Digital Silence and Mental Health

NCT07147829 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: B.30.2.ATA.0.01.00/61811
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Social media use has been linked to negative mental health outcomes, including increased anxiety, depression, stress, poor sleep quality, and difficulties in emotion regulation. Digital detox interventions, which involve reducing or temporarily eliminating digital engagement, have emerged as a strategy to mitigate these effects. However, current evidence regarding their effectiveness is mixed and limited by short-term follow-ups and methodological variability. This study aims to examine the impact of a digital detox intervention on depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, and emotion regulation in young adults.

Conditions

Depression Anxiety Disorder; Sleep Quality

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• DASS 21

  The DASS-21 was developed by Lovibond and Lovibond as a shortened version of the DASS-42. The psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Depression Anxiety Stress-21 (DASS-21) scale in both clinical and non-clinical samples were examined by Sarıçam. In the non-clinical sample, the test-retest correlation coefficients were found to be r = 0.68 for the depression subscale, r = 0.66 for the anxiety subscale, and r = 0.61 for the stress subscale. This scale is a 4-point Likert-type instrument consisting of seven items for each of the three dimensions: depression, anxiety, and stress. A score of 5 or above on the depression subscale, 4 or above on the anxiety subscale, and 8 or above on the stress subscale indicates the presence of the respective problem

  30 day

• PUKİ

  The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was developed by Buysse et al. and its validity and reliability in Turkey were established by Ağargün et al. The scale assesses an individual's sleep quality over the past month and consists of 24 items. Nineteen of these are self-report questions, and 18 items are scored across seven components: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. Each item is rated on a 0-3 scale, with total scores ranging from 0 to 21. Scores of 5 or below indicate "good sleep quality," while scores above 5 indicate "poor sleep quality." The scale demonstrates a high level of internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.80, and its diagnostic sensitivity (89.6%) and specificity (86.5%) are also high.

  30 day

Study Arms (2)

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: digital detox

Interventions

digital detox BEHAVIORAL

The digital detox intervention differs from other clinical interventions in several key aspects. Unlike pharmacological treatments or traditional psychotherapy, it focuses on behavioral modification by intentionally reducing or eliminating engagement with digital devices and social media for predetermined periods. The intervention emphasizes mindful technology use, limits screen time, and encourages offline activities to restore emotional balance and improve sleep quality. Additionally, it targets the cumulative effects of constant digital exposure, such as information overload, social comparison, and digital dependency, which are not typically addressed in standard mental health interventions. This unique focus on managing digital behavior positions digital detox as a complementary strategy for promoting psychological well-being in young adults.

Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Owning a smartphone
• Using social media for ≥ 8 hours per day
• Not having a diagnosis related to anxiety, depression, stress, sleep, or emotional regulation
• Living in an environment with internet access
• Providing voluntary informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Having a history of psychiatric diagnosis
• Currently using psychiatric medication
• Having received psychological counseling in the past 6 months
• Having a diagnosis of sleep disorder

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ataturk University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic; Dyssomnias; Sleep Wake Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders

Central Study Contacts

Ceylan AKSOY

CONTACT

+905360595757; ceylangulmez.11@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 22, 2025
• First Posted: August 29, 2025
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 1, 2026
• Study Completion: January 30, 2026
• Last Updated: September 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share