Problematic Use of New Technologies in Adolescents: Preliminary Data from a Preventive Intervention Focused on Mobile Phone Use

Introduction: The widespread use of technology is now an essential part of daily life. Mobile phones are central to various online activities like accessing the Internet, playing games, trading, gambling, and shopping. Excessive smartphone and uncontrolled use can lead to addiction, especially among young people. Technology addiction is characterized by excessive and compulsive use of devices, poorly controlled preoccupations, urges, or related behaviors that cause impairment and distress. Despite the risks associated with the use of new technologies, preventive interventions for adolescents are lacking. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate a preventive intervention by using the metacognitive model applied to addictive behaviors as theorical frame, and the conceptual change model as educational approach. The overall goal was to reduce problematic use of smartphone. Methods: To evaluate changes in problematic use of smartphone as a function of the intervention, an experimental design was defined with two randomized groups (Training vs. No Training) and two measurements (pre-test and post-test sessions). The intervention activities include 5 sessions, developed based on an integrated work between health workers of the National Health Drugs Service and University researchers. The Italian version of the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS-10) was administered as a pre- and post-measure to assess the hypothesized change on problematic use of smartphone. Results: A pilot study was conducted with 18 high school students (15 males, Mage = 16.36; SD = 1.09). Preliminary analyses indicated that there was a decrease in problematic smartphone use from before (M = 24.5, SD = 9.59) to after (M = 18.33, SD = 7.11) the intervention activities (t = 2.88, p = .015, Cohen’s d = .83). Other 120 high school students will be involved in the experimental research project. Discussion: Preliminary data suggest encouraging results regarding the usefulness of interventions based on the metacognitive model and the conceptual change model in reducing problematic smartphone use among adolescents.