Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) involve practices and techniques that cultivate present-moment awareness and non-judgmental acceptance of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
They may involve formal practices like meditation, body scans, and mindful movement, as well as informal practices like mindful eating or walking.
Zhang, Z., Wu, L., Lu, C., & Guan, T. (2025). Effectiveness of brief online mindfulness-based intervention on different types of mobile phone addiction: Mechanisms of influence of trait mindfulness. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1400327. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1400327
Key Points
- A brief online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) can effectively reduce four types of mobile phone addiction: mobile social networking addiction (MSNA), mobile game addiction (MGA), mobile information acquisition addiction (MIAA), and mobile short-form video addiction (MSVA).
- Trait mindfulness (TM) negatively predicts all four types of mobile phone addiction.
- The study highlights the importance of considering different types of mobile phone addiction in interventions.
- The findings suggest that brief online MBIs can be a promising approach to address college students’ mobile phone addiction.
- The study underscores the role of TM in mitigating mobile phone addiction.
- The findings have implications for developing targeted interventions and promoting TM to reduce mobile phone addiction.
Rationale
Mobile phone addiction is a growing concern, especially among college students, with potential negative consequences for mental health, academic performance, and social relationships.
Traditional MBIs have shown promise in reducing addiction, but their time commitment and accessibility can be challenging for college students.
Brief online MBIs offer a more flexible and convenient alternative, but their effectiveness in addressing different types of mobile phone addiction and the role of TM in this process remain unclear.
This study addresses this gap by investigating the impact of a brief online MBI on four specific types of mobile phone addiction and examining the influence of TM on these addiction types.
Method
The study employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with 104 college students.
Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving a brief online MBI or a control group.
The intervention consisted of 30 consecutive days of 10-minute online mindfulness exercises.
Assessments of MSNA, MGA, MIAA, MSVA, and TM were conducted at baseline and every 3 days during the intervention.
Procedure
- Participants were recruited through online platforms and screened for eligibility based on their mobile phone addiction levels.
- Eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group.
- The experimental group received a brief online MBI for 30 days, while the control group did not receive any intervention during this period.
- Participants in both groups completed online assessments of MSNA, MGA, MIAA, MSVA, and TM at baseline and every 3 days during the intervention.
Sample
- Sample size: 104 college students
- Age: Mean = 20.82 years, SD = 1.99
- Gender: 21 males, 83 females
Measures
- Mobile phone addiction: Chinese version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, measuring the overall level of mobile phone addiction.
- Four types of mobile phone addiction: Chinese version of the Mobile Phone Type Addiction Scale, measuring MSNA, MGA, MIAA, and MSVA.
- Trait mindfulness: Chinese version of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), measuring the stable tendency to be mindful in daily life.
Statistical measures
- Independent t-tests were used to compare the experimental and control groups at baseline.
- Two-factor repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the brief online MBI on MSNA, MGA, MIAA, MSVA, and TM.
- Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to examine the effects of TM on the four types of mobile phone addiction during the brief online MBI.
Results
- Hypothesis 1: The brief online MBI significantly reduced the levels of MSNA, MGA, MIAA, and MSVA in the experimental group compared to the control group.
- Hypothesis 2: TM negatively predicted MSNA, MGA, MIAA, and MSVA, indicating that higher levels of TM were associated with lower levels of mobile phone addiction.
Insight
This study provides compelling evidence for the effectiveness of brief online MBIs in reducing various types of mobile phone addiction among college students.
The findings extend previous research by demonstrating that this intervention can be delivered effectively in a shorter timeframe and online format, making it more accessible to busy college students.
The study also highlights the crucial role of TM in mitigating mobile phone addiction, suggesting that cultivating TM through mindfulness training or other practices can be a valuable strategy for preventing and treating this addiction.
The findings suggest that future research could explore the long-term effects of brief online MBIs on mobile phone addiction and investigate the optimal duration and frequency of mindfulness exercises for maximizing intervention outcomes.
Additionally, research could examine the effectiveness of incorporating brief online MBIs into university counseling services or student wellness programs to promote healthy technology use among college students.
Clinical Implications
The findings of this study have significant implications for practitioners and policymakers working to address mobile phone addiction among college students.
Universities could consider integrating brief online MBIs into their counseling services or student wellness programs to provide accessible and effective support for students struggling with mobile phone addiction.
Additionally, promoting TM through mindfulness workshops or incorporating mindfulness practices into the curriculum could help students develop healthy technology habits and reduce their risk of developing mobile phone addiction.
Implementing these findings may present challenges, such as ensuring student engagement in online interventions and securing resources for training and program development.
However, the potential benefits of reducing mobile phone addiction and promoting mental health among college students make it crucial to address these challenges and translate the research findings into practice.
Strengths
This study had several methodological strengths, including:
- Randomized controlled trial design, which enhances the internal validity of the study.
- Use of validated measures to assess mobile phone addiction and TM.
- Longitudinal data collection, which allows for tracking changes in mobile phone addiction and TM over time.
- Examination of different types of mobile phone addiction, providing a more nuanced understanding of the phenomenon.
Limitations
This study also had several limitations, including:
- Relatively small sample size, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
- Self-reported data, which may be subject to response bias.
- Limited follow-up period, which restricts the ability to assess the long-term effects of the intervention.
References
Primary reference
Zhang, Z., Wu, L., Lu, C., & Guan, T. (2025). Effectiveness of brief online mindfulness-based intervention on different types of mobile phone addiction: Mechanisms of influence of trait mindfulness. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1400327. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1400327
Other references
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84(4), 822.
Garland, E. L., & Howard, M. O. (2018). Mindfulness-based treatment of addiction: current state of the field and envisioning the next wave of research. Addiction science & clinical practice, 13, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-018-0115-3
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016
Liu, Q. Q., Xu, X. P., Yang, X. J., Xiong, J., & Hu, Y. T. (2022). Distinguishing different types of mobile phone addiction: Development and validation of the Mobile Phone Addiction Type Scale (MPATS) in adolescents and young adults. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(5), 2593. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052593
Marino, C., Canale, N., Melodia, F., Spada, M. M., & Vieno, A. (2021). The overlap between problematic smartphone use and problematic social media use: a systematic review. Current Addiction Reports, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-021-00398-0
Sancho, M., De Gracia, M., Rodríguez, R. C., Trujols, J., Sánchez, I., & Menchón, J. M. (2018). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for the Treatment of Substance and Behavioral Addictions: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 353853. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00095
Zhang, G., Yang, X., Tu, X., Ding, N., & Lau, J. T. (2020). Prospective relationships between mobile phone dependence and mental health status among Chinese undergraduate students with college adjustment as a mediator. Journal of Affective Disorders, 260, 498-505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.09.047
Socratic Questions
- What are the potential ethical considerations associated with using online interventions to address mobile phone addiction?
- How might cultural factors influence the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for mobile phone addiction?
- Could the findings of this study be generalized to other populations, such as adolescents or older adults?
- What are the potential drawbacks of relying on self-reported data to assess mobile phone addiction and TM?
- How might the study’s findings inform the development of public health campaigns aimed at preventing mobile phone addiction?
- What are the potential long-term implications of mobile phone addiction on individuals’ cognitive and emotional development?
- How could future research explore the neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between mindfulness and mobile phone addiction?
