Self-Control as a Moderator Between Smartphone Use, Screen Time, and Sleep Quality in Young Adults

Abstract

This research investigates how self-control moderates the link between addiction to smartphone, screen time, and quality of sleep among young adults. The global rise in smartphone dependency has been linked to increased sleep disturbances, particularly among younger demographics. This research employed a cross-sectional survey design involving 205 participants mostly within the Kurdish subpopulation, a context that is largely absent from the literature, thereby contributing a culruraly grounded perspective. This study employed established instruments to measure the main constructs: smartphone use was assessed using the SAS-SV, sleep quality through selected components of the PSQI, and trait self-control via a shortened version of the Self-Control Scale Statistical analyses, including Spearman s correlations and hierarchical multiple regression, revealed that higher smartphone use and greater screen time were significantly associated with poorer sleep outcomes. Notably, self-control both directly enhanced sleep quality and moderated the effects of smartphone use and screen time. Participants with higher self-control experienced less pronounced negative outcomes. The findings emphasize how self-control serves as a safeguard against the adverse psychological and behavioral consequences of technology overconsumption. The study offers valuable insights for designing behavioral interventions and digital wellness programs tailored for young adults in emerging digital societies. Keywords: smartphone addiction, sleep quality, self-control, screen time, digital behavior, Kurdish population, digital wellness, behavioral psychology