Digital Addiction and Related Factors among College Students

Exploring the association between internet addiction and time management among undergraduate nursing students

BACKGROUND

Modern undergraduate nursing students face unique challenges as digital natives balancing internet activities with the substantial academic demands of nursing studies. Given the detrimental effects of internet addiction on students' academic performance and well-being, having time management skills is crucial.

AIMS

To assess the prevalence and levels of internet addiction and time management and their association among undergraduate nursing students.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional, survey-based research design was used.

SETTING

The Faculty of Nursing at Alexandria University in Egypt.

SUBJECTS

A stratified random sample consisting of 825 undergraduate nursing students.

TOOLS

The internet addiction test and time management questionnaire were utilized to collect data.

FINDINGS

Internet addiction was prevalent among 98.8% of students, with 56.0% exhibiting mild levels, 40.0% showing moderate levels, and 2.8% having severe levels. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between students' internet addiction and overall time management (r= - 0.387, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

A considerable level of internet addiction was revealed among the great majority of undergraduate nursing students; however, many students also demonstrated strong time management skills. Furthermore, internet addiction and overall time management were negatively associated, indicating that students with higher levels of internet addiction tend to have poorer time management abilities.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Individual counseling and educational training programs should be developed to teach nursing students how to manage time and effectively plan internet usage.

Effects of active video games on physical activity among overweight and obese college students: a systematic review

Background

The purpose of this study was to critically review the existing literature on the effects of active video games (AVGs) on physical activity in overweight and obese college students to determine whether AVGs can promote and achieve recommended levels of physical activity. The results should provide constructive input for future research.

Methods

A total of five international databases including PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, and EBSCOhost were searched with keywords related to "active video games," "physical activity," and "obese college students" from July 2022. A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines and randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies that met the inclusion criteria were included. Furthermore, the quality assessment of the studies was measured using the PEDro scale.

Results

One thousand and twenty-three articles were retrieved, of which eight randomised controlled trial studies met the inclusion criteria. AVGs can reduce sedentary behaviour and positively affect physical activity, time spent on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), positive psychological factors, and game attendance rate. Combining AVGs with other assistive devices (such as mini-trampolines and stationary bikes) can enhance the effects of AVGs and provide greater physiological stimulation. Different types of AVGs and game modes can achieve different emotional responses, physiological stimulation, and physical activity levels.

Conclusion

The research findings prove that AVGs can be a viable intervention to increase physical activity in overweight or obese college students, ultimately reaching the recommended physical activity level(PAL). Physical activity can be further increased by incorporating assistive devices or using features supported by self-determination theory (SDT). As a new modality, AVGs could be a potential alternative to traditional physical activity.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier: CRD42022363993.