Research Article

The Effect of Addiction Prevention Course on Behavioral Addictions and Disordered Eating Behavior

Number: 2 March 12, 2026
TR EN

The Effect of Addiction Prevention Course on Behavioral Addictions and Disordered Eating Behavior

Abstract

This study examined the impact of an Addiction Prevention course on university students’ behavioral addictions and eating behaviors, aiming to promote healthier lifestyle habits in higher education. The research focused on technology addiction, online shopping addiction, and disordered eating, which are increasingly prevalent among young adults. The sample consisted of 104 undergraduate students in Türkiye, with 52 assigned to the experimental group and 52 to the control group. The experimental group participated in a structured 10-week (20-hour) Addiction Prevention course, while the control group received no intervention. The program was delivered within a peer-interactive framework under the guidance of the researcher and incorporated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques, such as cognitive restructuring and self-regulation, along with motivation enhancement strategies to address deficits in self-control associated with behavioral addictions and disordered eating. A pretest–posttest control group design was employed. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, Technology Addiction Scale, Online Shopping Addiction Scale, and Eating Disorders Behavior Scale. Findings indicated significant reductions in behavioral addiction levels in the experimental group compared to the control group. Notable decreases were observed in subdimensions of technology addiction, including social media use, instant messaging, online gaming, and website usage. Improvements were also found in online shopping addiction and disordered eating behaviors. These results suggest that structured psychoeducational programs are effective in reducing behavioral addictions and promoting healthier habits among university students. Integrating such courses into university curricula and providing ongoing guidance services may help sustain these positive outcomes.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research was supported by Artvin Çoruh University Scientific Research Projects Coordinatorship as project numbered 2024.S35.02.02 with document number E-75512070-604.01-162439. The researcher involved in the project has waived her rights because she did not contribute to the article.

Project Number

E-75512070-604.01-162439

Ethical Statement

The study protocol has been approved by Artvin Çoruh University Scientific Research and Ethical Review Board (E-18457941-050.99-152744).

Thanks

I would like to thank the students who voluntarily participated in this study.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

School Counseling , Psychological Counseling Education , Adult Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

March 12, 2026

Submission Date

July 22, 2025

Acceptance Date

January 14, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 2

APA
Canoğulları, Ö. (2026). The Effect of Addiction Prevention Course on Behavioral Addictions and Disordered Eating Behavior. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 2, 368-386. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1748430

All the articles published in the journal are open access and distributed under the conditions of CommonsAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License 

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Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education