The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students

Abdul Kadir Albayraktar; Nazım Ercüment Beyhun; Cansu Ağralı; Yusuf Emre Bostan; Murat Topbaş; Sevil Turhan; Aykut Karahan; Cilem Bilginer; Nihan Kalkandeler Özdin; Gizem Nur Şakar

doi:10.20518/tjph.1669697

The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of new addictions in the literature emerging with technology and related factors in university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 6,223 participants in three universities. The technological addictions assessed were internet addiction (IA), social media addiction (SMA), and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Independent variables included personal characteristics and the purpose and duration of internet use. Prevalence ratios were calculated and logistic regression test was used in multivariate analyses. Results: The prevalence of IA, SMA, and IGD was 9.5%, 33.9%, and 2.4%, respectively. The risk of SMA was higher in women [odds ratio (OR) =0.85 95% confidence interval (CI) =0.75-0.98], IGD was higher in men (OR =2.00 95% CI =1.33-3.02). Spending more than four hours for per day on social media, playing games, watching movies or TV series, shopping, communicating-chatting on the internet was a risk factor for internet addiction. Using social media more than four hours per day was a risk factor for SMA, and playing games more than four hours per day was a risk factor for IGD. Staying in a dormitory was a risk factor for technological addictions. The risk of technological addictions differed between faculties. Conclusion: There is a need for studies investigating the reasons for the differences in addiction results between faculties and places of residence. Since students' duration and purpose of internet use are risk factors for technological addictions, students can be informed about the rational use of technology.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Karadeniz Technical University, Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit

Project Number

TTU-2022-10005

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval was obtained from the Scientific Research Ethics Committee of KTU Faculty of Medicine (protocol no: 2021/371, date: 28.06.2022).

Thanks

We would like to thank Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon University, Avrasya University for providing the necessary permissions for the conduct of the research, and the researchers Behiye Şahbaz, Hilal Çankaya, Muhammet Enes Vural, Yeliz Dabağ, Sümeyra Yıldız, Betül Zeynep Ütük for supporting the collection of data.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Public Health (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Abdul Kadir Albayraktar ^*
0000-0002-3708-4493
Türkiye

Nazım Ercüment Beyhun
0000-0002-4664-9070
Türkiye

Cansu Ağralı
0000-0003-2911-9665
Türkiye

Yusuf Emre Bostan
0000-0003-2418-1793
Türkiye

Murat Topbaş
0000-0003-4047-4027
Türkiye

Sevil Turhan
0000-0002-8534-2928
Türkiye

Aykut Karahan
0000-0001-7028-9362
Türkiye

Cilem Bilginer
0000-0003-3375-3183
Türkiye

Nihan Kalkandeler Özdin
0000-0002-3362-363X
Türkiye

Gizem Nur Şakar
0000-0001-5696-0674
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

December 15, 2025

Publication Date

December 30, 2025

Submission Date

April 3, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 1, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 23 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.20518/tjph.1669697

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA53TM27LD

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Albayraktar, A. K., Beyhun, N. E., Ağralı, C., Bostan, Y. E., Topbaş, M., Turhan, S., Karahan, A., Bilginer, C., Kalkandeler Özdin, N., & Şakar, G. N. (2025). The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students. Turkish Journal of Public Health, 23(3), 291-299. https://doi.org/10.20518/tjph.1669697

AMA

1.Albayraktar AK, Beyhun NE, Ağralı C, et al. The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students. TJPH. 2025;23(3):291-299. doi:10.20518/tjph.1669697

Chicago

Albayraktar, Abdul Kadir, Nazım Ercüment Beyhun, Cansu Ağralı, et al. 2025. “The Prevalence of Technological Addictions and Related Factors in University Students”. Turkish Journal of Public Health 23 (3): 291-99. https://doi.org/10.20518/tjph.1669697.

EndNote

Albayraktar AK, Beyhun NE, Ağralı C, Bostan YE, Topbaş M, Turhan S, Karahan A, Bilginer C, Kalkandeler Özdin N, Şakar GN (December 1, 2025) The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students. Turkish Journal of Public Health 23 3 291–299.

IEEE

[1]A. K. Albayraktar et al., “The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students”, TJPH, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 291–299, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.20518/tjph.1669697.

ISNAD

Albayraktar, Abdul Kadir - Beyhun, Nazım Ercüment - Ağralı, Cansu - Bostan, Yusuf Emre - Topbaş, Murat - Turhan, Sevil - Karahan, Aykut - Bilginer, Cilem - Kalkandeler Özdin, Nihan - Şakar, Gizem Nur. “The Prevalence of Technological Addictions and Related Factors in University Students”. Turkish Journal of Public Health 23/3 (December 1, 2025): 291-299. https://doi.org/10.20518/tjph.1669697.

JAMA

1.Albayraktar AK, Beyhun NE, Ağralı C, Bostan YE, Topbaş M, Turhan S, Karahan A, Bilginer C, Kalkandeler Özdin N, Şakar GN. The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students. TJPH. 2025;23:291–299.

MLA

Albayraktar, Abdul Kadir, et al. “The Prevalence of Technological Addictions and Related Factors in University Students”. Turkish Journal of Public Health, vol. 23, no. 3, Dec. 2025, pp. 291-9, doi:10.20518/tjph.1669697.

Vancouver

1.Abdul Kadir Albayraktar, Nazım Ercüment Beyhun, Cansu Ağralı, Yusuf Emre Bostan, Murat Topbaş, Sevil Turhan, Aykut Karahan, Cilem Bilginer, Nihan Kalkandeler Özdin, Gizem Nur Şakar. The prevalence of technological addictions and related factors in university students. TJPH. 2025 Dec. 1;23(3):291-9. doi:10.20518/tjph.1669697