An evaluation of a custom intervention programme to address problematic mobile phone use of youth athletes in Singapore: a hybrid mixed-methods research design

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study sought to evaluate a custom intervention programme, informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour, which aimed to help youth athletes reduce their problematic mobile phone use. A hybrid mixed-methods design was employed in this study, involving a one-group pretest–posttest design and a mixed-methods multiple case study design. 23 Singaporean youth athletes (aged 13–19 years) participated in the intervention programme, and were assessed at pre, post, and follow-up timepoints for their objective and subjective measures of mobile phone use. After the intervention programme had concluded, a smaller sample of eight participants were selected to participate in semi-structured interviews to get their views and feedback on the intervention programme. The results showed that while there were no significant differences in the objective measures of mobile phone use (i.e., duration and frequency) between the timepoints, there was a significant reduction in the subjective measure (i.e., SAS-SV) of problematic mobile phone use in both post and follow-up timepoints. This was supported by the multiple case study analysis, which found that participants were able to implement the various strategies that were taught during the intervention programme, and that those strategies were able to help them reduce their level of problematic mobile phone use. Overall, participant feedback for the intervention programme was positive, with participants stating that it was fun, interactive, relatable, and informative. There were still some barriers that prevented participants from reducing their problematic mobile phone use, and suggestions were given on how to improve the intervention programme in future.