Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of a Smartphone Application Combining Usage Limits and Brief Psychological Techniques for Reducing Social Media Use: A 6-Month Pilot Study

Background: Excessive social media and smartphone use is associated with poorer mental health, sleep, and concentration among young adults. Digital tools that combine usage limits with brief psychological techniques may help users regain control. Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a smartphone application that integrates personalized usage limits with on-demand psychological prompts over 6 months. Methods: In a single-arm pre–post design, 17 university students (mean age 25.8 years) used the application for 6 months. Self-reported social-media use, smartphone screen time, perceived excessive use, concentration, sleep quality, mental health, and satisfaction were assessed at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Results: Thirteen participants (76.5%) completed the study. Mean daily social-media use decreased from 3.41 to 2.21 hours (35.2% reduction; P=.001) and smartphone screen time from 5.24 to 3.52 hours (P=.001). Significant improvements were observed in concentration, sleep quality, and mental health. Overall satisfaction and ratings of the psychological prompts were high. Conclusions: The application was feasible and well-accepted, and was associated with meaningful reductions in digital media use and improvements in perceived well-being. These preliminary findings support further evaluation in controlled trials.