A Study on the Relationship between Digital Addiction and the Sense of Anti-Mattering among High School Students

The rapid advancement of technology and widespread use of smart devices have led adolescents to engage more intensively with digital environments, increasing the risk of digital addiction. This situation can also affect the psychological and emotional development of young individuals. This study aims to analyze the relationship between digital addiction and anti-mattering (the feeling of being worthless and insignificant) among high school students. Additionally, it investigates whether students’ levels of digital addiction and anti-mattering vary according to gender, perceived family income, and family attitudes. A quantitative relational survey model was employed to examine relationships between variables. The population consisted of high school students enrolled in public schools in three major cities during the 2022-2023 academic year. A total of 472 students participated voluntarily through convenience sampling. The “Digital Addiction in Adolescents” and “Anti-Mattering” scales were administered. Parametric tests were applied to analyze the data, which were found to be normally distributed. The findings indicate a positive and moderately significant relationship between digital addiction and feelings of worthlessness among high school students. Anti-mattering levels were found to significantly and positively predict digital addiction. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in students’ levels of digital addiction and anti-mattering according to gender, perceived family income, and family attitudes. These results highlight the importance of the relationship between digital addiction and psychological well-being, suggesting that adolescents’ experiences of feeling worthless may influence their digital behaviors. The findings provide guidance for educators, families, and policymakers to promote healthy digital use and support adolescents’ psychological well-being.