Listening Effort, Sleep Quality, and Digital Addiction: Exploring Their Links
Brain and Behavior, vol.16, no.6, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 16 Issue: 6
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1002/brb3.71539
- Journal Name: Brain and Behavior
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Keywords: effortful listening, mental fatigue, sleep deprivation, technology overuse
- Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between sleep quality and listening effort, as well as the relationship between digital addiction and listening effort. Methods: Listening effort was assessed via a dual-task paradigm. In this paradigm, repeating the auditorily presented sentence was designated the primary task, whereas a modified version of the Stop Signal Task served as the secondary task. Sleep quality was evaluated via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and digital addiction was assessed via the Digital Addiction Scale (DAS). Results: No significant differences were detected between the PSQI groups in terms of the reaction time dual-task effect (RT-DTE) or the error rate dual-task effect (ER-DTE), and no significant relationships were detected between the PSQI score and either the RT-DTE or the ER-DTE. Similarly, no correlation was found between the DAS and RT-DTE or ER-DTE. Conclusion: This study is the first to explore listening effort in relation to sleep quality and digital addiction. The results showed no significant effects of either variable on listening effort in healthy young adults under controlled conditions. These findings suggest that listening effort may be resilient to variations in sleep quality and digital addiction, and that other cognitive or auditory factors may play a more critical role. Further studies with more comprehensive designs are needed to clarify these relationships.