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?
Age between 18 and 25 years old.
Own and regularly use a smartphone.
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).
Be able to access their device's built-in screen time tracking function (or equivalent system-level usage report) and upload screenshots when required.
Outside the age range of 18-25 years.
Do not own a smartphone or do not use it regularly.
Report average daily recreational screen time below 3 hours on weekdays and below 4 hours on weekends.
Are unable to access device-based screen time tracking functions or cannot provide valid screenshots when required.
Parallel
Ecological momentary intervention
BehavioralA 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).
Daily Metacognitive Awareness
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
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
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.
Daily Stress
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
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
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
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.
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