The Effect of a Mindfulness-Based Psychoeducational Program on Digital Well-being and Digital Addiction of University Students

This study aimed to examine the impact of a mindfulness-based psychoeducation program on university students' levels of mindfulness, digital well-being, and digital addiction. The current study examined the effects of an 8-week mindfulness-based psychoeducation program on university students' mindfulness, digital well-being, and digital addiction levels. The study group consists of 310 voluntary first- and second-year university students studying at Van Vocational School. A 2x3 split-plot experimental design with pre-test, post-test, follow-up test, and a control group was used in this study. For data collection, the Mindfulness Scale, Digital Well-Being Scale, and Digital Addiction Scale (DAS) were used, and reliability analyses of these scales were conducted. Based on the collected data, 46 students were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=23) and control (n=23) groups. As part of the research, the experimental group participated in an 8-session “Mindfulness-Based Psychoeducation Program.” At the end of the intervention program, a post-test was administered to the experimental and control groups, followed after 5 weeks by a follow-up test. In data analysis, a t-test was used to compare the initial scores of the experimental and control groups, while repeated measures ANOVA was used for repeated measurements. The results indicated that the “Mindfulness-Based Psychoeducation Program” was effective in increasing mindfulness and digital well-being, and in reducing digital addiction, with these effects persisting in the follow-up phase. These findings were discussed in light of the literature, and recommendations were provided.