Smartphone Addiction and Its Effect on Mental Health: An Evidence Based Intervention for Amelioration
Condition: Smartphone Addiction
MeSH terms: Behavior, Addictive; Internet Addiction Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The use of Smartphone has been adopted faster than any other device in the history of digital
      electronics. Hence it is estimated that in 2016, 2.1 billion were found registered Smartphone
      users in the world and Pakistan was ranked 10th in the list of top 10 countries with largest
      number of mobile phone subscribers. Despite of its useful and timely utilization, the
      excessive use of Smartphone coerce the Individual to be dependent on the use of Smartphone
      psychologically and even physically. Furthermore, among the users, adolescents and young
      adults used Smartphone (90%) more than any other age groups. Moreover, this prevalence is
      expected to rise in the future due to the easy availability and swift changes and addition of
      new applications to Smartphone technology. Subsequently, the excessive and irrational use of
      Smartphone leads to Smartphone addiction which impact on individual mental health, physical
      health, and disrupt social, economic and educational functions. So, this study aims to assess
      the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as an evidence based remedy in the
      treatment of Smartphone addiction. The study will comprise of two groups; one will receive
      CBT (intervention group) and the other one will be on Treatment As Usual (TAU). The aim of
      the study is to assess the effectiveness of CBT primarily by measuring the addictive
      smartphone usage assessed by Smart Phone Addiction Scale (SAS) and also on secondary outcomes
      including time management, academic performance and social functioning of adolescents. These
      assessments will be conducted before intervention (on the baseline assessment sessions),
      during the Intervention and after the intervention (on follow up assessment sessions). A
      total of 120 students were calculated on the basis of 80% statistical power required to
      detect the effect as indicated by previous study and will be selected from different
      educational institutions. SPSS 23.0 will be used for data analysis. The primary analysis will
      be mixed ANOVA to compare the between group and within group means differences on measures
      used in the study. Multiple Hierarchical Regression analysis will also be used for the
      prediction of outcome variables from the demographics. The total duration of the study is one
      year.

      This study primarily aims to assess the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      as an evidence based remedy in the treatment for Smartphone addiction. The basic purpose is
      to minimize the severity of Smartphone addiction up to manageable level. Furthermore, there
      are certain psychiatric symptoms that are found to be associated with the addictive usage of
      Smartphone like stress, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, attention deficits and conduct
      problems. The study design will also allow to assess the effectiveness of CBT on such
      outcomes: (a) The depression, anxiety and stress level of the participants (b) The time
      management of the participants (c) The emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity
      and attention deficit problems, peer relationship problems and pro-social behavior aspects of
      the participants (d) The satisfaction level of the participants.
    


Intervention name(s): Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) consisting of weekly 12 sessions will focus on moderated and controlled use of smartphone instead of abstinence model.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: The study is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) with single blind rating. The randomization of participants is across two groups (1) one provided with intervention of CBT and (2) the other group will be on Treatment As Usual (TAU)
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Smartphone Addiction; CBT; Evidence based intervention