Behavioral Self-monitoring and Metacognitive Reflection
Conditions
Keywords
self-regulation, metacognition-based intervention, reflection, digital ecological momentary intervention
Brief 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. Specifically, the study addresses the following research questions: RQ1 (Primary Intervention Effect on Metacognition): Does the EMI lead to higher levels of daily metacognitive awareness and metacognitive regulation (planning, monitoring, and evaluation) compared to the control group? RQ2 (Within-person Associations): At the within-person level, do day-to-day fluctuations in metacognitive awareness and regulation predict same-day and next-day changes in recreational screen time, stress, and life satisfaction? RQ3 (Mediating Mechanism): Do increases in metacognitive awareness and regulation mediate the effects of the EMI on recreational screen time, stress, and life satisfaction? RQ4 (Between-person Effects): At the between-person level, do individuals in the intervention group exhibit higher average levels of metacognitive awareness and regulation, as well as lower recreational screen time and stress and higher life satisfaction, compared to those in the control group?
Interventions
BEHAVIORALEcological momentary intervention
A composite ecological momentary intervention that integrates behavioral self-monitoring and metacognitive reflection. Specifically, each day participants will: 1. Upload a screenshot of their device-recorded screen time (e.g., iOS Screen Time or Android Digital Wellbeing), serving as a form of behavioral self-monitoring. 2. Complete structured reflection prompts designed to activate metacognitive processes, including reflection on: (1) total recreational screen time, (2) usage contexts (e.g., situations or triggers), (3) awareness of potential overuse, and (4) use of regulation strategies (e.g., planning, monitoring, evaluation).
Sponsors
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
The study adopts a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design consisting of three phases: baseline assessment (T0), a 14-day daily diary phase, and post-assessment (T1). Participants will be randomly assigned (1:1 allocation) to either the intervention group (EMI condition) or the control group. During the 14-day period, participants will complete a daily survey each evening (10:00 PM-11:59 PM) via an online platform. Automated reminders will be sent to enhance compliance. Participants in the intervention group will receive a composite ecological momentary intervention that integrates behavioral self-monitoring and metacognitive reflection and complete daily measures of metacognitive awareness, metacognitive regulation, stress, and life satisfaction. Participants in the control group will complete the same daily diary measures of metacognitive awareness, metacognitive regulation, stress, and life satisfaction, but will not engage in screen time self-monitoring.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
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 weekdays and below 4 hours on weekends. 4. Are unable to access device-based screen time tracking functions or cannot provide valid screenshots when required. 5. Are unwilling or unable to complete daily surveys across the study period (e.g., anticipated non-compliance, scheduling constraints). 6. Do not express motivation to reduce or regulate their recreational screen use.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Metacognitive Awareness | 14-day dairy | Daily Metacognitive Awareness assesses the extent to which participants were consciously aware of their motivations and tendencies regarding recreational screen use on that day, which adapted from metacognitive awareness dimension in Metacognition about Regulating Recreational Screen Time Scale (McRST). Sample items include: "Today, I was aware of why I wanted to use my device for recreational purposes." Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Higher scores indicate greater daily metacognitive awareness. |
| Daily Recreational Screen Time | 14-day dairy | Daily Recreational Screen Time is assessed using both subjective self-reports and objective device-recorded data in order to enhance measurement validity and reduce recall bias. Recreational screen time is defined as non-work and non-study device use, including activities such as social media browsing, video streaming, gaming, and other entertainment-related engagement. |
| Metacognitive skills | baseline, day 15 (t1) | Metacognitive skills will be assessed using the Metacognition about Regulating Recreational Screen Time Scale (Mc-RST). The scale captures individuals' knowledge, beliefs, and perceived efficacy regarding their ability to regulate recreational screen use. Participants rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating stronger metacognitive awareness and perceived regulatory capacity. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Stress | 14-day dairy | Daily Stress is assessed using brief items adapted to capture day-specific perceived stress. Participants indicate the extent to which statements such as "Today, I felt stressed," "Today, I felt overwhelmed," and "Today, I found it difficult to cope with daily demands" describe their experience. Responses are rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much), with higher scores indicating greater daily stress. |
| Daily Life Satisfaction | 14-day dairy | Daily Life Satisfaction captures participants' cognitive evaluation of their day. Participants respond to items such as "Overall, I was satisfied with today," "Today was close to my ideal day," and "I feel positive about how today went." Responses are rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Higher scores indicate greater daily life satisfaction. |
| Internet addiction | baseline, day 15 (t1) | Internet addiction will be measured using the revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R; Bai \& Fan, 2005), which assesses core symptoms and related problems of excessive Internet use, including compulsive use, withdrawal, tolerance, interpersonal difficulties, and time management issues. Participants responded to items based on their experiences over the past year using a 4-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater levels of problematic Internet use. |
| Short-form video addiction | baseline; day 15(t1) | Short-form video addiction will be assessed using the Bergen Short Video Addiction Scale (Qu et al., 2024), which captures key components of addictive behavior, including salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse. Items were rated on a 5-point frequency scale, with higher scores indicating more severe short-form video addiction. |
| Depressive symptoms | baseline; day 15(t1) | Depressive symptoms will be measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9; Leung et al., 2020), which assesses the frequency of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks. Each item was rated on a 4-point scale, with higher total scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms. |
| Anxiety symptoms | baseline; day 15(t1) | Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7; He et al., 2010), which evaluates the frequency of anxiety-related symptoms over the past two weeks. Items were rated on a 4-point scale, with higher scores indicating higher levels of anxiety. |
| Perceived stress | baseline; day 15(t1) | Perceived stress will be measured using the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS; Yang \& Huang, 2003), which assesses the extent to which individuals perceive their lives as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded. Participants rated items on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress. |
| Self-control | baseline; day 15(t1) | Self-control will be assessed using the Chinese version of the Self-Control Scale (SCS; Unger et al., 2016), which measures individuals' ability to regulate impulses and maintain goal-directed behavior. Items were rated on a 6-point scale, and higher average scores indicate stronger self-control capacity. |
| Life satisfaction | baseline; day 15(t1) | Life satisfaction will be measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener et al., 1985), which assesses global cognitive judgments of one's life satisfaction. Participants rated five items on a 7-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating greater life satisfaction. |
| Fear of missing out (FoMO) | baseline; day 15(t1) | Fear of missing out (FoMO) will be assessed using a validated FoMO scale (Przybylski et al., 2013; Li et al., 2019), which captures individuals' anxiety related to missing rewarding experiences or social interactions. Items were rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating higher levels of FoMO. |
Countries
Hong Kong
Contacts
CONTACTShiyun Chen, PhD Candidate
Outcome results
None listed