ORIGINAL PAPER
A school-based self-regulation intervention for reducing digital game addiction symptoms and sleep deprivation in adolescents
1
Department of Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Türkiye
Submission date: 2026-05-18
Final revision date: 2026-06-06
Acceptance date: 2026-06-10
Online publication date: 2026-07-10
Corresponding author
Türkan Akyol Güner
Department of Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Türkiye
Department of Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Türkiye
KEYWORDS
adolescentsproblematic gaming behaviordigital game addictionsleep deprivationself-regulation theoryhealth psychology
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based health education intervention grounded in self-regulation theory in reducing digital game addiction and sleep deprivation among middle school students.
Participants and procedure:
A pretest-posttest control group experimental design was used during the 2024-2025 academic year in Türkiye. A total of 102 high-risk students aged 10-14 (intervention: n = 50; control: n = 52) were selected from two public middle schools. The intervention consisted of four weekly classroom sessions targeting self-monitoring, goal-setting, time management, and sleep-related behaviors, supported by a seminar for parents and teachers. Data were collected using the Digital Game Ad-diction Scale for Children (DGAS-C) and the Sleep Deprivation Scale for Children and Adolescents (SDS-C/A).
Results:
Baseline comparisons showed no significant differences between groups. After the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in DGAS-C scores (85.05 to 72.18) and SDS-C/A scores (49.12 to 39.67) at post-test and three-month follow-up (p < .001). Large effect sizes were observed for both gaming addiction (η² = .387) and sleep dep-rivation (η² = .245), while no significant changes occurred in the control group.
Conclusions:
A brief, theory-based school intervention effectively reduced digital game addiction severity measured by DGAS-C scores and improved sleep health in adolescents. Integrating structured self-regulation modules into routine school health curricula, supported by parent and teacher involvement, offers a feasible and scalable strategy for early prevention of problematic gaming behaviors and promotion of healthy sleep habits in adolescents.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based health education intervention grounded in self-regulation theory in reducing digital game addiction and sleep deprivation among middle school students.
Participants and procedure:
A pretest-posttest control group experimental design was used during the 2024-2025 academic year in Türkiye. A total of 102 high-risk students aged 10-14 (intervention: n = 50; control: n = 52) were selected from two public middle schools. The intervention consisted of four weekly classroom sessions targeting self-monitoring, goal-setting, time management, and sleep-related behaviors, supported by a seminar for parents and teachers. Data were collected using the Digital Game Ad-diction Scale for Children (DGAS-C) and the Sleep Deprivation Scale for Children and Adolescents (SDS-C/A).
Results:
Baseline comparisons showed no significant differences between groups. After the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in DGAS-C scores (85.05 to 72.18) and SDS-C/A scores (49.12 to 39.67) at post-test and three-month follow-up (p < .001). Large effect sizes were observed for both gaming addiction (η² = .387) and sleep dep-rivation (η² = .245), while no significant changes occurred in the control group.
Conclusions:
A brief, theory-based school intervention effectively reduced digital game addiction severity measured by DGAS-C scores and improved sleep health in adolescents. Integrating structured self-regulation modules into routine school health curricula, supported by parent and teacher involvement, offers a feasible and scalable strategy for early prevention of problematic gaming behaviors and promotion of healthy sleep habits in adolescents.
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