NCT07454278

Digital Occupational Balance and Addiction in University Students

Establishing Occupational Balance in the Digital World: An Analysis of Digital Addiction Through an Educational Intervention for University Students

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Medipol University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 17 Years – 24 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Young people, who constitute approximately 1.7 billion of the global population, are significantly affected by screen exposure, cyberbullying, and various digital challenges. These issues alter young individuals' participation in daily life activities, increase levels of digital addiction, and disrupt occupational balance, leading to negative consequences for social and personal well-being. The deterioration of occupational balance may adversely affect youths' overall well-being, highlighting the need for occupational therapists to develop preventive and protective interventions for this population. The proposed research is grounded in potential occupational therapy interventions targeting young people in Türkiye. Previous studies have demonstrated that technological advancements play a determining role in young individuals' daily lives. Considering that this situation may also influence academic performance, the present study has been designed to examine the effects of digital addiction on occupational competence and occupational balance among university students. The study will employ a Sociodemographic Information Form, the Digital Addiction Scale, the Occupational Self-Assessment, and the Activity-Role Balance Questionnaire. Following these assessments, participants will receive a structured educational intervention delivered by an expert instructor, focusing on the appropriate, safe, and meaningful use of technology. The effectiveness of the training will also be evaluated. The target population of the study consists of individuals currently enrolled in higher education. The research will be conducted with students from Istanbul Gelisim University, located in the Avcılar district of Istanbul. The findings of this project are expected to provide occupational therapy students and practicing occupational therapists with an updated perspective on healthy technology use. In this context, practicing occupational therapists will contribute to the scientific development of the country.

Conditions

• Students

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Occupational Balance-Focused Digital Well-Being Education Program	A structured educational intervention delivered by a licensed occupational therapist to promote healthy and meaningful technology use among university students. The program focuses on increasing awareness of digital addiction and understanding its impact on daily life activities, occupational competence, and occupational balance. The session includes psychoeducation about problematic smartphone and social media use, screen-time awareness, time management strategies, and practical techniques to support balanced participation in academic, social, and leisure activities. The intervention is delivered in a classroom setting using standardized presentation materials. Baseline assessments are completed prior to the education, and follow-up assessments are repeated one month later to evaluate changes in digital addiction levels, occupational balance, and occupational self-assessment outcomes

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-01
• Primary completion: 2026-06-01
• Completion: 2026-08-01
• First posted: 2026-03-06
• Last updated: 2026-03-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)