Effects of a 12-Week Structured Badminton Intervention on Smartphone Addiction Among Adolescents

Effects of a 12-Week Structured Badminton Intervention on Smartphone Addiction Among Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study

The global surge in smartphone addiction (SA) represents a critical biopsychosocial risk for adolescents. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 12-week structured badminton intervention in alleviating SA among high school students and explored the psychosocial mechanisms underlying behavioral change using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design.

Thirty adolescents were randomized into experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=15). The experimental group participated in an "open-skill" badminton program (6 sessions/week, 120-150 min/session) for 12 weeks, while the control group maintained their routine lifestyle. Data were collected via the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and semi-structured interviews. Statistical analysis included paired/independent t-tests and ANCOVA, followed by inductive thematic analysis of qualitative data.

Quantitative findings revealed a highly significant reduction in SA levels within the experimental group (Mpre = 32.27 ± 10.25 vs. Mpost = 24.93 ± 7.13, p<.001), achieving a very large effect size (d= 1.84). No significant change was observed in the control group (p=.095). ANCOVA confirmed a robust intervention effect, F(1,27)= 52.04, p<.001, explaining 65.8% of the variance. Qualitative follow-up identified five core themes-life functionality, withdrawal, virtual social orientation, overuse, and tolerance-indicating that badminton served as a "temporal buffer" that enhanced self-regulation and real-world relatedness.

A 12-week structured badminton program is a potent non-pharmacological strategy for mitigating technological dependencies. This research provides an evidence-based framework for utilizing sport-specific interventions to foster adolescent psychological resilience. Furthermore, our findings emphasize that open-skill sports act as a socio-cognitive buffer, reclaiming adolescent attention from digital spaces and fostering a sustainable state of digital well-being.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Smartphone Addiction Level
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: 12-Week Structured Badminton Program

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Erzincan, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents aged 14-18 years.
• Enrollment in a secondary/high school institution.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of any musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiovascular, or medical condition that would prevent participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
• Current participation in a structured competitive sports training program.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Structured Badminton Intervention; Participants will participate in a structured badminton training program for 12 weeks, six sessions per week, with each session lasting approximately 120-150 minutes. Each training session consists of a warm-up, badminton skill practice and match play, followed by a cool-down period.	Behavioral: 12-Week Structured Badminton Program; Participants assigned to the intervention group will participate in a structured badminton training program for 12 consecutive weeks. The program consists of six supervised sessions per week, each lasting approximately 120-150 minutes. Each session includes a standardized warm-up (30 minutes), badminton technical training and match play (60-90 minutes), and a cool-down period (30 minutes). The intervention is designed to increase regular physical activity, promote social interaction, and improve self-regulation through participation in an open-skill sport.
No Intervention: Control Group; Participants will maintain their usual daily activities without participating in the structured badminton intervention during the study period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Smartphone Addiction Level	Smartphone addiction will be assessed using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). The SAS-SV consists of 10 items rated on a six-point Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 10 to 60. Higher scores indicate greater smartphone addiction severity.	Baseline and Week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Participants' Experiences of Behavioral Change	Participants' experiences regarding changes in smartphone use, self-regulation, daily functioning, withdrawal symptoms, virtual social orientation, overuse, and tolerance will be explored through semi-structured interviews using inductive thematic analysis.	Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 2, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 3, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): March 3, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 25, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2022/11

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No