Reducing Digital Distractions to Improve Time Management Among Nursing Students

Cairo University (CU)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Time Management; Problematic Smartphone Use; Digital Distraction

Treatments: Behavioral: Digital Abstinence Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07467057

3ertrt

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study examines whether a short digital abstinence intervention can reduce digital distractions and improve time management among undergraduate nursing students. Excessive smartphone and social media use has been associated with decreased academic productivity, impaired concentration, and poor time management in university students, particularly in demanding programs such as nursing.

This quasi-experimental study will evaluate the effectiveness of a brief intervention in which participants limit or abstain from non-academic smartphone use for a defined period. Nursing students will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated measures of digital distraction and time management.

The findings of this study aim to determine whether reducing digital distractions can enhance students' ability to manage their time effectively and improve their academic focus. The results may inform strategies for promoting healthier digital habits and improving academic performance among nursing students.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the nursing program.

Aged between 18 and 25 years.

Regular users of smartphones and social media.

Willing to participate in the digital abstinence intervention and complete study questionnaires.

Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Students currently participating in another behavioral or digital-use intervention study.

Students with medical or psychological conditions that may interfere with study participation.

Students who do not regularly use smartphones or digital media.

Students who decline or withdraw consent to participate in the study.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

Digital Abstinence Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Participants assigned to this group will undergo a brief digital abstinence intervention aimed at reducing non-academic smartphone and social media use. Students will be instructed to limit or abstain from non-essential digital activities for the duration of the intervention period. Educational guidance and self-monitoring strategies will be provided to help participants manage digital distractions and improve time management. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated questionnaires measuring digital distraction and time management behaviors.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Digital Abstinence Intervention

Usual Digital Use (Control)

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in this group will continue their usual smartphone and social media use without any specific restriction or behavioral intervention. They will complete the same baseline and follow-up assessments as the intervention group to evaluate changes in digital distraction and time management over the study period.