An observational study in Behavior, Addictive and College Student, sponsored by Sun Yat-sen University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 30 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-07.
Sponsored by Sun Yat-sen University · Observational
This qualitative study aims to explore the experience of short-video addiction among college students using a directed content analysis approach grounded in the integrated framework of the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory and the Temporal Self-Regulation Theory (TST).
Short-form videos have become one of the most popular ways for people to entertain and relax. However, the intense interest in short-form videos has given rise to short-video addiction, which poses risks to both physical and mental health of individuals. As undergraduates constitute a key user group of short-form videos, the associated adverse outcomes of short-form video addiction-including poor sleep, physical discomfort, academic procrastination, anxiety, and impaired self-regulation-call for increased attention.Understanding its underlying mechanisms is therefore critical, yet existing quantitative studies lack contextual depth, and qualitative research remains sparse and theoretically fragmented.To address this gap, this qualitative study will use directed content analysis grounded in an integrated Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) and Temporal Self-Regulation Theory (TST) framework. Eligible full-time college students will complete semi-structured interviews exploring triggering stimuli, emotional/cognitive responses, behavioral consequences, time perception, future self-connection, and self-regulatory failures. The study will produce a theory-driven, empirically grounded model of short video addiction formation, informing targeted prevention and intervention strategies for this high-risk population.
521 studies on the registry are indexed under Behavior, Addictive; 124 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 30 is below the median of 158 across 106 observational studies indexed under Behavior, Addictive.
Browse Behavior, Addictive studies →Sun Yat-sen University is the lead sponsor of 1,690 studies on the registry; 619 are open to participants now.
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The study population will consist of full-time college students (including associate degree, bachelor's degree, and graduate students) recruited from universities in China. Participants will be purposively selected based on their scores on the College Student Short Video Addiction Scale. Those who answer "yes" to 4 or more diagnostic items on the scale will be included, indicating a pattern of problematic short video use. Individuals with severe mental disorders or major cognitive impairment participation will be excluded.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Full-time college students (associate, bachelor, or graduate) who meet the screening criterion of 4 or more affirmative responses on the College Student Short Video Addiction Scale.
Other: Semistructured interview
A qualitative design using directed content analysis will be employed. Participants will be full-time college students who meet the screening criteria based on the College Student Short Video Addiction Scale. A semi-structured interview approach will be adopted to collect data on aspects such as the history of college students' use of short videos, triggering situations, emotional and cognitive experiences, self-regulation strategies, and perceived impacts.
Qualitative Experience of Short Video Addiction
Thematic patterns of short video addiction based on the integrated S-O-R and TST framework, including triggering stimuli, emotional/cognitive experiences, behavioral responses, time perception distortion, future self-connection, and self-regulatory failure.
Time frame: At the time of interview
Start is estimated for May 2026; primary completion for Jun 2026, 1 month later.
Of 46 non-industry observational studies under Behavior, Addictive, half reached primary completion within 40 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 20 and three quarters within 111. This study's planned 1 month is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 49 studies reached it within 40 months; a quarter within 20 and three quarters within 73.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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