Evaluation of a Family-centered Program for Problematic Gaming/Excessive Screen Use

The Family-Centered Program for Problematic Gaming and Excessive Screen Use (FAME) is a pioneering initiative designed to address the growing challenges of excessive screen use and gaming among children and adolescents, particularly within family dynamics. With digital media becoming one of the most prevalent leisure activities, excessive use has been linked to adverse outcomes, including depression, sleep disturbances, and family conflicts. Despite these concerns, there are no evaluated family-centered interventions in Sweden that address these issues comprehensively. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the S-FAME program, developed in collaboration with social services across two municipalities (Lund, Eslöv). The program integrates psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and social-emotional learning, focusing on both children and their families. It acknowledges that problematic screen use often develops within family contexts and aims to improve parenting practices and enhance parent-child relationships. The project aligns with the new Social Services Act, which will come into effect in July 2025, emphasizing easily accessible, preventive, and low-threshold interventions-so-called non-means-tested services. By targeting both individual and family needs, the intervention has the potential to reduce societal costs, enhance family well-being, and address health inequalities. With its innovative and scalable design, S-FAME provides a much-needed framework to tackle one of today's most pressing challenges in youth development- excessive screen use. We are a team of researchers with great experience in research as well as clinical work in the field of adolescence, social work and ANDTS (Alkohol, narkotika, droger, tobak och spel). The project is well established within the School of Social Sciences/Medical Faculty at Lund University, as well as within the innovation and development departments of two social services units. PI Emma Claesdotter-Knutsson (ECK), associate professor and senior consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry at Lund University/Region Skåne with major research areas of gaming, gambling and screens use. ECK has extensive clinical expertise and has played a key role at the Swedish Public Health Agency, contributing to the development of recommendations on child digital media use. PI ECK brings extensive experience and formal training in leading collaborative projects.