Effects of a Manualized Short-term Treatment of Internet and Computer Game Addiction

• Register: ClinicalTrials.gov
• Last refreshed on: 16 December 2017
• Main ID: NCT01434589
• Date of registration: 08/09/2011
• Prospective Registration: Yes
• Primary sponsor: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
• Public title: Effects of a Manualized Short-term Treatment of Internet and Computer Game Addiction STICA
• Scientific title: Effects of a Manualized Short-term Treatment of Internet and Computer Game Addiction
• Date of first enrolment: January 2012
• Target sample size: 187
• Recruitment status: Completed
• URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01434589
• Study type: Interventional
• Study design: Allocation: Randomized. Intervention model: Parallel Assignment. Primary purpose: Treatment. Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor).
• Phase: N/A

Countries of recruitment

Austria, Germany

Contacts

• Name: M. E. Beutel, Prof. Dr.
• Affiliation: University Medical Center Mainz, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy

Key inclusion & exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

- clinical diagnosis of internet or computer game addiction

- internet or computer game addiction according to the AICA-Checklist(Assessment of
Internet and Computer game addiction, expert Rating)

- a score >/= 7 in the AICA-S (Assessment of Internet and Computer game addiction, Self
Rating)

- patients with primary diagnoses of internet or computer game addiction

- if currently on psychotropic medications, no change in medications and dosages in the
past 2 months and during STICA treatment

- if currently off all psychotropic medications, patient has been off at least 4 weeks

- at least 4 weeks off from last psychotherapy and no other ongoing psychotherapy

Exclusion Criteria:

- current Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) < 40

- severe major depression (BDI-II Score >/= 29)

- current alcohol or drug addictions

- personality disorders: borderline, antisocial, schizoid and schizotypal

- lifetime diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, bipolar or organic mental
disorder

- current unstable medical illness



Age minimum: 17 Years
Age maximum: 55 Years
Gender: Male

Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) studied

Addiction

Intervention(s)

Behavioral: STICA Intervention

Primary Outcome(s)

Change in internet or computer game addiction (self-rating) [Time Frame: 4 and 10 months after randomization]

Secondary Outcome(s)

Change/Remission of internet or computer game addiction (expert rating) [Time Frame: 4 and 10 months after randomization]

Improvement of social fear and avoidance (changes in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale) [Time Frame: 4 and 10 months after randomization]

Improvement of depressive symptoms (changes in BDI-II) [Time Frame: 4 and 10 months after randomization]

Improvement of Expectances of self-efficacy (Changes in Assessment of Self-Efficacy) [Time Frame: 4 and 10 months after randomization]

Preoccupation with critical internet applications or computer games (hours per week) [Time Frame: 4 and 10 months after randomization]

Improvement of negative consequences (e.g. social communication, psychosocial well being) [Time Frame: 4 and 10 months after randomization]

Secondary ID(s)

BE 2248/10-1

Source(s) of Monetary Support

Please refer to primary and secondary sponsors