Unplug to Thrive: A PERMA-based Intervention Program for Reducing Smartphone Addiction

Smartphone addiction is recognized as a behavioural pattern characterized by compulsive, excessive, and problematic smartphone use. It has been associated with mood dysregulation, impaired engagement, weakened social relationships, diminished meaning in life, reduced self-regulation, and lower achievement. In response to these challenges, this study proposes the Unplug to Thrive program, a six-week intervention program grounded in Seligman’s (2011) PERMA model of well-being. The program adopts a positive prevention approach that emphasizes substitution over eradication by guiding individuals to cultivate positive real-life experiences across PERMA domains. The intervention consists of one 50-minute session per week, with each session structured into three stages: self-assessment, PERMA real-life creation, and evaluation of life satisfaction. The program aims to cultivate positive real-life experiences as a means of gradually reducing individuals’ attachment to smartphone use. This study contributes to the field of mental health by reframing smartphone addiction as an opportunity to promote well-being and flourishing through engagement in fulfilling experiences beyond the smartphone.