Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between high school students’ digital technology addiction and their sleep quality by determining these factors.
Method: This is a descriptive and correlational study. The study was conducted between April and May 2023 with 245 secondary school students studying in the Health Services department at a Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in a province of the Marmara Region. Data were collected face-to-face using the Sociodemographic Data Form, the Digital Addiction Scale and the Cleveland Adolescent Sleepiness Questionnaire. Data analysis involved percentage and frequency distributions, the t-test for independent samples, ANOVA, the Pearson correlation test, and the Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient.
Findings: The mean total score on the Digital Addiction Scale for secondary school students was determined to be 3.02 ± 0.664. Significant differences were found among students in Year 9, those using digital devices for 8 hours or more daily, those using digital devices at night, those using digital devices for 3 hours or more at night, those going to sleep at 02:00 or later, and those waking up at night. The mean total score on the Cleveland Adolescent Sleepiness Questionnaire was determined to be 40.66 ± 10.016. Among female students, significant differences were found in those whose mothers were illiterate or had only completed primary school, those from middle-income families, those in Year 9, those with at least one failing grade, those using digital devices for 8 hours or more daily, those using digital devices at night, those using digital devices for 3 hours or more at night, those going to bed at 00:00, 01:00, 02:00 or later, and those sleeping for 9 hours or more or waking up at night, the difference was found to be statistically significant.
Conclusion: According to the study, it was observed that secondary school students have a moderate level of digital technology addiction and experience a sleepiness level close to moderate. Furthermore, as high school students’ digital technology addiction increases, so does their sleepiness. It is recommended that further research be conducted to examine various aspects of high school students’ digital technology addiction and that they be directed towards educational programmes designed to raise awareness regarding the mindful use of digital devices.