Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy for Problematic Gaming in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objectives Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is associated with emotional distress and functional impairment in adolescents. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy (ACGT) in reducing problematic gaming symptoms and associated depression, anxiety, and stress among high school students. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, 40 adolescents with problematic gaming symptoms, identified using a prespecified 7-item Game Addiction Scale (GAS-7) screening threshold of ≥14, were randomly assigned to either ACGT (n=20) or a control group (n=20). Participants in the intervention group received eight weekly sessions of ACGT, whereas the control group received no structured intervention. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up using GAS-7 and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale–Youth version. Results Participants who received the intervention demonstrated reductions in problematic gaming symptoms that were maintained at follow-up. The median GAS-7 scores decreased from 16.5 at baseline to 11.0 post-intervention and 11.5 at the three-month follow-up, whereas scores increased in the control group (all p<0.001). In the adjusted analyses, a significant “treatment group×baseline GAS-7” interaction was observed at both post-intervention (F[1,33]=10.36; p=0.003) and follow-up (F[1,33]=6.79; p=0.014), indicating that between-group differences varied according to baseline problematic gaming severity. Secondary emotional outcomes were exploratory and should be interpreted with caution. Conclusion A group-based intervention that incorporated Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was associated with a sustained reduction in problematic gaming symptoms among adolescents. These findings support the need for further evaluation of this approach in larger randomized trials with active control conditions and diagnostic confirmation of IGD.