Protégé Effect for Behavior Change: Does Teaching Digital Stress Solutions to Others Reduce One's Own?

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Digital Well-being
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• The protégé effect indicates improved learning when individuals teach others.
• This study explores if teaching about problematic behaviors, like digital stress (DS), can reduce them in the teacher.
• Digital stress encompasses issues like availability stress, approval anxiety, and fear of missing out.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a protégé-based approach for reducing and managing digital stress (DS).
• To determine if teaching about DS dimensions enhances self-management of these issues.
• To contribute empirical evidence to digital well-being literature.

Main Methods:

• 137 participants with moderate-high DS were divided into four groups over 3 weeks.
• Two groups used a protégé approach: one passive (given materials), one active (prepared content).
• A digital literacy group and a control group were included for comparison.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in digital stress (DS) levels were found between the groups.
• Problematic social media use, word of mouth, and issue involvement also showed no significant group variations.
• The study indicates challenges in converting cognitive engagement into behavioral change for digital well-being.

Conclusions:

• The protégé effect may not directly translate to self-management of problematic behaviors like digital stress.
• Persistent digital habits and social stressors pose significant challenges to enhancing digital well-being.
• Further research is needed to understand effective interventions for digital stress management.