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The impact of a brief digital abstinence intervention on digital distractions and time management among nursing
Mohammed Nasser Albarqi1, Mohammed Yousef Almulhim2, Mai Adel Albana3
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. aalbarqi@kfu.edu.sa.
Background:
Digital distraction and excessive engagement with instant-reward technologies, including social media and streaming platforms, are associated with reduced attention control, procrastination, and impaired self-regulation among university students. Nursing students face academic and clinical demands that require planning, prioritization, and sustained concentration. This study examined whether a brief structured digital abstinence intervention was associated with short-term improvement in time management behaviors among undergraduate nursing students.
Methods:
A quasi-experimental pre-post control group study with a supplementary exploratory qualitative component was conducted among 90 undergraduate nursing students at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, during the 2024-2025 academic year. Participants were allocated to an intervention group (n = 45) or a control group (n = 45) using matched allocation based on academic year, GPA category, and gender. The intervention group completed a structured 48-hour digital abstinence protocol restricting non-academic digital activities; the control group continued usual routines. Time management was assessed before and immediately after the intervention using the Time Management Behavior Scale (TMBS), and written reflections from the intervention group were analyzed thematically.
Results:
Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed greater short-term improvement in TMBS total change scores (+ 6.7 +/- 4.5 vs. +0.3 +/- 3.6; mean difference = 6.4; 95% CI: 4.69 to 8.11; Cohen's d = 1.57; p < 0.001). Improvements were also observed for goal setting/prioritization, task mechanics, time control, and organizational preference. Qualitative reflections suggested increased awareness of digital habits, improved academic focus, and more intentional study-time use. Correlations between TMBS improvement and GPA, baseline device-use category, and academic level were exploratory and should be interpreted cautiously.
Conclusions:
A brief structured digital abstinence intervention was associated with short-term improvement in self-reported time management behaviors among undergraduate nursing students. Because the study was quasi-experimental, single-site, self-reported, and limited to an immediate 48-hour post-test, causal and long-term claims should be interpreted cautiously. Future randomized multicenter studies should include objective screen-time measures and longer follow-up.
Clinical Trial Registration:
NCT07467057 Retrospectively registered (11-3-2016).
