---
title: Short, Animated Storytelling (SAS) Videos to Reduce Smartphone Addiction in the US
nct_id: NCT06979856
overall_status: COMPLETED
phase: NA
sponsor: Stanford University
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
primary_condition: Smartphone Addiction
countries: United States
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT06979856.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06979856"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2026-04-02
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T07:08:38.114Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Short, Animated Storytelling (SAS) Videos to Reduce Smartphone Addiction in the US

**Official Title:** Short, Animated Storytelling Videos to Reduce Smartphone Addiction in the US: Protocol for an Online, Randomized Controlled Trial

**NCT ID:** [NCT06979856](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06979856)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** COMPLETED
- **Phase:** NA
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 6000
- **Lead Sponsor:** Stanford University
- **Conditions:** Smartphone Addiction
- **Start Date:** 2026-02-09
- **Completion Date:** 2026-03-26
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2026-04-02

## Brief Summary

This study will test the effect of exposure to short, animated storytelling videos on participants' perceived risk of smartphone overuse immediately after exposure, two weeks later and four weeks later.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 18 Years
- **Maximum age:** 30 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** No

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* English Speaking
* Own a Smartphone
* Live in the US

Exclusion Criteria:

* None
```

## Arms

- **Animated videos** (EXPERIMENTAL) — Participants will watch two short, animated storytelling videos about digital addiction.
- **Informational Control** (ACTIVE_COMPARATOR) — Participants will read a fact sheet containing written information and statistics about smartphone usage.
- **Do-nothing control** (NO_INTERVENTION) — Participants will only complete the surveys. Participants do not receive any intervention or information about digital addiction.

## Interventions

- **Short animated videos** (BEHAVIORAL) — The short animated videos (approximately 2 minutes each) draw attention to the dangers of smartphone addiction.
- **Informational Control** (BEHAVIORAL) — A short fact sheet presenting written information and statistics about smartphone usage.

## Primary Outcomes

- **Smartphone Addiction Scale (SmAS) score** _(time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks and 4 weeks post intervention)_ — SmAS is a short 10 item validated scale measuring smartphone addiction. The minimum value is 10 and the maximum value is 60 for this scale.
- **Mobile Phone Attachment Scale - Anxious Attachment Sub Scale (MPAS-AA)** _(time frame: Baseline, immediate post-intervention (up to 24 hours), 2 weeks and 4 weeks post intervention)_ — The MPAS Anxious Attachment subscale comprises 7 items rated 1 (not at all true) to 5 (extremely true). Subscale scores were computed as the mean of the 7 items (range 1-5), with higher scores indicating greater anxious attachment to one's mobile phone. The MPAS-AA has demonstrated good internal consistency (α=.87) and external validity.

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Mobile Phone Attachment Scale - Addiction Sub Scale (MPAS_Addiction)** _(time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks and 4 weeks post intervention)_
- **Perceived Danger of Smartphone Overuse measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS)** _(time frame: Baseline, immediately post intervention exposure (up to 24 hours), 2 weeks and 4 weeks post intervention exposure)_
- **Self-reported daily smartphone use (past 2 weeks)** _(time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks and 4 weeks post intervention exposure)_
- **Self-perceived smartphone addiction (single item; Olsen)** _(time frame: Baseline, immediately post intervention exposure (up to 24 hours) 2 weeks and 4 weeks post intervention exposure)_

## Locations (1)

- Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.stanford university|stanford|california|united states` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT06979856.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06979856*  
*This page is a raw mirror with no AI summary, no editorial enrichment, and no Parkinson's-specific filtering.*