Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Promoting Mental Health of Emerging Adults With Internet Addiction

NCT07750366 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Syed Shahabal 12 PhD/Psy/F23
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 54
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Internet addiction, a growing epidemic among young adults, significantly impairs mental health, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. The pervasive overuse of digital technologies-particularly smartphones, social media, and the internet-has led to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation in this demographic. Traditional therapeutic interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) fail to address the underlying psychological processes contributing to addiction. This research explores the potential of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-a mindfulness-based, values-driven approach-as an effective treatment for internet addiction in young adults. By enhancing psychological flexibility, ACT aims to reduce addictive behaviors while promoting better emotional regulation and mental resilience. The study will assess the efficacy of ACT in improving mental health and mitigating internet addiction within a culturally relevant context for Pakistani youth. Introduction and Problem Statement: Young adulthood is a pivotal developmental phase (18-29 years), during which individuals are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of internet addiction. Excessive use of smartphones, the internet, and social media has become a ubiquitous issue, severely affecting the academic, social, and emotional well-being of young adults. While internet addiction is increasingly prevalent in Pakistan, with studies indicating that 25-35% of the youth are affected, conventional therapeutic models like CBT predominantly focus on symptom management rather than the psychological underpinnings of addictive behaviors. This research aims to fill a critical gap by investigating the application of ACT, which has shown promise in treating various forms of addiction, to internet addiction specifically. Literature Review: The relationship between internet addiction and mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and stress has been well-documented. Recent studies by Moreno et al. (2022) and Ghali et al. (2023) underscore the profound psychological consequences of excessive internet and social media use in young adults. In contrast to CBT, ACT focuses on enhancing psychological flexibility-the ability to accept distressing thoughts and feelings while pursuing value-driven actions. ACT has been shown to improve emotional regulation, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and enhance mindfulness, making it a promising intervention for internet addiction. This research builds on the foundational work of Swain et al. (2015) and Googhari et al. (2022), who demonstrated the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions, including ACT, in enhancing mental health outcomes. Rationale: Internet addiction is not only a growing public health crisis but also a barrier to personal development and social integration in young adults. While traditional therapies like CBT focus on symptom reduction, they do not sufficiently address the cognitive and emotional mechanisms that drive addictive behaviors. ACT offers a more comprehensive approach by fostering psychological flexibility and emotional resilience-key factors in the recovery from addiction. Moreover, ACT's adaptability to diverse cultural contexts makes it an ideal intervention for Pakistan's rapidly digitalizing youth population. This research seeks to evaluate ACT's effectiveness in reducing internet addiction and improving mental health outcomes in this group. Research Objectives and Hypotheses: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ACT in reducing internet addiction and enhancing mental health among emerging adults in Pakistan. The specific objectives are to:

1. 1.Assess the impact of ACT on internet addiction behaviors (smartphone, internet, social media).
2. 2.Evaluate improvements in mental health, including reductions in depression, anxiety, and impulsivity.
3. 3.Examine changes in emotional regulation, mindfulness, and psychological flexibility.
4. 4.The experimental group will exhibit a significant reduction in internet addiction behaviors at post-test compared to the control group.
5. 5.The experimental group will demonstrate substantial improvements in mental health indicators-specifically in reducing depression, anxiety, and impulsivity.
6. 6.ACT will lead to enhanced psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and emotional regulation in the experimental group relative to the control group.

Conditions

Internet Addiction

Keywords

Internet Addiction; Problematic Internet Use; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; ACT; Emerging Adults; University Students; Behavioral Addiction; Mindfulness; Randomized Controlled Trial; Pakistan

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Internet Addiction Test Total Score

  Internet addiction was assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. The scale contains 26 items scored from 1 to 4. Item scores are summed to produce a total score ranging from 26 to 104. Higher scores indicate more severe internet addiction and therefore a worse outcome. A reduction from baseline indicates improvement.

  Baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention (Post-intervention, approximately 8 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Change in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Total Score

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after completion of the ACT intervention (post-intervention)

• Change in Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II Total Score

  Baseline (pre-intervention) to immediately post-intervention.

• Change in Attentional Control Scale Total Score

  Baseline (pre-intervention) to immediately post-intervention.

• Change in Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-5 Total Score

  Baseline (pre-intervention) to immediately post-intervention.

• Change in Emotion Regulation Questionnaire Subscale Scores

  Baseline (pre-intervention) to immediately post-intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received a culturally adapted Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention designed to reduce Internet Addiction and improve psychological functioning among emerging adults. The intervention was delivered according to the study protocol.

Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Wait-list Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants assigned to the wait-list control group did not receive the ACT intervention during the study period. They completed all study assessments and were offered the intervention after completion of the trial.

Interventions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) BEHAVIORAL

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a culturally adapted behavioral intervention for emerging adults with Internet Addiction. The intervention focuses on enhancing psychological flexibility through acceptance, cognitive defusion, mindfulness, values clarification, self-as-context, and committed action. Participants attended structured therapy sessions delivered according to the study protocol.

Also known as: ACT

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 29 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• willing to participate Enrolled in universities

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National University of Modern Languages: lead

Study Sites (1)

NUML

Islamabad, 46000, Pakistan

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Internet Addiction Disorder

Interventions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• Asia Mushtaq, PhD

  National University of Modern Languages

  STUDY CHAIR

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: PhD Scholar, Department of Applied Psychology

Model Details: Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention group or a wait-list control group. The ACT group received the culturally adapted ACT intervention, while the wait-list control group received no intervention during the study period. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention to compare the effectiveness of ACT in reducing Internet Addiction and improving mental health outcomes among emerging adults.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 2, 2026
• First Posted: August 6, 2026
• Study Start: December 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2026
• Study Completion: July 5, 2026
• Last Updated: August 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)