NCT06574932

The Effect of Multi-Strategy Approaches on Limiting Digital Exposure

Screen Time and Sanity: The Impact of Multi-Strategy Approaches on Limiting Digital Exposure to Enhance Adolescent Mental Health

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 700 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Universiti Putra Malaysia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 25 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

In the digital age, university students are increasingly immersed in a technology-driven environment where smartphones, social media, and various digital platforms play a central role in their daily lives. While these technologies offer significant benefits, such as enhanced connectivity, access to information, and educational resources, they also pose potential risks to mental health. Excessive screen time, constant connectivity, and the pressure to maintain an online presence can lead to negative outcomes, including anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and reduced academic performance.

Detailed description

Recent research highlights the growing concern over the impact of digital overuse on students' mental well-being. The constant barrage of notifications, the pressure to stay connected, and the addictive nature of social media can create a state of perpetual stress and distraction. This, in turn, can hinder students' ability to focus, engage in meaningful social interactions, and maintain a healthy balance between their academic and personal lives. A multi-assignment program offers a promising intervention to counteract these negative effects. By encouraging students to disconnect from digital devices and reduce their online engagement temporarily, a digital detox can provide the opportunity to reset their relationship with technology. This period of disconnection allows students to regain control over their time, reduce stress, and foster healthier habits that support their mental well-being.

Conditions

• Mental Health Wellness 1

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Multi-Strategic Approach	The experimental group will be engaged in multi-strategy approaches including screen time and sanity challenges, weekly screen-free days, screen time reduction goals, screen time tracking, structured daily routines, parental involvement, and monitoring, family media plans, alternative engagements, and promotion of offline social interactions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-08-27
• Primary completion: 2025-04-15
• Completion: 2025-05-10
• First posted: 2024-08-28
• Last updated: 2024-08-28