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The Comparative Efficacy of Treatments for Children and Young Adults with Internet Addiction/Internet Gaming Disorder: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Chuan-Hsin Chang

    (Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan)

  • Yue-Cune Chang

    (Department of Mathematics, Tamkang University, New Taipei City 251301, Taiwan)

  • Luke Yang

    (Department of Social Welfare, Hsuan Chuang University, Hsinchu 30092, Taiwan)

  • Ruu-Fen Tzang

    (Department of Psychiatry, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 10449, Taiwan
    Department of Childhood Care and Education, Mackay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing, and Management, Taipei 25245, Taiwan
    Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City 251301, Taiwan)

Abstract

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a formal mental disorder leading to bad outcomes for children and adolescents. This study comprehensively compared the estimated effect of various pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions for IGD from randomized controlled trials (RCT) through updated meta-analysis, using meta-regression. A search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Airiti Library between 2000 and 2017 was conducted for various IA/IGD intervention modalities. A total of 124 studies from 29 selected papers involving 5601 children and young adults with IA/IGD were found. Meta-analyzing the pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) revealed a preliminary random effect of 1.399 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.272–1.527, suggesting highly effective treatment of IA/IGD. After adjusting for the confounding risks of age, publication year, type of subjects, and type of study, this study revealed that combining pharmacotherapy with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or multi-level counseling (MLC) was the most effective treatment option. Using a scale of time spent online or a severity of IA symptoms scale was a more effective measurement, with p -values = 0.006 and 0.002, respectively. IA/IGD patients with comorbid depression showed worse outcomes than youth with another comorbidity. The corresponding model goodness-of-fit indices were τ 2 = 1.188; I 2 -Residual = 89.74%; and Adjusted-R 2 = 16.10%. This systematic review indicates that pharmacotherapy combined with CBT or MLC might be an effective therapeutic strategy for youth with gaming disorder.

Suggested Citation

  • Chuan-Hsin Chang & Yue-Cune Chang & Luke Yang & Ruu-Fen Tzang, 2022. "The Comparative Efficacy of Treatments for Children and Young Adults with Internet Addiction/Internet Gaming Disorder: An Updated Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2612-:d:757352
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. So Young Kim & Min-Su Kim & Bumjung Park & Jin-Hwan Kim & Hyo Geun Choi, 2018. "Lack of sleep is associated with internet use for leisure," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Joel Hülquist & Nicole Fangerau & Rainer Thomasius & Kerstin Paschke, 2022. "Resource-Strengthening Training for Parents of Adolescents with Problematic Gaming (Res@t-P): A Clinical Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-16, August.
    2. Valerio Ricci & Domenico De Berardis & Giuseppe Maina & Giovanni Martinotti, 2023. "Internet Gaming Disorders and Early Onset Psychosis in Young People: A Case Study and Clinical Observations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-10, February.

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