Break From Digital Screen Using Digital Detox Program in Nursing Students

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 8‐week digital detox program on digital screen use among 300 nursing students and explored associations between screen use and demographic variables. A one‐group pretest posttest design was employed using the Social Media Addiction Scale Student Form. The digital detox program was implemented for 8 weeks. Digital hygiene, self‐reflection and goal setting, mental wellness, screen time management, physical health, interpersonal relationships, digital detox challenges, and hobby‐based activities. Chi‐square test was employed to determine the associations between digital screen use and demographic variables, respectively. t‐tests were conducted to compare the mean screen time across different demographic groups. Results showed that 42% of students had high social media use, while 20% had low use. The overall mean score of social media use decreased significantly from 64.13 to 47.79 postintervention (p < 0.05), indicating the program's effectiveness. The study suggests incorporating digital detox routines to balance technology use with health, productivity, and external connections.