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NCT Number: NCT07367919

The Effect of a Digital Literacy Program on Problematic Internet Use, Emotion Regulation, and Loneliness in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a digital literacy program on problematic internet use, emotion regulation, and loneliness among adolescents. The study aims to answer the following key questions:

* Does a digital literacy program for adolescents affect problematic internet use, emotion regulation skills, and loneliness? * What is the effect of a digital literacy program for adolescents on the level of problematic internet use? * What is the effect of a digital literacy program for adolescents on emotion regulation skills? * What is the effect of a digital literacy program for adolescents on loneliness? Researchers will conduct pretest and posttest evaluations in the experimental and control groups to determine the effects of the digital literacy program on problematic internet use, emotion regulation, and loneliness in adolescents. Participants in the experimental group who meet the inclusion criteria will receive 8 weeks of positive youth development-based digital literacy training, 40 minutes per week. After the posttest measurements are completed, the intervention group will receive 2 weeks of digital literacy training.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Adolescents Behavior Emotional Regulation Self-Control Social Behavior

Age range

12 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Bayburt Milli İrade Anadolu Lisesi, Bayburt Fen Lisesi

Bayburt, 69000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location contact

Sümeyra DEMİRELİ, PhD student

CONTACT

[email protected]

+905438363745

Sümeyra DEMİRELİ, PhD student

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

About this study

Digital literacy is the process of developing individuals' access to accurate information, critical evaluation, ethical and responsible use, self-management, and social interaction skills. Digital media has become an indispensable part of life today. Individuals interact intensively with digital media, especially during adolescence, a period when interaction with the outside world intensifies, shapes an individual's identity, and heightens emotional awareness. During this critical developmental period, inadequate access to accurate information, critical thinking, and self-regulation skills pave the way for adolescents' problematic internet use. Problematic internet use negatively impacts individuals' academic success, friendships, and physical and mental health.

Emotion regulation, one of the most important skills for coping with risky situations that may arise from problematic internet use, supports adolescents' adaptability and is an effective skill in preventing negative digital interactions. Weak emotion regulation skills can make adolescents more vulnerable to negative digital interactions. Furthermore, increased time spent online and a decrease in face-to-face interactions can reinforce feelings of loneliness.

The program, developed with a positive youth development perspective, aims to increase adolescents' awareness of digital literacy, improve their emotion regulation skills, and reduce feelings of loneliness. The program is expected to provide important data for developing evidence-based intervention approaches for digital literacy within the scope of preventive mental health services in nursing, and particularly for nurses to assume more active roles in school-based preventive mental health services.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Agreeing to participate in a face-to-face education program
  • Obtaining written consent from students and parents
  • Attending school during the study period
  • Being a 9th, 10th, or 11th-grade student
  • Scoring 52 or higher on the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2

Exclusion criteria

  • Not completing the measurements and applications
  • Not being able to participate in the program due to health or special circumstances
  • Changing schools for any reason
  • Being a 12th grade student
  • Having previously received digital literacy training

Treatment and study plan

DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM

Other

This intervention is an eight-week, face-to-face, Positive Youth Development-Based Digital Literacy Program designed specifically for adolescents. It includes interactive sessions, discussions, and exercises that address digital literacy, problematic internet use, emotion regulation, and loneliness. The program differs from other digital literacy interventions because it integrates positive youth development principles and focuses on both online behavior and emotional skills.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Generalized Problematic Internet Use (GPIU-2) Scores

    Time frame: 8 weeks (baseline to post-intervention)

    The Turkish adaptation of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) will be used in the research. The scale consists of four subdimensions and 15 items, namely online social interaction preference, emotion regulation, inadequate self-regulation, and negative consequences. It is scored using a 5-point Likert-type scale with the values of "Strongly Disagree," "Disagree," "Undecided," "Agree," and "Strongly Agree." Caplan did not report a cutoff point for the original Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2. In the study conducted by Machimbarrena et al., an ROC curve analysis was performed to determine the cutoff point for GPIUS2, and a score of 52 was recommended to distinguish problematic and non-problematic internet users.

  2. Change in Emotion Regulation Scores

    Time frame: 8 weeks (baseline to post-intervention)

    The Emotion Regulation Scale for Adolescents is a tool for assessing adolescents' emotion regulation with four subdimensions: internal functional emotion regulation, internal dysfunctional emotion regulation, external functional emotion regulation, and external dysfunctional emotion regulation. The scale consists of a total of 18 items and is scored using a 5-point Likert-type scale: "Never (1), Rarely (2), Sometimes (3), Most of the time (4), and Always (5). Item response scores for each subdimension are calculated individually and indicate the individual's frequency of using the relevant emotion regulation method. The subdimension with the highest total score is the individual's most frequently used emotion regulation method. There are no reverse-scored items.

  3. Change in Adolescent Loneliness Scores

    Time frame: 8 weeks (baseline to post-intervention)

    The single-dimensional scale, applied to adolescents aged 14-19, consists of 7 items and is scored with a 4-point Likert-type scale of "(1) Never, (2) Rarely, (3) Sometimes, and (4) Always." Item 5 of the scale is reverse-scored. The highest score that can be obtained from the scale is 28, while the lowest is 7. Higher scores indicate higher feelings of loneliness. The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was found to be α=0.74. The test-retest reliability of the UYÖ-SF, administered to 64 high school students at a two-week interval, was found to be r=0.84.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Hatice DURMAZ, Associate Professor

CONTACT

[email protected]

+905309218527

Sümeyra DEMİRELİ, PhD student

CONTACT

[email protected]

+905438363745

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ataturk University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 26, 2026
Registry last updated
Jan 26, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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