Psychological Research and Intervention
Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026)

Self-management of Chinese University students' excessive smartphone use

Monica E Carr (Wenzhou Kean University)
Noah D Barsky (LaTrobe University)



Article Info

Publish Date
10 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study investigated whether self-management can successfully reduce excessive smartphone use to improve quality of life. Two experimental conditions were examined: experiment 1 involved self-management components, and experiment two added a goal-setting component to the self-management intervention. Three Chinese university students aimed to develop self-control of their excessive smartphone use by identifying competing behaviors to reduce their phone usage, improve their sleep behaviors, and overall quality of life. A multiple baseline design with repetition across participants was adopted. Treatment effect scores were calculated using Non-Overlap of All Pairs (NAP). Results indicated that the self- management intervention achieved moderate effects, and the additional of a goal- setting component achieved strong treatment effects, for participants who successfully reduced their excessive smartphone use. This study contributes to the literature on the use of self-management to reduce excessive smartphone use amongst Chinese university students. It also contributes to the literature on the relevance and effectiveness of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions in China.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

pri

Publisher

Subject

Social Sciences

Description

Psychological Research and Intervention is a peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of psychology with publication focus on the research in the science of psychology, as well as, applied research in psychological diagnosis and intervention. This journal is aimed at facilitating discussion and ...