Effects of a Manualized Short-term Treatment of Internet and Computer Game Addiction (STICA)

Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Addiction

Treatments

Behavioral: STICA Intervention

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01434589

BE 2248/10-1

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to 1) determine the efficacy of manualized Short-term Treatment of Internet and Computer game Addiction (STICA), assess 2) the durability of treatment response in these patients and 3) the impact on associated psychiatric symptoms, e.g. social anxiety and depression.

Enrollment

187 patients

Sex

Male

Ages

17 to 55 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

clinical diagnosis of internet or computer game addiction
internet or computer game addiction according to the AICA-Checklist(Assessment of Internet and Computer game addiction, expert Rating)
a score >/= 7 in the AICA-S (Assessment of Internet and Computer game addiction, Self Rating)
patients with primary diagnoses of internet or computer game addiction
if currently on psychotropic medications, no change in medications and dosages in the past 2 months and during STICA treatment
if currently off all psychotropic medications, patient has been off at least 4 weeks
at least 4 weeks off from last psychotherapy and no other ongoing psychotherapy

Exclusion criteria

current Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) < 40
severe major depression (BDI-II Score >/= 29)
current alcohol or drug addictions
personality disorders: borderline, antisocial, schizoid and schizotypal
lifetime diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, bipolar or organic mental disorder
current unstable medical illness