Therapeutic Interventions Targeted at Problematic Use of Digital Technology: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Evidence

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: P<.001 for internet psychological treatments and digital interventions; P=.001 for smartphone exercise interventions; P=.02 for gaming psychological treatments

• Effect Size: Psychological treatments: -2.68 (internet use), -1.49 (smartphone), -1.01 (gaming); Exercise: -3.07 (smartphone); Digital interventions: -1.16 (internet use)

• Primary Outcome: Reduction in problematic digital technology use measured by standardized mean differences

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not calculable from available data - standardized mean differences reported without baseline rates

• Confidence Interval: Not reported in abstract

Clinical Application

Psychological therapies appear most consistently effective but require trained practitioners. Digital interventions may offer scalable alternatives Relevant to Australian practice given increasing digital technology concerns. No specific PBS implications as interventions are primarily psychological. May inform RACGP guidelines on digital wellness counselling Individuals with problematic digital technology use across various age groups, though specific demographics not detailed

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Problematic use of digital technology has increased across the world. Despite growing research, evidence on treatment effectiveness across digital behaviors remains fragmented. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to systematically evaluate and compare the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions targeted at problematic use of digital technology across various behavioral domains. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251052442). Electronic searches of PubMed, Scopus, and Embase (up to April 2025) were conducted. It identified 125 eligible studies, including 73 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 32 non-RCTs, 14 pre-post studies, and 6 pilot studies. The interventions that were assessed in these studies included psychological therapies, digital or web-based programs, exercise-based interventions, pharmacological treatments, neuromodulation, parent-focused programs, virtual reality-based interventions, educational programs, and multicomponent approaches. Random-effects meta-analyses using standardized mean differences (SMDs) were performed. RESULTS: For problematic internet use, psychological treatments showed a strong effect (effect size=-2.68; P<.001). Digital interventions also showed significant benefit (effect size=-1.16; P<.001). For smartphone addiction, psychological treatments (effect size=-1.49; P<.001) and exercise-based programs (effect size=-3.07; P=.001) showed significant improvement. For gaming disorder, psychological treatments showed improvement (effect size=-1.01; P=.02), but results were mixed. There were limited studies to calculate pooled results for social media addiction, pornography use, gambling, screen time, and over-the-top content watching. No treatment studies were found for problematic over-the-top content watching. High heterogeneity and evidence of small-study effects were observed in several studies. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, structured psychological therapies showed the most consistent benefit. These findings support structured interventions that aim for control of use and reduce cues linked to high use. Evidence remains limited for several emerging digital behaviors. More high-quality studies are needed in clinical settings and for less-studied forms of digital addiction.

References

1. 1.Balhara, Y. P. S., Bhattacharjee, O., Bhatia, R. K., Sanahan, R., Ganesh, R., Sarkar, S., Ranjan, R., & Kattimani, S. (2026). Therapeutic interventions targeted at problematic use of digital technology: Systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence. *JMIR Mental Health*, *14*(5), e89280. https://doi.org/10.2196/89280