Review whether your digital habits support or interfere with sleep, attention, mood, relationships and daily functioning.
Digital wellness is not the absence of technology. Phones, messaging, games, social media and online services can support work, learning, connection, creativity and access to care. The key question is whether use is intentional, flexible and compatible with your health and responsibilities.
- Assessment type: Original research-informed coaching check
- Recall period: Past four weeks
- Items: 24
- Time: 7–9 minutes
- Evidence status: Informed by problematic digital-use, attention and sleep research; not psychometrically validated
Response scale
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| Almost never | 0 |
| Rarely | 1 |
| Sometimes | 2 |
| Often | 3 |
| Almost always | 4 |
Digital wellness questions
For items 1–20, higher scores indicate healthier functioning. Items 21–24 measure risk and are scored separately.
A. Intentional use and choice
- I usually know why I am opening an app or device.
- I can choose digital activities that match my current purpose.
- I notice when use shifts from intentional to automatic scrolling or checking.
- I can stop after completing the task I intended to do.
Intentional-use score: ____ / 16
B. Attention and task presence
- I can complete important work without repeatedly checking unrelated content.
- I manage notifications so they do not control my attention.
- I can remain present during conversations, meals or travel when appropriate.
- I create periods of single-task focus when concentration matters.
Attention score: ____ / 16
C. Sleep and physical well-being
- My device use rarely delays bedtime beyond what I planned.
- I can reduce stimulating digital activity before sleep when needed.
- I take breaks from prolonged sitting, repetitive movement or uncomfortable posture.
- Digital use does not routinely replace meals, movement, hygiene or medical care.
Sleep and body score: ____ / 16
D. Mood and emotional regulation
- I notice when online content worsens anxiety, anger, shame or comparison.
- I can choose another coping strategy instead of using a device automatically to escape every difficult feeling.
- I curate, mute or leave content that repeatedly harms my well-being.
- I can use digital tools in ways that support connection, learning or recovery.
Mood score: ____ / 16
E. Relationships, privacy and safety
- I communicate reasonable expectations about response times and availability.
- I protect personal information and use basic security practices.
- I do not routinely use devices to monitor, pressure or control other people.
- My digital habits generally support rather than replace important offline relationships and responsibilities.
Relationship and safety score: ____ / 16
F. Loss-of-control and functional-risk indicators
- I use digital media for longer than I intended despite repeated efforts to stop.
- I become significantly distressed, restless or irritable when I cannot check or connect.
- Digital use repeatedly interferes with sleep, work, study, finances, relationships or safety.
- I hide, minimise or lie about the extent or consequences of my use.
Risk-indicator score: ____ / 16
Scoring and interpretation
Interpret the five wellness domains separately. For each domain:
| Domain score | Reflection range |
|---|---|
| 0–4 | Substantial difficulty |
| 5–8 | Inconsistent or vulnerable |
| 9–12 | Generally functional with specific gaps |
| 13–16 | Strong self-reported digital wellness |
For the separate risk-indicator score: 0–3 few current indicators, 4–7 emerging concern, 8–11 frequent interference, 12–16 strong and wide-ranging concern. These are coaching ranges, not diagnostic thresholds.
Why screen time alone is insufficient
- Work, disability access, education, caregiving and social connection may require substantial device use.
- Two hours of purposeful work is different from two hours of distressed, uncontrolled scrolling.
- Content, timing, context and functional impact matter.
- Objective device data can complement—but not replace—reflection on sleep, mood and responsibilities.
A seven-day digital reset experiment
- Choose one problem: bedtime delay, fragmented focus, comparison, spending or another specific effect.
- Change one cue: move the charger, disable one notification group or remove one shortcut.
- Add one boundary: create a device-free meal, meeting or 30-minute wind-down.
- Prepare a replacement: book, music, walk, breathing exercise or direct conversation.
- Review objective and subjective data: time used, sleep, mood, task completion and relationships.
- Keep only what helped: digital wellness should be practical, not punitive.
Myths and cautions
- All screen time is not equally harmful or helpful.
- “Digital detox” is not the only solution; design, boundaries and purpose often matter more.
- Technology can provide essential community, accessibility and mental-health support.
- Parents, employers or partners should not use this score for surveillance or punishment.
- Online harassment, exploitation, gambling, sexual coercion and financial scams require safety action, not merely reduced screen time.
Related CounselorAid resources
- Sleep Hygiene
- How to Overcome Distractions
- Mindfulness Assessment
- Stress Level Assessment
- Grounding Techniques
- Weekly Reflection Check-In
When professional support may help
Seek qualified help when digital use is linked with severe sleep loss, depression, anxiety, self-harm content, eating-disorder symptoms, gambling, sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, stalking, financial harm or repeated inability to meet essential responsibilities. Sudden major changes in use can also reflect stress, mania, depression, trauma or another condition requiring assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a smartphone addiction test?
No. It is a broad digital-wellness reflection and cannot diagnose an addiction or mental-health condition.
What amount of screen time is healthy?
There is no single adult threshold that fits every purpose and context. Review timing, control, content and functional impact.
Should I delete every distracting app?
Not necessarily. Start with notifications, placement, access friction, time windows and replacement activities.
Research foundation
- Han X, Zhou E, Liu D. Electronic media use and sleep quality: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2024.
- Chu Y, Oh Y, Gwon M, et al. Smartphone usage and self-reported sleep quality: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2023.
- World Health Organization. Digital environments and mental health.
- Balhara YPS, et al. Therapeutic interventions for problematic use of digital technology: systematic review and meta-analysis. JMIR Mental Health. 2026.
Important: This assessment is original and has not undergone formal psychometric validation. It is not a diagnostic or surveillance instrument.