The effect of digital addiction on cyber human values and digital well-being among university students

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of digital addiction on cyber human values and digital well-being among university students. The research aimed to reveal not only the behavioral but also the ethical and psychological dimensions of individuals' relationships with technology in the digital age. Conducted through a quantitative approach and correlational survey model, data were collected via online questionnaires from 503 university students studying at various universities across Türkiye. The Digital Addiction Scale, Cyber Human Values Scale (i-Values Scale), and Digital Well-Being Scale were used as data collection tools. In addition to descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were applied to identify group differences, while correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to explore relationships among variables. To assess the construct validity and reliability of the measurement tools, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was first conducted, followed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Findings revealed significant negative correlations between digital addiction and both cyber human values and digital well-being. As digital addiction levels increased, individuals' online behaviors based on respect, honesty, tolerance, and solidarity decreased, while their levels of digital satisfaction, safe and responsible digital behavior, and digital wellness declined. Significant differences were also found according to gender, age, education level, socioeconomic status, internet use duration, and number of social media accounts. Overall, the study demonstrated that digital addiction is not merely an individual habit but a multidimensional phenomenon affecting both human values and well being. The findings highlight the necessity of developing guidance programs grounded in digital awareness and ethical values. Accordingly, psychoeducational, awareness raising, and digital ethics based guidance interventions are recommended to reduce digital addiction among university students. Furthermore, educational content that strengthens cyber human values and supports digital well-being is expected to serve a protective role in preventing digital addiction.