Problematic Smartphone UsePSUNCT06750978
Interventions for PSU Among College Students
A study testing Self-reflection and Self-reflection + Contingency management in people with Problematic Smartphone Use, run by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This project proposes to evaluate the feasibility and effects of behavioral intervention strategies on problematic smartphone use among college students. The project proposes to evaluate three behavioral intervention components- self-reflection via actively monitoring phone usage, increasing engagement in… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Problematic Smartphone Use
- What is being tested?
- Self-reflection and Self-reflection + Contingency management
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 47 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 18 Dec 2024to 30 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Rutgers students who are 18+ years old
- Use an Android smartphone
- identified as having problematic smartphone use (scored 31+ on the Smartphone Addiction Scale)
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Feasibility and Effects of Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) With College Students
This project proposes to evaluate the feasibility and effects of behavioral intervention strategies on problematic smartphone use among college students. The project proposes to evaluate three behavioral intervention components- self-reflection via actively monitoring phone usage, increasing engagement in non-smartphone activities, and contingency management (i.e., financial incentives) - on short-term and long-term reductions in problematic smartphone use (PSU) among college students.
The research team will develop a mobile application, referred to as the app, to collect data on a subject's daily phone usage and activity engagement. The app will comprise three features, with specific sets of features being activated during different phases.
- Feature 1: The app will autonomously track the time spent on the apps categorized as social media and gaming.
- Feature 2: The app will display the daily amount of usage on social media and gaming apps, with an option for a subject to confirm their acknowledgment of the daily time spent.
- Feature 3: The app will display an option for subject to confirm their engagement in the alternative activities as planned.
Read the detailed description
This project will extend previous research by investigating whether alternative activity engagement and contingency management in combination with self-reflection via actively monitoring smartphone usage produce greater reductions in PSU, compared to self-reflection alone. Further, this study aims to compare the feasibility and effects of two low-cost behavioral intervention components (i.e., self-reflection and increasing alternative activity engagement) to those of a high-cost intervention component (i.e., contingency management) among university students.
Research questions:
- What are the effects of self-reflection, alternative activity engagement, and contingency management in reducing the severity of problematic smartphone use?
- What is the feasibility and acceptability of the various intervention strategies?
Research hypothesis:
- Participants who receive the self-reflection intervention will have a greater reduction in their PSU compared to participants who receive no intervention.
- Participants who receive the intervention combining self-reflection and alternative activity engagement will have a greater reduction in their PSU compared to participants who receive no intervention and participants who receive only self-reflection intervention.
- Participants who receive the intervention combining self-reflection and contingency management will have a greater reduction in their PSU compared to participants who receive no intervention and participants who receive only self-reflection intervention.
College students who are 18+ years old, use an Android smartphone, identified as having problematic smartphone use (scored 31+ on the Smartphone Addiction Scale), and interested in learning strategies to reduce unwanted smartphone use are eligible for participation.
Intake session: Research subjects who are eligible for participation will meet with a designated graduate student research assistant for consent and app installation. Subjects who provide consent and meet the eligibility criteria will be asked to install the app that will be used to track a subject's daily smartphone usage and their engagement in assigned interventions. The intake meeting will be about 10-30 minutes. Following the consent and eligibility screen, subjects will also be randomly assigned to one of the four conditions, including three intervention conditions and one control condition. The randomization will be conducted by the PI.
2-week baseline phase: Following the intake session, subjects' daily smartphone usage will be tracked for two weeks to establish baseline data. During this phase, only Feature 1 of the app will be activated.
4-week intervention phase: After the 2-week baseline phase, subjects who are assigned to intervention conditions will meet with the designated graduate student research assistant to learn about the intervention strategy, identify goals of daily PSU reduction, and update the app for an assigned condition. This meeting will be about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 1(Self-reflection) will be guided to actively review their smartphone usage data each day. In this condition, Features 1 and 2 of the app will be activated.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 2 (Self-reflection + Alternative activity engagement) will be guided to develop a plan for alternative activity engagement. Each day, subjects will actively review their smartphone usage and engage in alternative activities as planned. In this condition, Features 1, 2, and 3 of the app will be activated.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 3 (Self-reflection + Contingency management) will be guided to actively review their smartphone usage data each day. If the subject meets their daily PSU reduction goal, they will receive an incentive ($8) that day; if they do not meet their goal, they will receive nothing. In this condition, Features 1 and 2 of the app will be activated.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 4 (Control condition) do not engage in any active intervention. Their daily smartphone usage will be tracked using the app. In this condition, only Feature 1 of the app will be activated.
At the end of the 4-week intervention phase, subjects will be asked to complete an online survey that assesses their severity of PSU. Subjects who receive interventions will also be asked about their involvement, acceptability, and satisfaction with the assigned intervention.
2-week follow-up phase: After the 4-week intervention phase, subjects will be asked to stop the assigned intervention. Subjects' daily smartphone usage will be tracked for additional 2-weeks to establish follow-up data. In this condition, only Feature 1 of the app will be activated.
- Conditions
- Problematic Smartphone Use
- Being tested
- Self-reflection, Self-reflection + Contingency management
- Keywords
- Problematic smartphone use, smartphone overuse
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Self-reflectionBehavioural
Participants will be guided to identify goals of daily PSU reduction. o Participants will be guided to actively review their smartphone usage data each day.
Self-reflection + Contingency managementBehavioural
Participants will be guided to identify goals of daily PSU reduction and actively review their smartphone usage data each day. Participants will receive an incentive ($8) if they meet the daily PSU reduction goal.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Self-reflection | Experimental | Participants actively review their smartphone usage data each day, which will be verified by the app. Receives: Behavioral: Self-reflection |
| Self-reflection + Contingency management | Experimental | Participants will actively review their smartphone usage each day, which will be verified via the app. If the participant meets their daily PSU reduction goal, they will receive an incentive ($8); if they do not meet their goal, they will receive nothing. Receives: Behavioral: Self-reflection + Contingency management |
| Control | No intervention | Participants will not engage in any behavioral intervention strategies |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Daily smartphone usage data
The amount of time spent on apps identified by the participants
Measured: 8 weeks
Problematic smartphone use
Severity of problematic smartphone use will be assessed with the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) short version. The SAS short version includes 10 items. The sum of these items gives an overall score ranging 10-60, with higher score indicating more severe problematic smartphone use.
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Dec 2024
- Study start18 Dec 2024
- Primary completion30 Jul 2026
- Study completion30 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Problematic Smartphone UseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures design will be used. The study consists of three phases. (1) Baseline phase (2 weeks): Following eligibility screening and consent, all participants will install an app developed by the research team. The app will track and report participants daily smartphone usage and establish a baseline pattern of PSU. (2) Experimental phase (4 weeks): After the baseline data collection, participants will be randomized on a rolling basis into one of the three conditions: Self-Reflection (n=20), Self-Reflection (n=20) + Contingency Management (n=10), and Control. Participants daily smartphone usage, review of usage data, and/or evidence of alternative activity engagement will be recorded by the app and reported to the researcher. (3) Follow-up phase (2 weeks): The two intervention conditions will be withdrawn in this phase.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 47 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Wen Anthony, PhD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Investigators
- Wen Anthony, PhD, Principal investigator, Rutgers University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06750978
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Pro2024000027
- Other IDs
- AWD00012208
- Acronym
- PSU
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 20 Dec 2024
- Last updated
- 14 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: IPD will not be shared due to concerns about maintaining participant privacy and confidentiality. Although measures such as data anonymization can reduce re-identification risks, complete elimination of such risks cannot be guaranteed. Additionally, the consent forms used in this study do not include provisions for IPD sharing. To comply with ethical guidelines and regulatory standards, we have decided not to share IPD at this time.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Feasibility and Effects of Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) With College Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06750978
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PSU / Pro2024000027
- Conditions
- Problematic Smartphone Use
- Keywords
- Problematic smartphone use, smartphone overuse
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 47 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 18 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 27 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This project proposes to evaluate the feasibility and effects of behavioral intervention strategies on problematic smartphone use among college students. The project proposes to evaluate three behavioral intervention components- self-reflection via actively monitoring phone usage, increasing engagement in non-smartphone activities, and contingency management (i.e., financial incentives) - on short-term and long-term reductions in problematic smartphone use (PSU) among college students.
The research team will develop a mobile application, referred to as the app, to collect data on a subject's daily phone usage and activity engagement. The app will comprise three features, with specific sets of features being activated during different phases.
- Feature 1: The app will autonomously track the time spent on the apps categorized as social media and gaming.
- Feature 2: The app will display the daily amount of usage on social media and gaming apps, with an option for a subject to confirm their acknowledgment of the daily time spent.
- Feature 3: The app will display an option for subject to confirm their engagement in the alternative activities as planned.
Detailed description
This project will extend previous research by investigating whether alternative activity engagement and contingency management in combination with self-reflection via actively monitoring smartphone usage produce greater reductions in PSU, compared to self-reflection alone. Further, this study aims to compare the feasibility and effects of two low-cost behavioral intervention components (i.e., self-reflection and increasing alternative activity engagement) to those of a high-cost intervention component (i.e., contingency management) among university students.
Research questions:
- What are the effects of self-reflection, alternative activity engagement, and contingency management in reducing the severity of problematic smartphone use?
- What is the feasibility and acceptability of the various intervention strategies?
Research hypothesis:
- Participants who receive the self-reflection intervention will have a greater reduction in their PSU compared to participants who receive no intervention.
- Participants who receive the intervention combining self-reflection and alternative activity engagement will have a greater reduction in their PSU compared to participants who receive no intervention and participants who receive only self-reflection intervention.
- Participants who receive the intervention combining self-reflection and contingency management will have a greater reduction in their PSU compared to participants who receive no intervention and participants who receive only self-reflection intervention.
College students who are 18+ years old, use an Android smartphone, identified as having problematic smartphone use (scored 31+ on the Smartphone Addiction Scale), and interested in learning strategies to reduce unwanted smartphone use are eligible for participation.
Intake session: Research subjects who are eligible for participation will meet with a designated graduate student research assistant for consent and app installation. Subjects who provide consent and meet the eligibility criteria will be asked to install the app that will be used to track a subject's daily smartphone usage and their engagement in assigned interventions. The intake meeting will be about 10-30 minutes. Following the consent and eligibility screen, subjects will also be randomly assigned to one of the four conditions, including three intervention conditions and one control condition. The randomization will be conducted by the PI.
2-week baseline phase: Following the intake session, subjects' daily smartphone usage will be tracked for two weeks to establish baseline data. During this phase, only Feature 1 of the app will be activated.
4-week intervention phase: After the 2-week baseline phase, subjects who are assigned to intervention conditions will meet with the designated graduate student research assistant to learn about the intervention strategy, identify goals of daily PSU reduction, and update the app for an assigned condition. This meeting will be about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 1(Self-reflection) will be guided to actively review their smartphone usage data each day. In this condition, Features 1 and 2 of the app will be activated.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 2 (Self-reflection + Alternative activity engagement) will be guided to develop a plan for alternative activity engagement. Each day, subjects will actively review their smartphone usage and engage in alternative activities as planned. In this condition, Features 1, 2, and 3 of the app will be activated.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 3 (Self-reflection + Contingency management) will be guided to actively review their smartphone usage data each day. If the subject meets their daily PSU reduction goal, they will receive an incentive ($8) that day; if they do not meet their goal, they will receive nothing. In this condition, Features 1 and 2 of the app will be activated.
- Subjects who are assigned to Condition 4 (Control condition) do not engage in any active intervention. Their daily smartphone usage will be tracked using the app. In this condition, only Feature 1 of the app will be activated.
At the end of the 4-week intervention phase, subjects will be asked to complete an online survey that assesses their severity of PSU. Subjects who receive interventions will also be asked about their involvement, acceptability, and satisfaction with the assigned intervention.
2-week follow-up phase: After the 4-week intervention phase, subjects will be asked to stop the assigned intervention. Subjects' daily smartphone usage will be tracked for additional 2-weeks to establish follow-up data. In this condition, only Feature 1 of the app will be activated.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures design will be used. The study consists of three phases. (1) Baseline phase (2 weeks): Following eligibility screening and consent, all participants will install an app developed by the research team. The app will track and report participants daily smartphone usage and establish a baseline pattern of PSU. (2) Experimental phase (4 weeks): After the baseline data collection, participants will be randomized on a rolling basis into one of the three conditions: Self-Reflection (n=20), Self-Reflection (n=20) + Contingency Management (n=10), and Control. Participants daily smartphone usage, review of usage data, and/or evidence of alternative activity engagement will be recorded by the app and reported to the researcher. (3) Follow-up phase (2 weeks): The two intervention conditions will be withdrawn in this phase.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Self-reflection | Experimental | Behavioral: Self-reflectionParticipants actively review their smartphone usage data each day, which will be verified by the app. |
| Self-reflection + Contingency management | Experimental | Behavioral: Self-reflection + Contingency managementParticipants will actively review their smartphone usage each day, which will be verified via the app. If the participant meets their daily PSU reduction goal, they will receive an incentive ($8); if they do not meet their goal, they will receive nothing. |
| Control | No intervention | –Participants will not engage in any behavioral intervention strategies |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Rutgers students who are 18+ years old
- Use an Android smartphone
- identified as having problematic smartphone use (scored 31+ on the Smartphone Addiction Scale)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Self-reflectionParticipants will be guided to identify goals of daily PSU reduction. o Participants will be guided to actively review their smartphone usage data each day. | Behavioural | Self-reflection |
| Self-reflection + Contingency managementParticipants will be guided to identify goals of daily PSU reduction and actively review their smartphone usage data each day. Participants will receive an incentive ($8) if they meet the daily PSU reduction goal. | Behavioural | Self-reflection + Contingency management |
Primary outcome
Daily smartphone usage data
Time frame: 8 weeks
The amount of time spent on apps identified by the participants
Problematic smartphone use
Time frame: 8 weeks
Severity of problematic smartphone use will be assessed with the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) short version. The SAS short version includes 10 items. The sum of these items gives an overall score ranging 10-60, with higher score indicating more severe problematic smartphone use.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. IPD will not be shared due to concerns about maintaining participant privacy and confidentiality. Although measures such as data anonymization can reduce re-identification risks, complete elimination of such risks cannot be guaranteed. Additionally, the consent forms used in this study do not include provisions for IPD sharing. To comply with ethical guidelines and regulatory standards, we have decided not to share IPD at this time.
Related trials for Problematic Smartphone Use
Recruiting
The Mindful Smartphone Use Study
Problematic Phone Use Behavior, Depression
Recruiting
Reducing Digital Distractions to Improve Time Management Among Nursing Students
Problematic Smartphone Use, Digital Distraction
Recruiting
MiREA-AC for Reducing Problematic Alcohol and Marijuana Use in College Students
Alcohol Misuse, Cannabis Misuse
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Correlation of Dry Eye Disease, Problematic Smartphone Use and Sleep Quality in Adolescents and Young Adults
Dry Eye Disease (DED)
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Wen Anthony, PhD principal investigator
Rutgers University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Self-reflection and Self-reflection + Contingency management in people with Problematic Smartphone Use, run by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Daily smartphone usage data (time frame: 8 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Aug 2026.