Effects of an Internet Use Disorder and Internet Gaming Disorder Early Intervention Program (PROTECT+)

Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Mental Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: PROTECT+

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03582839

PH Heidelberg

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background. In the last two decades Internet usage has grown vastly. Pathological Internet usage (IUD; Internet Use Disorder) is associated with severe mental health problems affecting social, academic and daily life functioning. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has been already included in the DSM-V. Recently, the WHO declared to include Gaming Disorder (GD) in the upcoming ICD-11. Despite the increasing rates of adolescents with IUD and (I)GD, affected people are treated unsystematically and there is a lack of evidence based treatment programs. PROTECT+ is a low-threshold, cognitive behavioral short-term group intervention.

Methods. 54 patients, aged 9-19 years, received PROTECT+ intervention in Heidelberg, Germany. The PROTECT+ intervention group underwent a cognitive-behavioral 4-session group therapy. Follow-up data were collected at 1, 4, and 12 months after admission. Primary outcome was the change in (I)GD and IUD related symptoms at the 12-months follow-up. Secondary outcomes were changes in comorbid symptoms as well as in problem solving, cognitive restructuring and emotion regulation skills

Discussion. Treatment of IUD and IGD is still in its early stages. Recent reviews report increasing research on treatment but also a lack of well-designed studies and evidence based treatment programs. The PROTECT+ intervention is a theory driven and evidence based therapy program which is based on the PROTECT preventive intervention in school settings. In the intervention group a reduction of (I)GD and IUD symptom severity is expected over 12 months.

Enrollment: 54 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 9 to 19 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Adolescents aged 9 to 19 years Self-selection

Exclusion criteria

Severe comorbid mental health disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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54 participants in 1 patient group

PROTECT+

Experimental group

Description:

The PROTECT+ intervention group is a self-selected sample, which receives the PROTECT+ group therapy (4 modules in 4 subsequent weeks à 100 min). Participants are assessed at T1 (baseline), T2 (post treatment, 1-month follow-up), T3 (4-months follow-up), and T4 (12-months follow-up).

Treatment:

Behavioral: PROTECT+