Problematic Smartphone UseMindfulnessNCT06819540
The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme on Smartphone Addiction, Stress and Quality of Life in University Students
A study testing Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program in people with Problematic Smartphone Use and Perceived Stress, run by Hasan Kalyoncu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This study examined whether a brief mindfulness-based stress reduction program could help university students reduce problematic smartphone use and perceived stress and improve their quality of life. The study included 99 university students aged 18 years or older who had high smartphone addiction scores. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 25 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Problematic Smartphone Use, Perceived Stress, Health-Related Quality of Life
- What is being tested?
- Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 99 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 22 Feb 2025to 20 Dec 2025
- 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 to 25 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Being 18 years of age or older.
- Being enrolled as a student in one of the two vocational schools included in the study.
- Owning and regularly using a smartphone.
- Having a high Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) score during screening and being selected from among the highest-scoring eligible students.
- Providing written informed consent to participate in the study.
Who cannot join
- Having a self-reported psychiatric diagnosis.
- Using psychotropic medication.
- Having a physical condition that could interfere with breath-based meditation practices, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
This study examined whether a brief mindfulness-based stress reduction program could help university students reduce problematic smartphone use and perceived stress and improve their quality of life.
The study included 99 university students aged 18 years or older who had high smartphone addiction scores. Two vocational schools at a university in Türkiye were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group.
Read more
Students in the intervention group participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based program consisting of one 45-60-minute group session per week. The sessions included breathing exercises, meditation, awareness of thoughts and emotions, and strategies for more mindful smartphone use. Students in the control group continued their usual daily routines without receiving the program.
Researchers assessed smartphone addiction, perceived stress, quality of life, and mindfulness before the program, immediately after the eight-week program, and 12 weeks after the program ended.
The study aimed to determine whether this brief mindfulness-based program could help university students develop healthier smartphone use habits, manage stress, and improve their overall well-being.
Read the detailed description
Problematic smartphone use is an increasing concern among university students and has been associated with higher perceived stress, sleep disturbances, difficulties in attention, and reduced quality of life. Academic demands, changing social relationships, and uncertainty about the future may increase students' vulnerability to excessive smartphone use. Students may use smartphones to cope with stress, potentially creating a cycle in which stress and problematic smartphone use reinforce each other.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an approach that encourages individuals to focus on the present moment with openness and without judgment. Mindfulness practices may help individuals recognize automatic behavioral patterns, regulate emotional responses, manage stress, and make more deliberate choices about smartphone use. Although mindfulness-based interventions have shown promising effects on psychological well-being, evidence regarding their sustained effects on problematic smartphone use among university students remains limited.
This study was designed to investigate whether a brief, structured MBSR-based program could reduce smartphone addiction and perceived stress while improving health-related quality of life among university students with high smartphone addiction scores. The program combined mindfulness practices, including breathing awareness, body scanning, meditation, mindful movement, and self-compassion, with activities aimed at increasing awareness of smartphone use habits and promoting healthier digital behaviors.
The study also examined changes in mindfulness as a potential mechanism related to improvements in smartphone use and psychological well-being. By assessing outcomes immediately after the intervention and at a later follow-up, the researchers sought to explore whether the effects of the program were maintained beyond the intervention period.
The findings may contribute to the development of accessible, structured, and low-cost mindfulness-based approaches that could be integrated into university counseling and student support services to promote healthier smartphone use, stress management, and overall well-being.
- Being tested
- Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program
- Keywords
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Smartphone Addiction, Perceived Stress, Health-Related Quality of Life
- Medical subject headings
- Internet Addiction Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) ProgramBehavioural
The intervention was a brief, eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program delivered face-to-face in small groups of 10-15 university students. Participants attended one 45-60-minute session per week, for a total of eight sessions.
The program included breathing awareness, body scanning, sitting meditation, mindful walking, non-judgmental observation of thoughts and emotions, self-compassion, and mindful communication. Sessions also addressed problematic smartphone use through awareness of automatic phone-checking behaviors, recognition of stress-related smartphone use, digital breaks, and strategies for more mindful technology use.
Participants received guided audio recordings and written materials for home practice and maintained weekly practice logs. Sessions were facilitated by a nurse who had completed an eight-week mindfulness-based training program.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Group | Experimental | Participants in this group received a brief, structured, eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program. The intervention consisted of one 45-60-minute face-to-face group session per week. Sessions included breathing awareness, body scanning, sitting meditation, mindful walking, self-compassion, emotional awareness, and strategies for mindful smartphone use. Participants were also encouraged to practice mindfulness exercises at home using guided audio recordings and written materials. Receives: Behavioral: Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program |
| Control Group | No intervention | Participants in the control group did not receive any mindfulness-based intervention during the study period. They continued their usual academic activities and daily routines. Outcome assessments were conducted at the same time points as those in the intervention group. After completion of the follow-up assessment, control group participants were informed about the program and invited to participate. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) Total Score at 12-Week Follow-Up
Smartphone addiction was assessed using the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), a 33-item self-report questionnaire. Each item is rated on a six-point Likert scale, yielding a total score ranging from 33 to 198. Higher scores indicate greater severity of problematic smartphone use. The primary outcome was the SAS total score at the 12-week follow-up after completion of the eight-week intervention. Lower scores indicate a more favorable outcome.
Measured: Week 20 (12 weeks after completion of the intervention)
Secondary outcomes (1)
Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) Total Score at Post-Intervention
Smartphone addiction was assessed using the 33-item Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). Each item is rated on a six-point Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 33 to 198. Higher scores indicate greater problematic smartphone use. Lower scores indicate a more favorable outcome.
Measured: Week 8 (immediately after the intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Feb 2025
- Study start22 Feb 2025
- Primary completion20 Dec 2025
- Study completion20 Dec 2025
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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This study used a two-arm, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled design. Randomization was performed at the school level rather than the individual level to minimize contamination between participants. Two vocational schools from the same university were randomly allocated, with one school assigned to the intervention group and the other to the control group. Participants remained in their assigned groups throughout the study, and outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after the eight-week intervention, and at a 12-week follow-up.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 99 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hasan Kalyoncu University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Leyla SEZGİN, Hasan Kalyoncu University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06819540
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 27.12.2024-175288
- Acronym
- Mindfulness
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Jan 2025
- Last updated
- 23 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme on Smartphone Addiction, Stress and Quality of Life in University Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06819540
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Mindfulness / 27.12.2024-175288
- Keywords
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Smartphone Addiction, Perceived Stress, Health-Related Quality of Life
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 99 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hasan Kalyoncu UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 22 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Dec 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Feb 2025 (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 study examined whether a brief mindfulness-based stress reduction program could help university students reduce problematic smartphone use and perceived stress and improve their quality of life.
The study included 99 university students aged 18 years or older who had high smartphone addiction scores. Two vocational schools at a university in Türkiye were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group.
Students in the intervention group participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based program consisting of one 45-60-minute group session per week. The sessions included breathing exercises, meditation, awareness of thoughts and emotions, and strategies for more mindful smartphone use. Students in the control group continued their usual daily routines without receiving the program.
Researchers assessed smartphone addiction, perceived stress, quality of life, and mindfulness before the program, immediately after the eight-week program, and 12 weeks after the program ended.
The study aimed to determine whether this brief mindfulness-based program could help university students develop healthier smartphone use habits, manage stress, and improve their overall well-being.
Detailed description
Problematic smartphone use is an increasing concern among university students and has been associated with higher perceived stress, sleep disturbances, difficulties in attention, and reduced quality of life. Academic demands, changing social relationships, and uncertainty about the future may increase students' vulnerability to excessive smartphone use. Students may use smartphones to cope with stress, potentially creating a cycle in which stress and problematic smartphone use reinforce each other.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an approach that encourages individuals to focus on the present moment with openness and without judgment. Mindfulness practices may help individuals recognize automatic behavioral patterns, regulate emotional responses, manage stress, and make more deliberate choices about smartphone use. Although mindfulness-based interventions have shown promising effects on psychological well-being, evidence regarding their sustained effects on problematic smartphone use among university students remains limited.
This study was designed to investigate whether a brief, structured MBSR-based program could reduce smartphone addiction and perceived stress while improving health-related quality of life among university students with high smartphone addiction scores. The program combined mindfulness practices, including breathing awareness, body scanning, meditation, mindful movement, and self-compassion, with activities aimed at increasing awareness of smartphone use habits and promoting healthier digital behaviors.
The study also examined changes in mindfulness as a potential mechanism related to improvements in smartphone use and psychological well-being. By assessing outcomes immediately after the intervention and at a later follow-up, the researchers sought to explore whether the effects of the program were maintained beyond the intervention period.
The findings may contribute to the development of accessible, structured, and low-cost mindfulness-based approaches that could be integrated into university counseling and student support services to promote healthier smartphone use, stress management, and overall well-being.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This study used a two-arm, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled design. Randomization was performed at the school level rather than the individual level to minimize contamination between participants. Two vocational schools from the same university were randomly allocated, with one school assigned to the intervention group and the other to the control group. Participants remained in their assigned groups throughout the study, and outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after the eight-week intervention, and at a 12-week follow-up.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) ProgramParticipants in this group received a brief, structured, eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program. The intervention consisted of one 45-60-minute face-to-face group session per week. Sessions included breathing awareness, body scanning, sitting meditation, mindful walking, self-compassion, emotional awareness, and strategies for mindful smartphone use. Participants were also encouraged to practice mindfulness exercises at home using guided audio recordings and written materials. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –Participants in the control group did not receive any mindfulness-based intervention during the study period. They continued their usual academic activities and daily routines. Outcome assessments were conducted at the same time points as those in the intervention group. After completion of the follow-up assessment, control group participants were informed about the program and invited to participate. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Being 18 years of age or older.
- Being enrolled as a student in one of the two vocational schools included in the study.
- Owning and regularly using a smartphone.
- Having a high Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) score during screening and being selected from among the highest-scoring eligible students.
- Providing written informed consent to participate in the study.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Having a self-reported psychiatric diagnosis.
- Using psychotropic medication.
- Having a physical condition that could interfere with breath-based meditation practices, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) ProgramThe intervention was a brief, eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program delivered face-to-face in small groups of 10-15 university students. Participants attended one 45-60-minute session per week, for a total of eight sessions. The program included breathing awareness, body scanning, sitting meditation, mindful walking, non-judgmental observation of thoughts and emotions, self-compassion, and mindful communication. Sessions also addressed problematic smartphone use through awareness of automatic phone-checking behaviors, recognition of stress-related smartphone use, digital breaks, and strategies for more mindful technology use. Participants received guided audio recordings and written materials for home practice and maintained weekly practice logs. Sessions were facilitated by a nurse who had completed an eight-week mindfulness-based training program. | Behavioural | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Group |
Primary outcome
Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) Total Score at 12-Week Follow-Up
Time frame: Week 20 (12 weeks after completion of the intervention)
Smartphone addiction was assessed using the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), a 33-item self-report questionnaire. Each item is rated on a six-point Likert scale, yielding a total score ranging from 33 to 198. Higher scores indicate greater severity of problematic smartphone use. The primary outcome was the SAS total score at the 12-week follow-up after completion of the eight-week intervention. Lower scores indicate a more favorable outcome.
1 secondary outcome
Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) Total Score at Post-Intervention
Time frame: Week 8 (immediately after the intervention)
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 23 Oct 2026.
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program in people with Problematic Smartphone Use and Perceived Stress, run by Hasan Kalyoncu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 5 inclusion and 3 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 23 Oct 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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?
Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) Total Score at 12-Week Follow-Up (time frame: Week 20 (12 weeks after completion of the intervention)). 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 23 Oct 2026.