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Article History

Received: 18 September 2025

Accepted: 28 September 2025

First Online: 31 October 2025

Declarations

:

: All the study procedures have been examined and approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Education University of Hong Kong according to the Helsinki declaration (Reference number: 2023-2024-0412). The research team will brief eligible adolescents and parents thoroughly about the study procedures and the nature of recording smartphone usage patterns and EEG data collection. All participants and parents will give written informed consent before they voluntarily provide data, with no negative consequence for not participating or withdrawing during any part of the study. Research personnel will keep all data anonymous and confidential. All information related to participants will be identifiable by codes known only to the researcher. All data will be stored on a password-protected online account which can only be accessed by the Principal Investigator and Research Assistants for this project, until 5 years past completion of the study, then the data will be destroyed. Individual feedback on adolescents’ performance will not be given to their schools or other parties. The control group will receive instructions for smartphone-based strategies to reduce smartphone use after the study period. After the study period, participants with maintained SO behavioral patterns will be referred for further clinical services.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.