Effects of a 12-Week Structured Badminton Intervention on Smartphone Addiction Among Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study

The global surge in smartphone addiction (SA) represents a critical biopsychosocial risk for adolescents. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 12-week structured badminton intervention in alleviating SA among high school students and explored the psychosocial mechanisms underlying behavioral change using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design.

Thirty adolescents were randomized into experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=15). The experimental group participated in an "open-skill" badminton program (6 sessions/week, 120-150 min/session) for 12 weeks, while the control group maintained their routine lifestyle. Data were collected via the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and semi-structured interviews. Statistical analysis included paired/independent t-tests and ANCOVA, followed by inductive thematic analysis of qualitative data.

Quantitative findings revealed a highly significant reduction in SA levels within the experimental group (Mpre = 32.27 ± 10.25 vs. Mpost = 24.93 ± 7.13, p<.001), achieving a very large effect size (d= 1.84). No significant change was observed in the control group (p=.095). ANCOVA confirmed a robust intervention effect, F(1,27)= 52.04, p<.001, explaining 65.8% of the variance. Qualitative follow-up identified five core themes-life functionality, withdrawal, virtual social orientation, overuse, and tolerance-indicating that badminton served as a "temporal buffer" that enhanced self-regulation and real-world relatedness.

A 12-week structured badminton program is a potent non-pharmacological strategy for mitigating technological dependencies. This research provides an evidence-based framework for utilizing sport-specific interventions to foster adolescent psychological resilience. Furthermore, our findings emphasize that open-skill sports act as a socio-cognitive buffer, reclaiming adolescent attention from digital spaces and fostering a sustainable state of digital well-being.