Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

First research findings suggest that the influence of digital media on children's and adolescents' health depends primarily on proper use and regulation. In line with Social Cognitive Theory, parents' own mobile device use is very important to regulate children's media use because parents are their children's role models. However, parents do not always behave as optimal role models: They use smartphones on playgrounds, in restaurants, as well as during family mealtimes. This usage of mobile devices leads to interruptions during face-to-face conversations or routines which is defined as "technoference". Studies among children and parents suggest that parental mobile device use is associated with fewer parent-child interactions. In addition, first studies investigated mobile device use at the dining table and showed that mothers had less interactions with their children during meal times when they used a mobile device compared to mothers who did not and their children were also less likely to try new and unfamiliar food. Along the same lines, lower parental mobile device use during mealtime is also associated with healthier body weight in children. AIM: Examination of the effect of a time out from smartphone use during a family meal on the parent-child interaction at the meal table and eating quality in comparison to family meals where participants use the smartphone as usual. DESIGN: The study is a within-family field experiment with daily assessments over 14 days (7 days for the experimental condition, 7 days for the control condition). Families will go through both, intervention and control condition with a break of 21 days in between. The assessment of the main and secondary outcomes is conducted at the baseline, over a 14 day daily diary phase and at the follow-up (directly after the daily diary phase). The sample will consist of 120 families with at least one child between the age of 6 to 14 years old. Only the participating adult in the study fills in the questionnaires. OUTCOMES: (Un)healthy eating and parent-child interaction constitute the main outcome, whereas technoference, mealtime duration, atmosphere at the meal table, and smartphone use frequency are secondary outcomes.


Clinical Trial Description

Emerging mobile and digital technologies such as smartphones, tablets, wearables, and other mobile devices are an integral part in the daily lives of children, adolescents, and their families. The intensive use of mobile devices has both, positive aspects and negative side effects: The main advantages include access to information and making it easy to maintain social relationships. Potentially harmful risks for children include delays in small children's speech development, concentration disorders in primary school aged children or an increased consumption of sweet drinks and sweets. Especially parental media supervision is needed to regulate children's media use. In line with Social Cognitive Theory, parents' own mobile device use is also very important to regulate children's media use because parents are their children's role models. However, parents do not always behave as optimal role models: They use smartphones on playgrounds, as well as during family mealtimes. This usage of mobile devices leads to interruptions during face-to-face conversations or routines which is defined as "technoference". Studies among children and parents suggest that parental mobile device use is associated with fewer parent-child interactions. Especially using smartphones during shared meals could negatively influence interactions at the dining table as well as healthy eating habits in children. First findings suggest that the use of smartphones during family meals has detrimental effects on the family meal itself (e.g., interactions) as well as the health of the family members (e.g., diet quality and body weight). Importantly, these studies are all observational or cross-sectional, thus, experimental research is needed to understand whether taking the smartphone away from the family meal will actually lead to better interactions and healthier meals. While some experts suggest to ban smartphones from the dinner table, no one has systematically tested the effects. Thus, the aim of the proposed study is to experimentally test the effects of using smartphones at family meals versus banning them from the meal table and to examine potential mechanisms underlying this relation. ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT05166252
Study type Interventional
Source University of Wuppertal
Contact Theda Radtke, Prof. Dr.
Phone +49 202 - 439 5317
Email radtke@uni-wuppertal.de
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date November 1, 2021
Completion date December 31, 2024

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT05009251 - Using Explainable AI Risk Predictions to Nudge Influenza Vaccine Uptake N/A
Recruiting NCT04356924 - Psychological Treatment to Support the Consequences of Cognitive Impairment N/A
Completed NCT05509049 - Precision Nudging Drives Wellness Visit Attendance at Scale N/A
Completed NCT03904992 - Intervention With a Progressive Web App for the Promotion of Healthy Habits in Preschoolers N/A
Completed NCT05509270 - Efficacy of Communication Modalities for Promoting Flu Shots N/A
Completed NCT03167372 - Pilot Comparison of N-of-1 Trials of Light Therapy N/A
Completed NCT03081520 - Affective Responses Following Aerobic Exercise With Different Intensities N/A
Completed NCT05012163 - Lottery Incentive Nudges to Increase Influenza Vaccinations N/A
Completed NCT03982095 - Survey on Lifestyle, Perceived Barriers and Development of Change in Patients With Prostate Cancer
Recruiting NCT06467058 - Convergent Validity of DABQ Questionnaire N/A
Completed NCT02777086 - Sustainable HIV Risk Reduction Strategies for Probationers N/A
Completed NCT02996864 - Location-based Smartphone Technology to Guide College Students Healthy Choices Ph II N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT06071130 - Emotion, Aging, and Decision Making N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT04152824 - Readiness Supportive Leadership Training N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT05541653 - The IGNITE Study on Concentrated Investment in Black Neighborhoods N/A
Completed NCT03875768 - Nourish: A Digital Health Program to Promote the DASH Eating Plan Among Adults With High Blood Pressure N/A
Completed NCT04089020 - Walking to School Supports N/A
Completed NCT03646903 - Reducing Help-Seeking Stigma in Young Adults at Elevated Suicide Risk N/A
Completed NCT03548077 - POWERPLAY: Promoting Men's Health at Work N/A
Recruiting NCT05249465 - Spark: Finding the Optimal Tracking Strategy for Weight Loss in a Digital Health Intervention N/A