Reducing Smartphone Overuse for Adolescents With Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Reducing Smartphone Overuse for Adolescents With Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study will develop and evaluate a smartphone-based behavioral intervention for adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and smartphone overuse in Hong Kong. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Can a smartphone-based intervention lower self-reported smartphone dependence and objective smartphone usage?
• Can a smartphone-based intervention lower parent-rated and self-rated ADHD symptoms?
• Are there differences in electroencephalogram (EEG) in the smartphone salient vs smartphone non-salient conditions after intervention?

Adolescent participants will:

• report weekly smartphone use patterns based on app screencap for 12 weeks
• complete online surveys on smartphone dependency and ADHD symptoms for 3 times
• receive 10-minute EEG recordings to gather resting-state EEG data in a natural and relaxing state for 3 times

Parent participants will:

• provide a valid clinical report to confirm the adolescent's diagnosis of ADHD
• complete online surveys to report on the adolescent's smartphone usage and ADHD symptoms for 3 times

Inclusion Criteria:

• full-scale IQ above 85
• right-handedness to control for hemispheric dominance
• a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD
• ratings of current symptoms of ADHD on the Strengths and Weaknesses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Normal Behaviour Scale
• on a stable dose of ADHD medication for at least 4 weeks prior to trial entry or was taking no medication, with no plan to start or change medication type or dosage for the duration of the study
• over 2 hours of daily smartphone use within the last 4 weeks excluding educational apps
• a total score on the Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV) above 31 and 33 for male and female adolescents, respectively

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe physical or sensory disabilities that may alter the participation in the intervention
• major depressive episode, bipolar disorder, substance abuse/dependence within the last 6 months
• significant neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, traumatic brain injury) that could affect cognitive and behavioral functioning
• concurrent participation in other ADHD interventions (e.g., clinical trials) excluding standard care