CBT Treatment for Internet Gaming Disorder
Gaming Disorder- a Randomized Controlled Trial in a Clinical Setting
1 other identifier
interventional
160
1 country
1
Brief Summary
For most people, gaming is perceived as a positive activity. In some cases, however, gaming may turn into an addiction with consequences for the individual health, quality of life and everyday life. Today, there is a lack of evidence-based interventions to treat this condition, called Gaming Disorder (GD). This study will evaluate a new manual for treatment of GD, divided into a number of modules and based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and will be conducted at a clinic specialized in the treatment of gambling and gaming addiction. Participants included in the study will be randomized to one of to groups. The intervention group will receive twelve weeks of individual CBT-treatment while participants allocated to the control group will be put on a twelve-week wait-list. The hypothesis is that the manual based CBT treatment will result in a greater reduction in symptoms of criteria for GD.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Aug 2025
Typical duration for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
March 9, 2022
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
April 14, 2022
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
August 1, 2025
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
December 1, 2027
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
December 1, 2027
May 16, 2025
May 1, 2025
2.3 years
March 9, 2022
May 13, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Internet Gaming Disorder Scale- Short Form (IGDS9-SF)
Change in number of diagnostic criteria of Internet Gaming Disorder according to DSM-5. The score ranges from 9 to 45. A higher score indicates more problems related to gaming.
Up to 24 weeks.
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Timeline follow back for gaming (TLFB-GD)
Up to 12 weeks.
Gaming Disorder Test (GDT)
Up to 24 weeks.
Other Outcomes (9)
Patient health´s questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Up to 24 weeks.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7)
Up to 24 weeks.
Brunnsviken Brief Quality of life scale (BBQ)
Up to 24 weeks.
- +6 more other outcomes
Study Arms (2)
CBT treatment
EXPERIMENTALThe CBT-arm includes treatment according to a manual developed to treat GD. The manual is based on nine main and three optional modules. Each module covers different topics identified as problematic for individuals with GD, for example "thoughts" and "feelings". It is possible to adjust the number of modules, in line with the individual plan for every participant. During the treatment period, the participants report their weekly time spent on gaming, non-gaming screen-time and on other activities.
Wait list control
OTHERParticipants randomised to the control-arm is put on a twelve-week wait-list. During this time, the participants will report their weekly time spent on gaming, non-gaming screen-time and on other activities.
Interventions
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Fulfilling 5 out of 9 criteria for IGD according to DSM V
- ≥ 16 years of age
- Can read and speak Swedish fluidly.
You may not qualify if:
- Somatic or psychiatric disease that is contraindicating or severely complicates the implementation of the intervention (e.g., ongoing psychotic, manic or hypomanic episode or neuropsychiatric condition with severe disability)
- Ongoing increased suicide risk that is considered to make it inappropriate for the patient to participate in the study (based on evaluation at the structured clinical interview)
- have another ongoing psychological treatment with a content similar to that in the current study
- plan to start such treatment during the XX weeks that the study is ongoing or has during the last three weeks started or changed medication for any psychiatric problem.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
Clinic for gambling addiction and screen health
Gothenburg, Sweden
Related Publications (2)
Arvidson E, Hofstedt A, Soderpalm Gordh A. A flexible module-based cognitive behavioral therapy for gaming disorder: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2025 Oct 2;26(1):386. doi: 10.1186/s13063-025-09147-4.
PMID: 41039577DERIVEDHofstedt A, Mide M, Arvidson E, Ljung S, Mattiasson J, Lindskog A, Soderpalm-Gordh A. Pilot data findings from the Gothenburg treatment for gaming disorder: a cognitive behavioral treatment manual. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jun 6;14:1162492. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1162492. eCollection 2023.
PMID: 37346899DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Anna Gordh, Ass. Prof
Mottagning för spelberoende och skärmhälsa
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Associated Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
March 9, 2022
First Posted
April 14, 2022
Study Start
August 1, 2025
Primary Completion (Estimated)
December 1, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
December 1, 2027
Last Updated
May 16, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-05
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will share
- Shared Documents
- STUDY PROTOCOL
- Time Frame
- After publication of data.
- Access Criteria
- Not decided yet.
After publication of data the IPD will be available at request.