Group Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Problematic Internet Use in Nepalese University Students
Effectiveness of a Group Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Problematic Internet Use Among Undergraduate Students in Nepal: A Quasi-Experimental Trial
Problematic internet use, using the internet in ways that interfere with daily life, is a growing concern among university students in Nepal, where studies report prevalence rates between 21.5% and 35.4%. Despite this, structured, evidence-based intervention trials in Nepalese academic settings remain scarce.
This study tested a six-session group program based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps people change unhelpful behaviors around internet use. Sessions lasted 90 minutes and were delivered weekly by supervised Master's-level psychology students who completed 40 hours of CBT training, which the makes the program affordable and scalable for university settings.
Fifty-nine undergraduate students took part: 30 received the group program and 29 formed the comparison group. Both groups completed the Internet Addiction Test and the General Self-Efficacy Scale at five time points: before the program, immediately after, and at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months later.
Students in the program showed significantly greater reductions in internet addiction symptoms than the comparison group immediately after the program (p = .049) and at 1 month, where a large effect was observed (d = -0.83, p = .003). At 3 months, the difference between groups was no longer statistically significant because the comparison group also continued to improve; however, the program group maintained a large reduction from baseline (d = 1.18). Students in the program also showed a significant increase in self-efficacy that remained stable through every follow-up (all p < .032). Adherence and acceptability were high: participants attended an average of 5.06 of 6 sessions, 80% attended at least 5 sessions, and satisfaction with the therapy reached 78.3% of the maximum possible score.
These findings suggest that a structured, group-based CBT program is an effective and acceptable approach for managing problematic internet use among Nepalese undergraduates and offers a potentially scalable framework for academic institutions in low-resource settings.
Tutkimuksen yleiskatsaus
Tila
Opintotyyppi
Ilmoittautuminen (Todellinen)
Vaihe
- Ei sovellettavissa
Yhteystiedot ja paikat
Opiskelupaikat
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Kathmandu
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Kathmandu, Kathmandu, Nepal, 44600
- Central Department of Psychology, Tribhuvan University
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Osallistumiskriteerit
Kelpoisuusvaatimukset
Opintokelpoiset iät
- Aikuinen
- Vanhempi Aikuinen
Hyväksyy terveitä vapaaehtoisia
Kuvaus
Inclusion Criteria:
- Undergraduate students enrolled at colleges affiliated with Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Internet Addiction Test score above 30 (mild, moderate, or severe categories of problematic internet use) at Phase 1 screening
- Willing to provide informed consent and to attend scheduled group sessions
Exclusion Criteria:
- IAT score of 30 or below at Phase 1 screening (did not meet inclusion criteria)
- Declined to participate / unwilling to provide informed consent
- Withdrawal before the first intervention session
Opintosuunnitelma
Miten tutkimus on suunniteltu?
Suunnittelun yksityiskohdat
- Ensisijainen käyttötarkoitus: Ennaltaehkäisy
- Jako: Ei satunnaistettu
- Inventiomalli: Rinnakkaistehtävä
- Naamiointi: Ei mitään (avoin tarra)
Aseet ja interventiot
Osallistujaryhmä / Arm |
Interventio / Hoito |
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Kokeellinen: Experimental
Participants received the six-session group cognitive-behavioral intervention for problematic internet use, delivered weekly in 90-minute group sessions.
Delivered across three cohorts: Cohort 1 (single college: n = 8), Cohort 2 (single college: n = 12), and Cohort 3 (mixed colleges: n = 10).
Assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months.
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A six-session manualized group program for problematic internet use among Nepalese undergraduates delivered weekly in 90-minute sessions.
Grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy, Young's CBT-IA model, and Davis's cognitive-behavioral model of pathological internet use.
Sessions 1-2: orientation, psychoeducation, behavioral monitoring, and planning healthier internet habits (behavior modification).
Session 3: cognitive restructuring.
Sessions 4-5: harm reduction and emotional/psychological drivers of addiction.
Session 6: relapse prevention and consolidation.
Culturally adapted for Nepalese youth through multidisciplinary expert review (clinical psychologists, psychiatry, Ayurveda/Yoga, clinical psychology residents).
Facilitated by two Master's-level psychology trainees after 40 hours of supervised CBT training by the project lead, with weekly supervision and a structured manual for fidelity.
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Ei väliintuloa: Control
Participants received no intervention during the trial period.
Assessed on the same schedule as the experimental group: baseline, immediately post-intervention, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months.
Delivered across the same three cohorts (Cohort 1: n = 8; Cohort 2: n = 11; Cohort 3: n = 10).
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Mitä tutkimuksessa mitataan?
Ensisijaiset tulostoimenpiteet
Tulosmittaus |
Toimenpiteen kuvaus |
Aikaikkuna |
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Internet Addiction Test Score
Aikaikkuna: Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 6 (post-intervention), Week 8 (2-week follow-up), Week 10 (1-month follow-up), and Week 18 (3-month follow-up)
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20-item Internet Addiction Test evaluating the severity of problematic internet use on a 0-5 Likert scale (Young, 1998); higher scores indicate more severe problematic internet use.
In this study, scores ≥ 31 defined "mild" to "severe" problematic use.
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Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 6 (post-intervention), Week 8 (2-week follow-up), Week 10 (1-month follow-up), and Week 18 (3-month follow-up)
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Toissijaiset tulostoimenpiteet
Tulosmittaus |
Toimenpiteen kuvaus |
Aikaikkuna |
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General Self-Efficacy Scale Score
Aikaikkuna: Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 6 (post-intervention), Week 8 (2-week follow-up), Week 10 (1-month follow-up), and Week 18 (3-month follow-up)
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10-item Nepali version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale assessing broad optimistic self-beliefs regarding general coping ability (Schwarzer et al., 1997); higher scores indicate greater general self-efficacy.
Change from baseline was the analysis metric.
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Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 6 (post-intervention), Week 8 (2-week follow-up), Week 10 (1-month follow-up), and Week 18 (3-month follow-up)
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Muut tulostoimenpiteet
Tulosmittaus |
Toimenpiteen kuvaus |
Aikaikkuna |
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Satisfaction with Therapy and Therapist Scale-Revised Score
Aikaikkuna: Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (Immediately after each intervention session)
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13-item STTS-R (Oei & Green, 2008), administered online to the experimental group after each session with anonymity maintained from facilitators; higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with the therapy and the therapist.
Analyzed using the Percentage of Maximum Possible method.
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Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (Immediately after each intervention session)
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Session Attendance
Aikaikkuna: Week 6, based on attendance during Weeks 1-6 (experimental arm only)
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Number of the six sessions attended, used as an indicator of participant adherence
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Week 6, based on attendance during Weeks 1-6 (experimental arm only)
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Yhteistyökumppanit ja tutkijat
Sponsori
Tutkijat
- Opintojohtaja: Suraj Shakya, PhD, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Opintojen ennätyspäivät
Opi tärkeimmät päivämäärät
Opiskelun aloitus (Todellinen)
Ensisijainen valmistuminen (Todellinen)
Opintojen valmistuminen (Todellinen)
Opintoihin ilmoittautumispäivät
Ensimmäinen lähetetty
Ensimmäinen toimitettu, joka täytti QC-kriteerit
Ensimmäinen Lähetetty (Todellinen)
Tutkimustietojen päivitykset
Viimeisin päivitys julkaistu (Todellinen)
Viimeisin lähetetty päivitys, joka täytti QC-kriteerit
Viimeksi vahvistettu
Lisää tietoa
Tähän tutkimukseen liittyvät termit
Avainsanat
Muita asiaankuuluvia MeSH-ehtoja
Muut tutkimustunnusnumerot
- TribhuvanU
- TU-NPAR-079/80 EFRG-11 (Muu apuraha/rahoitusnumero: Tribhuvan University)
- ERBTU-081-001 (Muu tunniste: Tribhuvan University Ethical Review Board)
Yksittäisten osallistujien tietojen suunnitelma (IPD)
Aiotko jakaa yksittäisten osallistujien tietoja (IPD)?
IPD-suunnitelman kuvaus
Lääke- ja laitetiedot, tutkimusasiakirjat
Tutkii yhdysvaltalaista FDA sääntelemää lääkevalmistetta
Tutkii yhdysvaltalaista FDA sääntelemää laitetuotetta
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