The Effect of Multi-Strategy Approaches on Limiting Digital Exposure

ConditionMental Health Wellness 1

Trial statusNot yet recruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age18-25

SponsorUniversiti Putra Malaysia

About this trial

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.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Participants must be enrolled as students at any of the three universities of Lahore.

Participants should be 18 to 25 years old, as this demographic is typically more engaged in smartphone usage and may experience varying mental health effects.

Participants must own and regularly use a smartphone. Regular use is a smartphone for at least two hours per day.

Participants must be willing to provide written informed consent, acknowledging their understanding of the study and agreeing to participate voluntarily.

Disqualifiers

Individuals who have been diagnosed with severe psychiatric disorders (such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other major psychiatric conditions) will be excluded. These conditions could introduce confounding variables that may affect the study's results.

Individuals who are currently undergoing treatment for severe mental health conditions or are taking medication that could significantly impact mental health and smartphone usage will be excluded to avoid confounding effects.

Individuals who have recently experienced major life events (such as the death of a close family member, major accidents, or other significant trauma) within the last six months may be excluded, as these events could influence mental health independently of smartphone use.

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

Multi-Strategic Approach
Behavioral
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.

Treatment groups

700 Participants

are divided into 2 treatment groups

Group A: Intervention groupExperimental treatment 1 intervention

Group B: ControlNo intervention 0 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

Generalized anxiety

Generalized anxiety change will be measured by (GAD-7). seven-item instrument that is used to measure or assess the severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The GAD-7 score is calculated by assigning scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3, to the response categories of "not at all," "several days," "more than half the days," and "nearly every day," respectively, and then adding together the scores for the seven questions. GAD-7 total score for the seven items ranges from 0 to 21.Score 0-4: Minimal Anxiety. Score 5-9: Mild Anxiety. Score 10-14: Moderate Anxiety. Score greater than 15: Severe Anxiety.

Time frame

6-months from baseline

Secondary outcomes

Depression

Depression change will be measured by PHQ-9. PHQ-9 scores can be used to plan and monitor treatment. To score the instrument, tally the numbers of all the checked responses under each heading (not at all=0, several days=1, more than half the days=2, and nearly every day=3). Add the numbers together to total the score on the bottom of the questionnaire. PHQ-9 comprises five categories, where a cut-off point of 0-4 indicates no depressive symptoms, 5-9 mild depressive symptoms, 10-14 moderate depressive symptoms, 15-19 moderately-severe depressive symptoms, and 20-27 severe depressive symptoms

Time frame

6-months from baseline

Locations

This trial has no locations.

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Lead sponsor

Green International University

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov

This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: