Article Analysis

(Digital detox interventions for reducing Depression, Anxiety and improving cognitive functioning)

Aim of the study  To check the impact of a digital detox interventions on reducing anxiety, depression among young
adults’ employees & unemployed.
 Analyze the effectiveness across demographic groups such as age, gender, employment status.
 Explore participant perceptions and experiences with digital detox practice to identify the potential
barriers and facilitators for broader implementation
Methods Pre-test & post-test used followed by digital detox interventions. Online survey was carried out.
Sample (N=467) Male:51.6% Female:48.4%
(M=241, F=226) 18-30 age group.
Anxiety and depression level were assessed before and after a two-week-long digital detox intervention, with
reduced digital device usage.
Data were analyzed using ANOVA to examine differences in mental health outcomes across groups.
Results Findings indicates significant reductions in anxiety, depression in both male and female
 Male: anxiety score dropped from 12.50 to 6.58
Anxiety  Female: anxiety score dropped from 14.74 to 8.29
 Depression scores significantly declined from moderate to mild level across gender, age and
occupational categories.
 Full time employee (13.47 to 6.80)
 Unemployed (13.95 to 7.13)
Depression
 The probability is less than 0.01% (that suggest that the intervention had a real significant effect on
reducing anxiety and depression)
Introduction Recent studies have shown that excessive of screen time and interaction with digital technology can have
profound effects of mental health that can lead to
Depression

phenomena of social caparison

Prevalence in Saudia 36.84 million internet users 36.84 million internet penetration
49.89 million cellular data (134.1% of total population) in January 24 it is a largest and fastest growing
population of smart phone users.
17.95 million 2019
24.8 million 2024
The kingdom vision 2030 initiative aimed at transforming the country into digital economy across all aspects of
life include (education, work, social interactions)

Average screen time 7 hours and 45 minutes per day.

Negative mental Anxiety, depression, stress with excessive screen time in recent years Saudi Arabia face rapid social economics
health outcomes changes that’s why young adults are experiencing new pressures like academic stress, career uncertainties,
social expectations that are leading to depression, anxiety and stress.

Literature  A recent study found that prolonged exposure to social media correlates with increased levels of
anxiety, depression, and stress. The negative impact is often attributed to social comparison,
cyberbullying, and disrupted sleep patterns, which are exacerbated by the ubiquitous nature of
digital devices.
 Study reported a significant rise in depressive symptoms among adolescents and young adults that
coincided with the surge in smartphone uses and social media engagement. Moreover, the addictive
nature of digital technology has been linked to mental health challenges.
 A recent study observed that there is little evidence for increases in the associations between
adolescents’ technology engagement and mental health, except for the use of social media leading to
emotional problem
 A study has demonstrated that participants who engaged in a one-week digital detox reported
significant improvements in mental well-being, including reduced anxiety and depressive
symptoms.
 The study found that the absence of constant digital distractions allowed individuals to engage in
more meaningful offline activities, such as face-to-face interactions and physical exercise, which are
known to have positive effects on mental health.
 A study found that short-term digital detox interventions led to reduced stress levels and improved
mood, particularly among individuals who exhibited high levels of digital dependency. However,
both studies were conducted in different geographical regions and focused on specific social
media detox only

Materials And This study was conducted among young adults in Saudi Arabia (aged 18-30) who were university
Methods students or early-career professionals with high digital device usage. Participants were recruited via social
media, university networks, and professional organizations. The two-week study involved digital detox
 interventions, where participants limited or avoided digital device use. Pre-test and post-test surveys
measured anxiety and depression levels. Eligible participants reported high daily digital device use (≥5
hours/day) and experienced anxiety or depression symptoms. Exclusion criteria included diagnosed
mental health disorders requiring ongoing treatment and non-adherence to digital detox practices for two
weeks. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Sampling  This study used a purposive sampling method to recruit young adults (18-30 years) in Saudi Arabia
 online survey was distributed via social media, email, and community forums
 The sample size was determined using Cochran's formula to ensure statistical
reliability and validity. (A total of 479 participants were included in the study, however, 12
participants did not complete post-study survey, leading to a final sample of 467 participants)

Instruments The Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) was utilized to assess anxiety levels, while the Patient Health
Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was employed to measure depressive symptoms, custom-designed Digital Detox
Practices Questionnaire (DDPQ) (Appendix)
Impact of DDI on
Dep  The 21-23 years age group showed the largest improvement, decreasing from 13.07 to 6.46
 27-28 years age group retained the highest postintervention mean score at 7.32, though still within
the mild range.
 Occupation-wise, each category experienced significant reductions, with scores moving from
moderate to mild depression. For instance, full-time employees’ scores dropped from 13.47 to 6.80,
and unemployed participants’ scores went from 13.95 to 7.13.
 (51.4%) find these activities "Somewhat difficult,
 22.7%) reports that these tasks are "Very difficult,"
 16.3% of the respondents describe their difficulty as "Extremely difficult," highlighting severe
impairment due to depression.
 9.6% of respondents report "Not difficult at all
Impact of DDI on
Anx  Male: anxiety score dropped from 12.50 to 6.58
 Female: anxiety score dropped from 14.74 to 8.29
 11.3% of participants reported that these activities were
 "Not difficult at all"
 participants (48.6%) found these activities "Somewhat difficult,"
 21.5% of individuals reported their tasks as "Very difficult"
 18.6% found them "Extremely difficult,"
Discussion This study's results highlight the positive impact of digital detox interventions on reducing anxiety and
depression levels among young adults. The findings suggest that consistency, rather than length, of digital
detox sessions is key to success. Significant reductions in anxiety and depression were observed across
demographics, with males experiencing greater anxiety reduction than females. Age-wise, older participants
benefited more from the intervention, while unemployed individuals had the highest baseline anxiety and
depression levels. The study underscores the importance of accessible mental health interventions, particularly
for unemployed individuals and younger populations.
Strength  This study has several strong points. It includes a diverse group of 467 people from different ages,
genders, and jobs, making the results more widely applicable.
 Conducting the study in Saudi Arabia provides valuable insights into how digital detox affects
people in a society with widespread technology use.
Limitations  The study relied on self-reported measures
 The study's cross-sectional design does not allow for causal inferences or an assessment of long-
term effects
 The study did not have a control group, making it difficult to compare the effects of digital detox to
a non-intervention group.

Future Research  instead of relying on self-reported measures, use objective assessments to reduce bias and increase
Recommendations accuracy.
 Conduct a longitudinal study to assess the sustained effects of digital detox over time.
 Investigate tailored digital detox interventions based on demographics such as:
- Gender: Develop interventions that address specific needs and responses of males and
females.
- Age: Create interventions that cater to different age groups, such as younger adults (18-
23) and older adults (27-30).
 - Occupational status: Design interventions that address the unique needs and challenges of
employed, unemployed, and part-time workers.
 Digital detox practices questionnaire Please rate the following statements about your
experiences and attitudes towards digital detox practices on a scale of 1 to 5 (1: Strongly
disagree; 2: Disagree; 3: Neutral; 4: Agree; 5: Strongly agree) I regularly take breaks from
using digital devices (e.g., phone, computer, TV).

I. I have achieved digital detoxing (completely disconnecting from digital devices).