Selma AVCI, Emine ALTUN YILMAZ
Türk Fen ve Sağlık Dergisi - 2026;7(1):47-54
Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the effects of screen addiction on sleep in children aged 9 -10. Material and Methods: This descriptive and cross -sectional study was conducted between July 20 and September 30, 2023, with 380 parents of children aged 9 -10. After obtaining the necessary institutional and ethical permissions, data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form, the Problematic Media Use Measure (PMUM), and the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). Data analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0 with descriptive statistics, t -test, ANOVA, Mann -Whitney U, Kruskal -Wallis H, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression analyses. Results: Of the children, 51.6% were boys, 56.8% were 4th -grade students, and 93.7% had no chronic diseases. The most frequently used device was the mobile phone (43.7%). The mean SDSC score was 45.79+/-14.1, and the most common sleep disturbances were related to falling asleep and staying asleep. The mean PMUM score was 2.58+/-0.90, indicating a moderate level of problematic media use. Problematic media use levels explained 44.9% of the total variance in sleep disturbances. A moderate, positive, and statistically significant correlation was found between total SDSC and total PMUM scores. Conclusion: As the problematic media use levels of children increased, their sleep disturbance levels also increased. To reduce the negative effects of screen addiction, it is recommended that families limit children's screen time to a maximum of two hours per day, guide them in choosing appropriate media content, and regularly monitor their behaviors and sleep routines.
