Promoting self-regulated social media use on smartphones with a mobile intervention app (Wellspent): randomized controlled trial
Background: Problematic social media use has been linked to reduced well-being and impulse control difficulties. While digital self-control apps show potential for reducing general app usage, they often lack customization, leading to limited effectiveness and increased user resistance. Their impact...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2026
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| In: |
JMIR mhealth and uhealth
Year: 2026, Volume: 14, Pages: ? |
| ISSN: | 2291-5222 |
| DOI: | 10.2196/56824 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.2196/56824 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://mhealth.jmir.org/2026/1/e56824 
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| Author Notes: | Lea Mertens, Lina Christin Brockmeier, Christina Roitzheim, Theda Radtke, Tilman Dingler, Jan Keller |
| Summary: | Background: Problematic social media use has been linked to reduced well-being and impulse control difficulties. While digital self-control apps show potential for reducing general app usage, they often lack customization, leading to limited effectiveness and increased user resistance. Their impact on problematic social media use remains uncertain. - - Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Wellspent app, a customizable mobile intervention app designed to promote self-regulated social media use by targeting user-defined problematic app use and offering tailored behavioral nudges. - - Methods: In a 3-week randomized controlled trial, 70 iPhone users (mean age 26.2, SD 5.6 years; 47/70, 67% female), regularly using at least 1 social media app, were randomly assigned to an intervention (n=35) or control group (n=35). The intervention group received personalized full-screen reminders with the option to quit or continue social media app use whenever an app session exceeded a self-defined time limit. Participants completed weekly online surveys measuring problematic social media use, problematic smartphone use, self-efficacy, and daily screen time on their most problematic app. Linear mixed models tested intervention effects. - - Results: While no significant reduction in problematic social media use or increase in self-efficacy was observed, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in daily screen time on their most problematic app by approximately 29 minutes (estimate=−29.35, SE 6.84, 95% CI −42.79 to -15.99; <.001), and a significant decrease in perceived problematic smartphone use (estimate=−0.46, SE 0.18, 95% CI −0.80 to -0.11; =.01). - - Conclusions: The Wellspent app demonstrated short-term efficacy in reducing problematic smartphone use. By allowing users to tailor interventions to their personal goals, the app shows promise as a self-directed tool to support healthier digital habits. Further research should explore long-term effects and feature-specific impacts. - - Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00031767; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00031767/details |
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| Item Description: | Online veröffentlicht: 8. April 2026 Gesehen am 21.08.2026 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 2291-5222 |
| DOI: | 10.2196/56824 |