A Randomized Controlled Ecological Momentary Intervention to Improve Digital Self-Regulati
The primary objective of this study is to examine whether an ecological momentary intervention (EMI), combining behavioral self-monitoring (screen time screenshot uploads) and structured reflection, can enhance metacognitive awareness and metacognitive regulation in the context of recreational screen time among young a
| Condition(s) | Behavioral Self-monitoring and Metacognitive Reflection |
|---|---|
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | NA |
| Study type | Interventional |
| Summary | The primary objective of this study is to examine whether an ecological momentary intervention (EMI), combining behavioral self-monitoring (screen time screenshot uploads) and structured reflection, can enhance metacognitive awareness and metacognitive regulation in the context of recreational screen time among young adults. A secondary objective is to investigate whether improvements in metacognitive processes are associated with subsequent changes in behavioral and psychological outcomes, including recreational screen time (RST), stress, and life satisfaction. Furthermore, this study aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms through which the intervention exerts its effects by integrating a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with intensive longitudinal (daily diary) data. Specifi |
| Who can participate | Inclusion Criteria: Participants must meet all of the following criteria: 1. Age between 18 and 25 years old. 2. Own and regularly use a smartphone. 3. Report an average daily recreational screen time of at least 3 hours on weekdays or 4 hours on weekends, based on self-report (Zablotsky et al., 2025). 4. Be able to access their device's built-in screen time tracking function (or equivalent system-level usage report) and upload screenshots when required. 5. Be willing and able to complete daily surveys throughout the full study period. 6. Indicate motivation to reduce or regulate their recreational screen use. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Outside the age range of 18-25 years. 2. Do not own a smartphone or do not use it regularly. 3. Report average daily recreational screen time below 3 hours on |
| Ages | 18 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Accepts healthy volunteers | Yes |
| Lead sponsor | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| Locations | Hong Kong, Select An Option…, Hong Kong |
| Start date | 2026-03-01 |
| NCT ID | NCT07511374 |
| Official listing | https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07511374 |