Methods of Intervention
The intervention is intended to address the particular platforms and behaviors found in the source
study, where the most popular apps were YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok.
A. Restructuring the Digital Environment (The Nudge)
1. Platform-Specific Filtering: Students are encouraged to move academic folders to the main
screen and social/entertainment folders to the final page of the interface based on the discovery that
Telegram is the most popular app (87.7%).
2. Notification Management: During university lecture hours, participants must turn off all non-
academic notifications in order to reduce the high "compulsion" scores observed in the study.
3. Visual Friction: Reducing the "salience" of TikTok and YouTube, which the study identifies as
major causes of problematic use, by turning the device to greyscale.
B. Cognitive-Behavioral Assistance Using Conceptual Framework: Behavioral Intervention to
Reduce Excessive Smartphone Screen Time
1. Theoretical Framework
1.1 The COM-B Model
This intervention utilizes the COM-B Model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior) to
shift students from habitual scrolling to intentional usage.
• Capability: The program enhances "Psychological Capability" by increasing media literacy.
Students learn how excessive usage—specifically on platforms like TikTok and Telegram—impacts
academic performance and sleep.
• Opportunity: This addresses the environment. By creating "Phone-Free Zones" in libraries and
establishing peer-support groups, the intervention provides the social and physical opportunity to
engage in non-digital activities.
• Motivation: Motivation is addressed through goal-setting and habit formation. Students align
screen-time reduction with their academic ambitions, using group accountability to turn conscious
effort into automatic behavior.
1.2 Application of Nudge Theory
The "Ethio-Focus" program applies Nudge Theory to make phone access more effortful. By
switching screens to greyscale and disabling "Easy Unlock" (Face-ID), the intervention creates
"digital friction," nudging students toward focus without strictly forbidding device use.
1.3 Digital Hygiene Psychoeducation
Selected students attend weekly 60-minute CBT-informed sessions. These explore how triggers like
boredom or academic pressure lead to "overt" phone use. By identifying the emotional links to app-
checking, students develop self-regulation strategies tailored to the Ethiopian digital landscape.
3. Intervention Protocols and Experimental Design
3.1 Implementation Strategies
The "Ethio-Focus" intervention utilizes three core behavioral pillars:
• The "Ten-Step Nudge" Protocol: Students implement low-cost phone adjustments to create
"digital friction." Key actions include activating greyscale mode to neutralize dopamine-driven
The intervention is intended to address the particular platforms and behaviors found in the source
study, where the most popular apps were YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok.
A. Restructuring the Digital Environment (The Nudge)
1. Platform-Specific Filtering: Students are encouraged to move academic folders to the main
screen and social/entertainment folders to the final page of the interface based on the discovery that
Telegram is the most popular app (87.7%).
2. Notification Management: During university lecture hours, participants must turn off all non-
academic notifications in order to reduce the high "compulsion" scores observed in the study.
3. Visual Friction: Reducing the "salience" of TikTok and YouTube, which the study identifies as
major causes of problematic use, by turning the device to greyscale.
B. Cognitive-Behavioral Assistance Using Conceptual Framework: Behavioral Intervention to
Reduce Excessive Smartphone Screen Time
1. Theoretical Framework
1.1 The COM-B Model
This intervention utilizes the COM-B Model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior) to
shift students from habitual scrolling to intentional usage.
• Capability: The program enhances "Psychological Capability" by increasing media literacy.
Students learn how excessive usage—specifically on platforms like TikTok and Telegram—impacts
academic performance and sleep.
• Opportunity: This addresses the environment. By creating "Phone-Free Zones" in libraries and
establishing peer-support groups, the intervention provides the social and physical opportunity to
engage in non-digital activities.
• Motivation: Motivation is addressed through goal-setting and habit formation. Students align
screen-time reduction with their academic ambitions, using group accountability to turn conscious
effort into automatic behavior.
1.2 Application of Nudge Theory
The "Ethio-Focus" program applies Nudge Theory to make phone access more effortful. By
switching screens to greyscale and disabling "Easy Unlock" (Face-ID), the intervention creates
"digital friction," nudging students toward focus without strictly forbidding device use.
1.3 Digital Hygiene Psychoeducation
Selected students attend weekly 60-minute CBT-informed sessions. These explore how triggers like
boredom or academic pressure lead to "overt" phone use. By identifying the emotional links to app-
checking, students develop self-regulation strategies tailored to the Ethiopian digital landscape.
3. Intervention Protocols and Experimental Design
3.1 Implementation Strategies
The "Ethio-Focus" intervention utilizes three core behavioral pillars:
• The "Ten-Step Nudge" Protocol: Students implement low-cost phone adjustments to create
"digital friction." Key actions include activating greyscale mode to neutralize dopamine-driven
