Electrical Brain Stimulation for College Students With Short-Form Video Addiction: Effects and Mechanisms
Effects and Mechanisms of High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) Intervention on Short-Form Video Addiction
The researchers will test whether high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) combined with real-time short-form video cue exposure can reduce addiction severity and daily usage time in college students with problematic short-form video use. By modulating the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, this study aims to explore whether the treatment improves executive function (such as self-control and risk decision-making) and emotional-cognitive processes (such as craving and attentional bias). Assessments will be conducted before, immediately after the 2-week intervention, and at a 4-week follow-up, using both subjective surveys and objective computer cognitive tasks. Results could pave the way for a low-cost, non-invasive, and scalable intervention strategy to address the growing public health concern of short-form video addiction among young adults.
調査の概要
状態
詳細な説明
Over the past few years, problematic short-form video use has emerged as a significant public health concern among college students, associated with impaired executive function, academic decline, and emotional distress. Neuroimaging studies suggest that excessive short-form video consumption is linked to hypoactivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), which disrupts the balance between cognitive control and reward-driven habits. However, evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions for short-form video addiction remain scarce.
This study builds upon the dual-pathway model of internet addiction and utilizes a high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) protocol with a 4x1 ring configuration targeting the right dlPFC (center anode with 4 surrounding return electrodes) to restore prefrontal control. Participants will receive 10 daily HD-tDCS sessions over 2 consecutive weeks. Crucially, to enhance the targeted therapeutic effect, participants will undergo concurrent cue exposure-watching short-form videos on their personal mobile phones for 12 minutes during each 15-minute active or sham HD-tDCS session.
This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial (N=82) employs a longitudinal design with three assessment time points (baseline, post-intervention at week 2, and a 4-week follow-up). We hypothesize that active HD-tDCS will significantly reduce addiction symptoms and usage duration compared to sham. Furthermore, we propose a parallel mediation model to explore the underlying mechanisms: specifically, whether the intervention effect is mediated by improvements in executive function (response inhibition and risk decision-making) and emotional-cognitive pathways (reductions in craving and attentional bias). Results may inform the development of scalable, neuroplasticity-based interventions to mitigate digital addiction and promote mental well-being in young adults.
The sample size was determined a priori using G*Power software (version 3.1.9.7). Based on the effect size (Cohen's f = 0.35) derived from previous meta-analytic findings regarding multiple-session tDCS interventions, assuming an alpha error probability of 0.05, a statistical power of 0.80, 2 groups, and 3 repeated measurements (i.e., pre-test, post-test, and 4-week follow-up), a minimum total sample size of 82 participants is required.
研究の種類
入学 (推定)
段階
- 適用できない
連絡先と場所
研究連絡先
- 名前：Yue Yu
- 電話番号：86 + 17610481122
- メール：202411061044@mail.bnu.edu.cn
研究場所
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Beijing Municipality
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Beijing、Beijing Municipality、中国、100088
- Department of Psychology, Beijing Normal University
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コンタクト：
- Yue Yu, B.S.
- 電話番号：+86 17610481122
- メール：202411061044@mail.bnu.edu.cn
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参加基準
適格基準
就学可能な年齢
健康ボランティアの受け入れ
受講資格のある性別
説明
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age between 18 and 30 years.
- Currently enrolled as a university student.
- Right-handed.
- Meets the threshold for problematic short-form video use, as assessed by the Short-form Video Addiction Scale.
- Primary use: The participant's primary problematic internet use is short-form videos, rather than other behaviors such as online gaming.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosed psychiatric disorders.
- History of neurological disease or traumatic brain injury.
- History of epilepsy or a family history of epilepsy.
- Presence of medical implants (e.g., cardiac pacemakers, cochlear implants).
- Currently receiving pharmacological or psychological treatment.
- History of receiving any non-invasive brain stimulation (e.g., tDCS, TMS, or tACS) within the past year.
- Any other contraindications to HD-tDCS (e.g., history of skin lesions/scalp conditions at the electrode sites) or severe physical diseases identified during safety screening.
研究計画
研究はどのように設計されていますか？
デザインの詳細
- 主な目的：処理
- 割り当て：ランダム化
- 介入モデル：並列代入
- マスキング：ダブル
武器と介入
参加者グループ / アーム |
介入・治療 |
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実験的：Active HD-tDCS Group
Participants receive active high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) using a NeuroConn stimulator. A 4x1 ring electrode configuration is applied: the center anodal (positive) electrode is placed over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F4), surrounded by four cathodal (negative) return electrodes. The stimulation is delivered at 1.5 mA for 15 minutes. Participants receive one session per day, 5 days per week, for 2 consecutive weeks. |
Description: Active HD-tDCS is delivered using a NeuroConn device with a 4x1 ring configuration (center anodal electrode over the right dlPFC, surrounded by 4 cathodal returns). The stimulation is delivered at 1.5 mA for 15 minutes. Participants receive 10 sessions over 2 consecutive weeks (5 days/week). Concurrently during the stimulation, participants watch short-form videos on their mobile phones for approximately 14-15 minutes (using the same platform identified at baseline). A pre-programmed active code ensures strict double-blinding. |
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偽コンパレータ：Sham HD-tDCS Group
Participants receive sham HD-tDCS using the identical NeuroConn device, 4x1 ring electrode configuration, and procedure as the active group. The device delivers a brief current (ramped up and down over 30 seconds) at the beginning of the 15-minute session to mimic the initial skin sensation, but the current is turned off for the remainder of the session. Participants receive one session per day, 5 days per week, for 2 consecutive weeks. |
Description: Sham HD-tDCS uses the identical NeuroConn device and 4x1 ring configuration as the active group. The current is ramped up for 30 seconds and then turned off for the remainder of the 15-minute session to mimic the initial skin sensation. Participants receive 10 sessions over 2 consecutive weeks (5 days/week). Concurrently during the sham stimulation, participants watch short-form videos on their mobile phones for approximately 14-15 minutes (using the same platform identified at baseline). A pre-programmed sham code ensures strict double-blinding. |
この研究は何を測定していますか？
主要な結果の測定
結果測定 |
メジャーの説明 |
時間枠 |
|---|---|---|
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Change in Short-form Video Addiction Scale Score
時間枠：Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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Assessed using the 25-item Short-form Video Addiction Scale, which includes two dimensions: Addictive Dependence and Negative Consequence. Each item is scored on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). The total score ranges from 25 to 175. A higher score indicates a more severe level of short-form video addiction. |
Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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Change in Average Daily Short-form Video Use Duration
時間枠：Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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Self-reported average time (in minutes) spent watching short-form videos per day over the past week. A higher duration indicates more excessive use. |
Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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二次結果の測定
結果測定 |
メジャーの説明 |
時間枠 |
|---|---|---|
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Change in Executive Function Composite Score (SSRT & BART)
時間枠：Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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A composite executive function score will be derived using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) from two tasks: (1) Stop-Signal Reaction Time (SSRT) from the Stop-Signal Task, and (2) Adjusted Average Pumps (AAP) from the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). The factor score extracted from the EFA will serve as the composite indicator, accounting for the relative weighting of each measure. Factor scores will be oriented such that higher values indicate better overall executive function. |
Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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Change in Emotion-Cognition Composite Score (Craving, ABS, ER)
時間枠：Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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A composite emotion-cognition score will be derived using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) from three measures: (1) Craving Score, (2) Attentional Bias Score (ABS) from the dot-probe task, and (3) Emotion Regulation Score. The factor score extracted from the EFA will serve as the composite indicator to capture the shared variance among these measures. Factor scores will be oriented such that higher values indicate more favorable emotional-cognitive outcomes. |
Baseline (Pre-test), Week 2 (Post-test), and Follow-up at 4 weeks after the intervention
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協力者と研究者
出版物と役立つリンク
研究記録日
主要日程の研究
研究開始 (推定)
一次修了 (推定)
研究の完了 (推定)
試験登録日
最初に提出
QC基準を満たした最初の提出物
最初の投稿 (実際)
学習記録の更新
投稿された最後の更新 (実際)
QC基準を満たした最後の更新が送信されました
最終確認日
詳しくは
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