Family Centered Treatment for Problematic Gaming and Excessive Screen Use

NCT06098807 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2023-05533-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 10
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The general increase in screen time as a time-consuming leisure activity among children and youth has been a puzzle to the adult world. Specifically, parents and professionals who work with children and youth express concern for the effect excessive screen time including gaming may have for child and youth development. The clinical picture of problematic gaming and excessive screen time describes compulsion, psychiatric and physical symptoms, impaired cognitive development, and school performance. The aim of this project is to set up and evaluate an easily accessible family centered treatment intervention for a child and adolescent psychiatry population. This study can lead to reduced suffering by optimization the care interventions for patients with problematic gaming and gambling.

Conditions

Internet Gaming Disorder; Internet Addiction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• SCREENS-Q

  Screening form, for valuing children and adolescent´s screen time

  Data will be collected at two time points; directly after the fourth and final treatment session and three months after completed treatment.

• GASA

  Screening form, for diagnosis of computer game addiction

  Data will be collected at two time points; directly after the fourth and final treatment session and three months after completed treatment.

• PARCA

  (adapted) Screening form for assessing aspects of parent-child relationship and parenting practices

  Data will be collected at two time points; directly after the fourth and final treatment session and three months after completed treatment.

• FCU

  Five items measure parent-child warmth, and three items measure parent-child conflicts

  Data will be collected at two time points; directly after the fourth and final treatment session and three months after completed treatment.

• Kessler Scale-6

  Screening for depression and anxiety the past 6 months

  Data will be collected at two time points; directly after the fourth and final treatment session and three months after completed treatment.

• ISI-A

  Form for assessing sleep disorders in children and adolescents

  Data will be collected at two time points; directly after the fourth and final treatment session and three months after completed treatment.

• GTP-5

  Form for assessing gaming transfer phenomena

  Data will be collected at two time points; directly after the fourth and final treatment session and three months after completed treatment.

Study Arms (1)

Familiy Based Treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

;one session per week during a period of four weeks with high quality content. The sessions will be performed at CAP location in Lund. The treatment will be performed by a clinician at CAP who could be a doctor, psychologist or health counselor - all with cognitive behavioral therapy competence. The sessions will be in group settings, separately for children and parents. In that sense, children will be included in a group with other children and parents will be included in a group with other parents. Each group will have 1-2 therapists leading the program. The theme of the week will be the same for both parent and child group, although the delivery will potentially differ. We expect that a session will last approximately 90 min with a 15-minute coffee break included.

Behavioral: Family Centered Treatment for Problematic Gaming and Excessive Screen Use

Interventions

Family Centered Treatment for Problematic Gaming and Excessive Screen Use BEHAVIORAL

Based on earlier implementation research with parents and children the treatment is likely to consist of a low number of sessions ;one session per week during a period of four weeks with high quality content. The sessions will be performed at CAP location in Lund. The treatment will be performed by a clinician at CAP who could be a doctor, psychologist or health counselor - all with cognitive behavioral therapy competence. The sessions will be in group settings, separately for children and parents. In that sense, children will be included in a group with other children and parents will be included in a group with other parents. Each group will have 1-2 therapists leading the program. The theme of the week will be the same for both parent and child group, although the delivery will potentially differ. We expect that a session will last approximately 90 min with a 15-minute coffee break included.

Familiy Based Treatment

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Age 12 to \<18 years
• Self-perceived problems in the family regarding computer gaming or screen use
• Children/youth and guardians can read, write and communicate in Swedish
• An available guardian who can participate in the treatment
• Access to the internet
• Possibility to participate in treatment sessions on site at the reception

You may not qualify if:

• \. Observed or suspected intellectual disability

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Region Skane: lead

Study Sites (1)

BUP; Region Skane

Lund, Lund, 22240, Sweden

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Werner M, Kapetanovic S, Claesdotter-Knutsson E. Family-Centered Treatment Program for Problematic Gaming and Excessive Screen Use in a Clinical Child and Youth Population (FAME): Protocol for a Feasibility Pilot Mixed Method Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2024 Oct 8;13:e56387. doi: 10.2196/56387.

  PMID: 39378066 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Internet Addiction Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Technology Addiction; Behavior, Addictive; Compulsive Behavior; Impulsive Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Emma Claesdotter-Knutsson, MD, PhD

  Region Skane University Hospital, Lund University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 8, 2023
• First Posted: October 25, 2023
• Study Start: February 29, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2024
• Study Completion: July 1, 2024
• Last Updated: September 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Locations

SE (1)