From screen to stage: reducing adolescents' smartphone addiction through theatrical activities in the zone of proximal development

<p><strong>Context and relevance</strong>. Smartphone addiction among adolescents is a behavioral addiction characterized by impaired control, withdrawal symptoms, and functional impairments. Despite the high prevalence of the problem among adolescents, there is currently limited targeted research on possible solutions, including the drama approach. The presented work is conducted in the tradition of the cultural-historical scientific school, based on the ideas of L.S. Vygotsky about the zone of proximal development and the concept of “perezhivanie”. <strong>Objective.</strong> To evaluate the effectiveness of the “Digital Theater” activity technology for the prevention and correction of smartphone addiction in adolescents, to analyze the psychological and pedagogical aspects contributing to its impact. <strong>Hypothesis</strong>. Specially organized theatrical activities help reduce smartphone addiction among adolescents. <strong>Methods and materials</strong>. The study sample consisted of 81 adolescents aged 14-15 (two experimental groups and a control group). The adolescents participated in the "Digital Theater" program from February to May 2024. They took part in 24 drama sessions 90-minutes each. Participants completed pre- and post-testing procedures with Smartphone Addiction Scale (Sheynov, 2020). Additionally, qualitative interviews with adolescents were conducted (N = 18), teachers (N = 4), and parents (N = 2). <strong>Results</strong>. The analysis of the quantitative data allows us to conclude that there was a decrease in the tolerance indicator, as well as tendencies toward a reduction in the disruption of daily life, the overall addiction indicator, and the overuse indicator. The qualitative analysis reveals the nature of these changes, indicating that the study participants developed social interaction skills, strengthened their social relationships, preferred real communication over virtual communication, and acquired self-presentation approaches and skills as alternatives to digital methods. <strong>Conclusions</strong>. The "Digital Theater" activity-based technology may serve as a means to prevent and treat smartphone addiction in adolescents. The results are preliminary; further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of this model when applied to different youth groups.</p>