Developing an educational model of digital socialization to prevent internet addiction among university students in Kazakhstan
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Introduction The rapid digitalization of higher education has intensified students' online engagement and heightened concerns about problematic internet use as both an educational and psychosocial issue. This challenge is particularly salient in Kazakhstan, where digital learning environments are expanding rapidly, yet empirically grounded, pedagogically oriented preventive models remain scarce. Against this background, the present study aimed to develop and evaluate an educational model of digital socialization designed to reduce problematic internet use and promote healthier forms of digital participation among university students. The proposed model was conceptualized as a multi-component educational framework integrating critical digital literacy, digital self-regulation, digital hygiene, reflective monitoring of online behavior, and responsible online participation. It was implemented as a six-week blended learning intervention embedded in university practice and structured around cognitive-educational, behavioral-technological, psycho-pedagogical, and organizational components. Methods The study employed a two-stage quantitative design combining baseline psychometric validation with a one-group pre-post intervention assessment. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 416 students aged 17–23 years from K. Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University and Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University. At baseline, the psychometric properties of the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) and the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale were examined using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, parallel analysis, exploratory factor analysis, polychoric correlations, and network analysis. In the second stage, the educational model was implemented and evaluated using pre-post comparisons of problematic internet use, psychological well-being, and process indicators of digital socialization. Results The findings supported the psychometric adequacy of both instruments in the target sample. The CIAS demonstrated strong internal consistency and an interpretable three-factor structure, whereas the Ryff scale showed good overall reliability and a multidimensional factor structure broadly consistent with its theoretical design. Following the intervention, the mean CIAS score decreased from 54.83 to 50.96, corresponding to a statistically significant 7.1% reduction in problematic internet use. Concurrently, the mean total Ryff score increased from 348.27 to 360.94, representing a statistically significant 3.6% improvement in psychological well-being. Process indicators also indicated meaningful behavioral change: passive scrolling decreased from 61.3% to 42.8%, deliberate planning of online use increased from 28.4% to 57.6%, and the proportion of students regularly applying at least two digital self-regulation strategies rose from 24.5% to 54.1%. Discussion and Conclusions Overall, the findings suggest that digital socialization can be treated as a pedagogically manageable domain in higher education rather than merely as a background condition of student life. This study substantiates practical recommendations for reducing problematic Internet use, improving student well-being, and fostering healthier patterns of digital engagement among young people in Kazakhstan.
Source: Frontiers in Education
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
OpenAlex ID: W7162073207