (baseline), immediately after the intervention (T1), and 6 months after training (T2), via in-person interviews.
Digital Literacy Skills	Elementary school students' ability to use digital tools correctly and safely is assessed using a digital literacy scale developed specifically for them. Digital Literacy Scale for Elementary School Students: Developed by Şahin and colleagues in 2022 with the aim of creating a valid and reliable digital literacy scale for elementary school students. The Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient for the digital literacy scale was calculated as 0.842. The scale consists of 16 items and is structured around three dimensions.	Data collection will take place at three time points during the study: T0 (baseline), immediately after the intervention (T1), and 6 months after training (T2), via in-person interviews.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Harran University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 29, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 29, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 30, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 30, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: randomized controlled trial; social learning theory; digital addiction; social comparison; fourth-grade student; digital literacy education
• Other Study ID Numbers: HarranU-SBE-MA-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: I believe that sharing personal data is appropriate when it is necessary. Thank you for your understanding.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No