The relationship between digital burnout and behavioral activation and awareness of healthy living among young people

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of young people's levels of digital burnout on behavioral activation and healthy living awareness.Methods: This descriptive-exploratory study was completed with 223 undergraduate students aged 18-24 studying at Sakarya University. Data were collected using the Participant Information Form, Digital Burnout Scale, Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale, Healthy Living Awareness Scale. Descriptive statistics are presented as counts and percentages. The normality of distribution was examined using the Shapiro Wilk and Kolmogorov Smirnov tests. The Spearman test was used to examine the relationship between the scales. The significance level was set at p<0.05.Results: The mean age of the young people included in the study was found to be 20.55±1.43. 80.3% of the students were female, 19.7% were male. The mean total scores for the Digital Burnout Scale, the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale, and the Healthy Life Awareness Scale were found to be 59.02±20.43, 25.26±6.5, 53.41±11.43 respectively. A weak but statistically significant positive correlation was found between behavioral activation and awareness of healthy living (r=0.256; p<0.001), and a weak but statistically significant negative correlation was found between behavioral activation and digital burnout (r=-0.315; p<0.001).Conclusion: It was concluded that young people's digital exhaustion was at a moderate level, their awareness of healthy living was at a good level, and their behavioral activation depression were at a moderate level. It may be beneficial for midwives working in primary care institutions or university health units (medico, etc.) to organize educational programs for young people on the effects of excessive digital use on health and on developing healthy living behaviors.