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NCT Number: NCT03220581

A Psychotherapy Development Study for Internet Gaming

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) introduces Internet Gaming disorder (IGD) as a Substance-Related and Addictive Disorder in Section 3, Conditions for Further Study. Although research is in the nascent stages, existing studies demonstrate that IGD is associated with psychosocial distress including suicidality, and adverse vocational and educational outcomes in youth. Internet gaming disorder also shares substantial overlap with substance use, and it primarily affects adolescents, who rarely seek treatment on their own. Parents more often express concerns about their child's game playing behaviors, and data suggest that parents can have strong influences on it. This psychotherapy development study will evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and effect sizes of a behavioral intervention designed to help parents reduce gaming problems in their children. Sixty concerned parents and their children will complete parental and self-report inventories and structured diagnostic interviews regarding the child's gaming behaviors, substance use and psychosocial functioning. Participants will be randomized to either a control condition consisting of referral for mental health issues and family support services or to the same plus a 6-week family-based behavioral intervention designed to assist with better monitoring and regulating the child's game playing behaviors and encouraging and rewarding alternatives to game playing. Gaming and other problems will be assessed pre-treatment, mid-treatment, at the end of treatment, and at a 4-month follow-up. This study is unique in evaluating initial psychometric properties of a parental version of a measure that uses the DSM-5 criteria for IGD in a clinical sample, and it will also assess associations of IGD with substance use, psychological symptoms, and family functioning over time. Most importantly, this study will be the first randomized trial of an intervention designed to reduce gambling problems, and results are likely to guide future research and treatment efforts related to this condition.

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Key information

Conditions

Internet Gaming Disorder Behavior Behavior, Addictive Compulsive Behavior Impulsive Behavior Internet Addiction Disorder Technology Addiction

Age range

10 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UConn Health

Farmington, Connecticut, 06030, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • parent/guardian of a 10-19 year old residing in the same household >8 months/year
  • reports significant problems with game playing

Exclusion criteria

  • have a condition that may hinder study participation

Treatment and study plan

Referral for care

Behavioral

referral for addictions support

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral

therapy focused on monitoring gaming behavior and replacing it with other activities and communication skills

Primary outcomes

  1. Percentage of Participants Who Completed All 6 Sessions

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    Completion of sessions is an indicator of treatment acceptability and feasibility

  2. Number of Days of Gaming in Past Week - Reported by Child

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    Number of days of game playing in past week is an indicator of severity of the gaming problem.

  3. Number of Days of Gaming in the Past Week - Reported by Parent

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    Number of days of gaming is an indicator of the severity of the gaming problem.

  4. Number of Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder - Assessed Through a Clinical Interview With Child

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    Examines whether the treatment group showed greater reductions in symptoms of Internet gaming disorder than the control group. Ratings of Internet gaming disorder symptoms were assessed using a clinical interview with the child, conducted by trained assessors blind to treatment condition.

  5. Number of Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder - Assessed Through a Clinical Interview With Parent

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    Examines whether the treatment group showed greater reductions in symptoms of Internet gaming disorder than the control group. Ratings of Internet gaming disorder symptoms were assessed using a clinical interview with the parent, conducted by trained assessors blind to treatment condition.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

UConn Health

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Registry information

Official study title

A Psychotherapy Development Study for a New Addictive Disorder

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Jul 18, 2017
Registry last updated
Feb 7, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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