Technology Addiction and Behavioural Changes: A Systematic Review

Technology is so much integrated in our every-day life that there are a concern of increasing dependency and the effect of the same on behaviour among various age groups. This systematic review is a synthesis of publications published in the past 2015-2025 to explore the cognitive, emotional, social, academic, and physical effects of technology addiction. The review is based on the PRISMA approach and incorporates the results of international research, institutional reports, and country survey findings. Findings show that technology addiction is more or less like behavioural addictions which are compulsive, cannot be controlled, and that they have withdrawal-like behaviour (Griffiths, 2005). Such cognitive effects as decreased attention span, multitasking exhaustion, and sleeping problems are associated with emotional and psychological problems like anxiety, irritability, loneliness, and depressive symptoms. Social effects include more withdrawal, loss of face-to-face communication and amplified risks of cyberbullying. Physical influences are patterns of sedentary lifestyle, disruption of circadian rhythms, and musculoskeletal loads. It is more specific to the age as children and adolescents are especially susceptible, and adults tend to become more dependent on productivity and their emotional state. The review has indicated the importance of multi-level interventions, addressing digital literacy programmes, parent guidance and publichealth interventions, and additional longitudinal and culturally varied research. Technology addiction is a phenomenon that needs to be known and treated as digital technologies keep growing to achieve mental health, promote healthy development, and inform policy reactions.