Effectiveness of WeChat Public Account Intervention Based on the IMB Model for College Students With Internet Addiction

Shihaiyan Shi

Status: Completed

Conditions: Internet Addiction

Treatments: Behavioral: Intervention Name: WeChat Intervention Based on the IMB Model

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06704984

20190495

Details and patient eligibility

About

Objective:

The investigators want to see if a WeChat program can help college students use the internet less and feel better.

Methods:

The investigators picked 226 students who use the internet too much. The investigators put 113 in a group that used a special WeChat program for six weeks. The other 113 did nothing different. The investigators checked how much they used the internet, slept, and how they felt before and after.

Interventions:

The WeChat program gave students info, motivation, and skills to cut down on internet use. It sent them articles and videos every two days.

Data Collection and Outcome Measures:

The investigators used a test to see how much students were addicted to the internet. The investigators also looked at their internet time, sleep, and feelings. The investigators used math tricks to see if the program worked.

Brief Summary:

This study checks if a WeChat program can help students with internet addiction. It teaches them about their habits and how to change them.

Full description

Background:

With the rise of digital technology, internet addiction has become a significant concern among college students, affecting their academic performance and mental health. The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model has shown promise in understanding and addressing health behaviors, including addiction.

Objective:

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a WeChat public account intervention based on the IMB model in reducing internet addiction among college students. The study also aims to explore the underlying mechanisms that lead to changes in addictive behaviors, contributing to the development of a new online treatment model for internet addiction.

Methods:

A total of 226 college students diagnosed with internet addiction were recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n=113) or a control group (n=113) using stratified randomization based on gender. The intervention group participated in a structured six-week program that leveraged a WeChat public account to deliver content designed to educate about internet addiction, identify triggers, enhance motivation to change, and improve behavioral skills. The control group maintained their regular routines without any intervention. Data were collected before and after the intervention period using standardized measures, including the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and assessed for internet usage time, sleep duration, sleep quality, and somatic-psychological symptoms.

Interventions:

The intervention was structured around three modules: information, motivation, and behavioral skills. Participants in the intervention group received automated push notifications with articles or videos every two days through the WeChat public account. The content was designed to provide knowledge about internet addiction, strategies to cope with cravings, and methods to enhance self-efficacy and access to support. The intervention was monitored through the account's backend data to track engagement.

Data Collection and Outcome Measures:

The main outcome measure was the IAT scale score, which assesses the severity of internet addiction. Secondary outcomes included changes in internet usage time, sleep duration, sleep quality, and somatic-psychological symptoms. Data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) and Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to evaluate the impact of the intervention and to identify differences pre- and post-intervention.

Significance:

The findings of this study could provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of digital interventions for internet addiction and contribute to the development of targeted prevention and treatment strategies for college students.

Enrollment: 226 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 24 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• College students diagnosed with Internet addiction, as evidenced by an IAT scale score of 40 or above.
• Age range between 18 and 24 years.
• Use WeChat software.
• Good physical health, capable of completing the whole process of the study.
• Voluntary participation with a signed Informed Consent form.

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of any mental illness or cognitive impairment.
• Current or impending receipt of psychological or pharmacological treatment for a mental health condition.
• Circumstances that would hinder participation, such as internships, suspensions, or other reasons for absence from school.
• Refusal to participate in the study.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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226 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention group: A six-week intervention leveraging an online WeChat public account was implemented, integrating the IMB (Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills) model into its design. Drawing from literature analysis, the intervention plan was structured into three distinct modules: information, motivation, and behavioral skills. The comprehensive intervention encompassed disseminating knowledge on Internet addiction, identifying and avoiding triggers, fostering withdrawal motivation, imparting coping strategies for cravings and challenging situations, enhancing self-efficacy, and facilitating access to personal and social support. Participants who followed the WeChat public account received automated push notifications containing articles or videos every two days. Throughout the intervention period, engagement was monitored by tracking the readership of the sent content through the WeChat public account's backend data.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Intervention Name: WeChat Intervention Based on the IMB Model

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Control group: without any intervention, maintain normal life and study state.