Family centered program for problematic gaming and excessive screen use in a clinical child and youth population (FAME) - protocol for a feasibility study (Preprint)

Abstract

Children and young people's screen use has been seen to increase over time, causing both parents and healthcare professionals to wonder what consequences it may have for children's development. At the same time, there are currently no evaluated intervention programs for families with children with problematic gaming or excessive screen use.

This protocol paper outlines a study to determine the feasibility of a family-centered program for problematic gaming and excessive screen use among children (12-18 years) within a clinical population. Our aim is also to examine the participants' experience of the program as well as to examine the relevance of the selected measuring instruments.

This is a non-randomised pilot and feasibility study. Ten families will be recruited for the study and offered to participate in a family-centered group program targeting children 12<18 year old with reported difficulties regarding screen gaming or screen use. The primary outcome will be a description of study feasibility (recruitment, protocol adherence and acceptability) as well analysis of the participants' experience of the program and the usability of the instruments. Secondary outcomes include the change in gaming and screen use among the participating children, effects on the parent's parenting ability as well as changes in the child-parent relationship.

We expect the results to contribute to a clearer picture of the feasibility of a program based on both theoretical and clinical knowledge of children's screen behaviors and family interventions in a clinical population. Based on the low number of participants in the study, we will not be able to draw any conclusions about the program's effect, but based on the fact that the program rests on previous knowledge in the field, we expect to see a change in average values after completed program.

The study will form an important basis for a upcoming RCT and thus contribute to a better understanding of how families can get help with problematic gaming and excessive screen use in children. Except program feasibility we also expect to be able to draw conclusions about the usability of the selected measurement instruments before the planned RCT as well as the participants' experience of the program.

Clinical Trials.gov (Protocol Registration and Results System, ID NCT06098807) https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06098807, Family Centered Treatment for Problematic Gaming and Excessive Screen Use