Design and Evaluation of the Chai Wallpaper: A Mindfulness-Based Persuasive Intervention for Absent-Minded Smartphone Use

Abstract

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is a growing concern that hurts users' daily lives and activities. This thesis first examines existing interventions for PSU and identifies research gaps. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of developing mindfulness and self-efficacy concerning smartphone use rather than solely focusing on reducing usage. However, there needs to be more research on developing and evaluating digital interventions specifically targeting absent-minded smartphone use. To address this gap, we developed the Chai wallpaper application as a novel intervention for absent-minded smartphone use. The application was evaluated over two weeks with 121 participants at different stages of behavior change for smartphone use. The intervention successfully reduced absent-minded smartphone use overall. Although our analysis suggests that the intervention's effectiveness may differ among individuals at different stages of change, additional tests conducted afterward did not validate this observation. Participants found various features of the intervention persuasive, with no significant differences based on gender or stage of change. This thesis provides valuable insights for advancing human-computer interaction (HCI) research on PSU and enhancing future interventions, including improvements to the Chai wallpaper intervention that will ensure its relevance and usefulness. Additionally, the results raise important questions for future research, such as tailoring interventions to address the specific needs of individuals at different stages of change regarding PSU. Future studies are recommended to explore the relationship between perceived persuasiveness, actual persuasiveness and behavior change. Finally, we contribute to the discussion on the applications of mindfulness in persuasive technology, the challenges and future research areas.