The Impact of Digital Addiction on Technology-Related Fatigue among University Preservice Teachers in Ghana

Digital Addiction on Technology-Related Fatigue Among University Preservice Teachers In Ghana

Keywords: Digital addiction, Technology fatigue, Preservice teachers, digitally-connected devices, internet apps, Ghana

Abstract

In digitally connected environments, users of digital technologies and applications need to pay persistent attention to the overwhelming demands of their use. These expanded energy conditions may induce technology-related fatigue, leading to a physical and mental imbalance in the availability of the inner resources needed to perform certain tasks. In this study, we analysed the effects of subtypes of digital addiction (smartphone addiction, social media addiction, internet gaming disorder, and problematic internet use) on technology-related fatigue among university preservice teachers in Ghana. Employing a descriptive correlational design, data were collected from 220 preservice teachers at a public university in Ghana. Data were garnered employing the sociodemographic traits, psychometric scales that measure the subtypes of digital addiction and the Piper Fatigue Scale. Bivariate correlation (Pearson’s r) and multivariate regression analysis were used to analyse the relationship between the digital addiction subtypes and technology- related fatigue. The results illustrated that the subtypes of digital addiction explained 27.9% (R2=0.279) of the total variance in fatigue levels. Smartphone addiction was the most important factor associated with technology-related fatigue. Notably, this study is among the first to empirically establish a statistically significant relationship between digital addiction subtypes and TRF in the context of higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings underscore the need for awareness campaigns and targeted interventions within teacher education programmes to mitigate the adverse health impacts of digital overuse.

Author Biographies

Akosua Tachie-Menson, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Akosua Tachie-Menson is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ashanti region of Ghana. By way of educational qualifications, she had her Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art (Painting) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Art Education at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. She is Training Officer for the EC funded UNIHUBS project, under the auspices of the KNUST implementation team. Her research traverses Higher Education, Instructional Design/ Design and Production of Instructional Resources, Art Education, Teacher Education, Educational Research, General Education, Instructional Media, and Teaching and Learning.

Harry Barton Essel, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Harry Barton Essel is an Associate Professor at KNUST specializing in Art Design and Educational Technology. With a multidisciplinary focus, he contributes to Publishing Studies and Integrated Rural Art and Industry. His PhD in Art Education explored electronic submission systems, advancing institutional repositories. He has held leadership roles, including Head of Department and PI of the UNIHUBS Project Ghana, enhancing digital literacy and employability. His research spans AI chatbots in higher education, machine learning models, educational data science, cyberpsychology, computational thinking, and hybrid learning models. Passionate about youth development, he also teaches programming to children, fostering innovation and creativity.

Paa Kwame Baah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Paa Kwame Baah is Lecturer (Senior Member) at KNUST with competencies in Virtual Art, Painting, Sculpture and Instructional Technology. His PhD in Art Education bordered on Interventional Systems Technology for distance education. He has held roles on committees in instructional design, and has also held an office for Departmental examinations coordination at KNUST. He has also spearheaded health educational outreach programmes in conjunction with outfits from the Government of Ghana, ADRA and WHO. His research spans the use of graphical application software and how it can be deployed to stimulate teaching and learning in such a way that it will enhance the cognitive and psychomotor skills of learners from diverse sphere of life and cultures.

Esi Eduafua Johnson, Presbyterian Women College of Education

Esi Johnson is an academic researcher focusing on Educational Technology, Art Education, and the integration of emerging technologies in teaching and learning. Her work emphasizes the adoption and impact of digital tools in higher education, particularly concerning student motivation, creativity, and technology acceptance. She also investigates the intersection of digital literacy, pedagogy, and innovation in teacher education. Esi has conducted mixed-methods research on project-based learning, design thinking, and AI's role in education. Her broader academic activities include curriculum development and instructional design.

Grace Sintim Adasi, University of Ghana

Rev Dr. Mrs. Grace Sintim Adasi is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana and currently the Principal of Agogo Presbyterian Women’s College of Education. She is also the research coordinator for the Ghana chapter of Circle of Cornered African Women Theologians (CIRCLE) and a member of the Yale-Edinburgh Group on World Christianity and the History of Mission. Dr. Adasi holds a PhD in the Study of Religions. Her research areas are Gender and Christianity, Culture and Spirituality, Indigenous African Religions and Education and Women’s Empowerment. She has also published several articles and is the author of the book Gender and Change: Roles and Challenges of Ordained Women Ministers in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

Joy Seko Abla Amankwa, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Dr. (Mrs.) Joy Seko Abra Amankwa serves as Senior Assistant Registrar in the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. Amankwa earned a BA in Political Science (2004) and an MPhil in Adult Education (2008) from the University of Ghana, Legon. She later completed a PhD in Education in 2023 at the University of South Africa. Her research focuses on the intersection of technology and learning. She is interested in exploring the transformative potential of technology in education. Her areas of specialization are distance education, student support services, and communication. In practice, her work addresses issues such as online learning systems and student support in higher education.

Beatrice Sarpong-Danquah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Dr. Sarpong-Danquah is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Accounting and Finance, KNUST, since 2016. She holds a PhD in Accounting, an MPhil in Accounting, and a BSc in Business Administration (Accounting) from KNUST. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICA-G). She previously served as the chairperson of the Audit Committee of the Juaben Municipal Assembly. Her research contributions span corporate governance, gender diversity, capital structure, financial literacy, and accounting education, with publications in journals such as Global Business Review, Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Managerial and Decision Economics, Journal of Institutional Economics and Social Sciences, and Humanities Open. She has co-authored studies on board diversity, internal audit quality, and judicial efficiency in financial performance,  particularly within African financial institutions. She is committed to advancing financial accountability and governance in emerging economies. Her work bridges academic inquiry and practical policy relevance.

Published
2025-11-12
How to Cite
Tachie-Menson, A., Barton Essel, H., Baah, P. K., Johnson, E. E., Sintim Adasi, G., Abla Amankwa, J. S., & Sarpong-Danquah, B. (2025). The Impact of Digital Addiction on Technology-Related Fatigue among University Preservice Teachers in Ghana. Journal of Science and Technology, 43(4), 108 - 129. Retrieved from https://journal.knust.edu.gh/index.php?journal=just&page=article&op=view&path[]=1738
Issue
Vol 43 No 4 (2025)
Section
Art & Humanities

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