Problematic Smartphone UseNCT07467057
Reducing Digital Distractions to Improve Time Management Among Nursing Students
A study testing Digital Abstinence Intervention in people with Problematic Smartphone Use and Digital Distraction, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Saudi Arabia.
Trial summary
This study examines whether a short digital abstinence intervention can reduce digital distractions and improve time management among undergraduate nursing students. Excessive smartphone and social media use has been associated with decreased academic productivity, impaired concentration, and poor time management in… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 25 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Problematic Smartphone Use, Digital Distraction, Time Management
- What is being tested?
- Digital Abstinence Intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSaudi Arabia
- Study dates
- 15 Mar 2026to 15 Jun 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the nursing program.
- Aged between 18 and 25 years.
- Regular users of smartphones and social media.
- Willing to participate in the digital abstinence intervention and complete study questionnaires.
- Able to provide informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Students currently participating in another behavioral or digital-use intervention study.
- Students with medical or psychological conditions that may interfere with study participation.
- Students who do not regularly use smartphones or digital media.
- Students who decline or withdraw consent to participate in the study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Saudi Arabia1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
King Faisal
Jeddah, Alahsaa
Mostafa kandil, phd, 1094008904, mostafa.shaban2020@cu.edu.eg
Mostafa kandil
About this study
Official title: Reducing Digital Distractions to Improve Time Management Among Nursing Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study of a Brief Digital Abstinence Intervention
This study examines whether a short digital abstinence intervention can reduce digital distractions and improve time management among undergraduate nursing students. Excessive smartphone and social media use has been associated with decreased academic productivity, impaired concentration, and poor time management in university students, particularly in demanding programs such as nursing.
This quasi-experimental study will evaluate the effectiveness of a brief intervention in which participants limit or abstain from non-academic smartphone use for a defined period. Nursing students will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated measures of digital distraction and time management.
The findings of this study aim to determine whether reducing digital distractions can enhance students' ability to manage their time effectively and improve their academic focus. The results may inform strategies for promoting healthier digital habits and improving academic performance among nursing students.
- Being tested
- Digital Abstinence Intervention
- Keywords
- Digital abstinence, Smartphone overuse, Social media use, Nursing students
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Digital Abstinence InterventionBehavioural
Also called Digital detox Smartphone restriction Digital distraction reduction intervention
Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive a brief behavioral intervention designed to reduce non-academic smartphone and social media use. The intervention encourages temporary abstinence or substantial reduction of digital activities that contribute to distraction. Participants will be guided to monitor their smartphone use and minimize engagement with non-essential digital platforms during the intervention period. The goal of the intervention is to reduce digital distractions and support improved time management and academic focus among nursing students.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Abstinence Intervention | Experimental | Participants assigned to this group will undergo a brief digital abstinence intervention aimed at reducing non-academic smartphone and social media use. Students will be instructed to limit or abstain from non-essential digital activities for the duration of the intervention period. Educational guidance and self-monitoring strategies will be provided to help participants manage digital distractions and improve time management. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated questionnaires measuring digital distraction and time management behaviors. Receives: Behavioral: Digital Abstinence Intervention |
| Usual Digital Use (Control) | No intervention | Participants in this group will continue their usual smartphone and social media use without any specific restriction or behavioral intervention. They will complete the same baseline and follow-up assessments as the intervention group to evaluate changes in digital distraction and time management over the study period. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Time Management Score
The primary outcome is the change in participants' time management from baseline to post-intervention, measured using a structured questionnaire/validated time management scale administered to undergraduate nursing students. Higher scores indicate better time management.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention period If your study used a specific named instrument, replace the description with the exact scale name. For example:
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Mar 2026
- Study start15 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion15 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Jun 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (5)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Problematic Smartphone UseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be assigned to either an intervention group receiving a brief digital abstinence intervention or a comparison group continuing usual smartphone use. Outcomes related to digital distraction and time management will be assessed before and after the intervention.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- mai albana
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Mostafa Shaban, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07467057
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 3ertrt
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 12 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Luo Z, Zhou R, Nong K, Peng X, Chen L, Li P, Deng S, Ou M, Hao X, Ye L, Wang Y, Chen G, Li S, Zhu T. Digital Health Interventions in Pediatric Perioperative Care: A Network Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Nov 1;179(11):1153-1161. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3099.
PubMed 40952714Ramadhan RN, Rampengan DD, Yumnanisha DA, Setiono SB, Tjandra KC, Ariyanto MV, Idrisov B, Empitu MA. Impacts of digital social media detox for mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Narra J. 2024 Aug;4(2):e786. doi: 10.52225/narra.v4i2.786. Epub 2024 Aug 7.
PubMed 39280291Setia S, Gilbert F, Tichy ML, Redpath J, Shahzad N, Marraccini ME. Digital Detox Strategies and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Scoping Review of Why, Where, and How. Cureus. 2025 Jan 30;17(1):e78250. doi: 10.7759/cureus.78250. eCollection 2025 Jan.
PubMed 40026988Marciano L, Jindal S, Viswanath K. Digital Detox and Well-Being. Pediatrics. 2024 Oct 1;154(4):e2024066142. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-066142.
PubMed 39285845Albarqi MN, Almulhim MY, Albana MA. The impact of a brief digital abstinence intervention on digital distractions and time management among nursing students: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Nurs. 2026 Jun 24. doi: 10.1186/s12912-026-04904-5. Online ahead of print.
PubMed 42343280
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Reducing Digital Distractions to Improve Time Management Among Nursing Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study of a Brief Digital Abstinence Intervention
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07467057
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 3ertrt
- Keywords
- Digital abstinence, Smartphone overuse, Social media use, Nursing students
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- mai albana
- Study start
- 15 Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 15 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 12 Mar 2026 (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 examines whether a short digital abstinence intervention can reduce digital distractions and improve time management among undergraduate nursing students. Excessive smartphone and social media use has been associated with decreased academic productivity, impaired concentration, and poor time management in university students, particularly in demanding programs such as nursing.
This quasi-experimental study will evaluate the effectiveness of a brief intervention in which participants limit or abstain from non-academic smartphone use for a defined period. Nursing students will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated measures of digital distraction and time management.
The findings of this study aim to determine whether reducing digital distractions can enhance students' ability to manage their time effectively and improve their academic focus. The results may inform strategies for promoting healthier digital habits and improving academic performance among nursing students.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will be assigned to either an intervention group receiving a brief digital abstinence intervention or a comparison group continuing usual smartphone use. Outcomes related to digital distraction and time management will be assessed before and after the intervention.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Abstinence Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Digital Abstinence InterventionParticipants assigned to this group will undergo a brief digital abstinence intervention aimed at reducing non-academic smartphone and social media use. Students will be instructed to limit or abstain from non-essential digital activities for the duration of the intervention period. Educational guidance and self-monitoring strategies will be provided to help participants manage digital distractions and improve time management. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated questionnaires measuring digital distraction and time management behaviors. |
| Usual Digital Use (Control) | No intervention | –Participants in this group will continue their usual smartphone and social media use without any specific restriction or behavioral intervention. They will complete the same baseline and follow-up assessments as the intervention group to evaluate changes in digital distraction and time management over the study period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the nursing program.
- Aged between 18 and 25 years.
- Regular users of smartphones and social media.
- Willing to participate in the digital abstinence intervention and complete study questionnaires.
- Able to provide informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Students currently participating in another behavioral or digital-use intervention study.
- Students with medical or psychological conditions that may interfere with study participation.
- Students who do not regularly use smartphones or digital media.
- Students who decline or withdraw consent to participate in the study.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Abstinence InterventionAlso: Digital detox Smartphone restriction Digital distraction reduction interventionParticipants assigned to the intervention group will receive a brief behavioral intervention designed to reduce non-academic smartphone and social media use. The intervention encourages temporary abstinence or substantial reduction of digital activities that contribute to distraction. Participants will be guided to monitor their smartphone use and minimize engagement with non-essential digital platforms during the intervention period. The goal of the intervention is to reduce digital distractions and support improved time management and academic focus among nursing students. | Behavioural | Digital Abstinence Intervention |
Primary outcome
Change in Time Management Score
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention period If your study used a specific named instrument, replace the description with the exact scale name. For example:
The primary outcome is the change in participants' time management from baseline to post-intervention, measured using a structured questionnaire/validated time management scale administered to undergraduate nursing students. Higher scores indicate better time management.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Mar 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 40952714Luo Z, Zhou R, Nong K, Peng X, Chen L, Li P, Deng S, Ou M, Hao X, Ye L, Wang Y, Chen G, Li S, Zhu T. Digital Health Interventions in Pediatric Perioperative Care: A Network Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Nov 1;179(11):1153-1161. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3099.
- Results publication: PubMed 39280291Ramadhan RN, Rampengan DD, Yumnanisha DA, Setiono SB, Tjandra KC, Ariyanto MV, Idrisov B, Empitu MA. Impacts of digital social media detox for mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Narra J. 2024 Aug;4(2):e786. doi: 10.52225/narra.v4i2.786. Epub 2024 Aug 7.
- Results publication: PubMed 40026988Setia S, Gilbert F, Tichy ML, Redpath J, Shahzad N, Marraccini ME. Digital Detox Strategies and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Scoping Review of Why, Where, and How. Cureus. 2025 Jan 30;17(1):e78250. doi: 10.7759/cureus.78250. eCollection 2025 Jan.
- Results publication: PubMed 39285845Marciano L, Jindal S, Viswanath K. Digital Detox and Well-Being. Pediatrics. 2024 Oct 1;154(4):e2024066142. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-066142.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42343280Albarqi MN, Almulhim MY, Albana MA. The impact of a brief digital abstinence intervention on digital distractions and time management among nursing students: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Nurs. 2026 Jun 24. doi: 10.1186/s12912-026-04904-5. Online ahead of print.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Problematic Smartphone Use
Recruiting
The Mindful Smartphone Use Study
Problematic Phone Use Behavior, Depression
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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Digital Abstinence Intervention in people with Problematic Smartphone Use and Digital Distraction, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Saudi Arabia.
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 4 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Mar 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 Saudi Arabia. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Mostafa shaban, phd (1094008904, mostafa.shaban2020@cu.edu.eg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Time Management Score (time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention period If your study used a specific named instrument, replace the description with the exact scale name. For example:). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07467057, which also lists 5 linked publications.
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 12 Mar 2026.