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.
연구 개요
상태
연구 유형
등록 (실제)
단계
- 해당 없음
연락처 및 위치
연구 장소
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Kathmandu
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Kathmandu, Kathmandu, 네팔, 44600
- Central Department of Psychology, Tribhuvan University
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참여기준
자격 기준
공부할 수 있는 나이
- 성인
- 고령자
건강한 자원 봉사자를 받아들입니다
설명
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
공부 계획
연구는 어떻게 설계됩니까?
디자인 세부사항
- 주 목적: 방지
- 할당: 무작위화되지 않음
- 중재 모델: 병렬 할당
- 마스킹: 없음(오픈 라벨)
무기와 개입
참가자 그룹 / 팔 |
개입 / 치료 |
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실험적: 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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간섭 없음: 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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연구는 무엇을 측정합니까?
주요 결과 측정
결과 측정 |
측정값 설명 |
기간 |
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Internet Addiction Test Score
기간: 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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2차 결과 측정
결과 측정 |
측정값 설명 |
기간 |
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General Self-Efficacy Scale Score
기간: 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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기타 결과 측정
결과 측정 |
측정값 설명 |
기간 |
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Satisfaction with Therapy and Therapist Scale-Revised Score
기간: 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
기간: 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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공동 작업자 및 조사자
수사관
- 연구 책임자: Suraj Shakya, PhD, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
연구 기록 날짜
연구 주요 날짜
연구 시작 (실제)
기본 완료 (실제)
연구 완료 (실제)
연구 등록 날짜
최초 제출
QC 기준을 충족하는 최초 제출
처음 게시됨 (실제)
연구 기록 업데이트
마지막 업데이트 게시됨 (실제)
QC 기준을 충족하는 마지막 업데이트 제출
마지막으로 확인됨
추가 정보
이 연구와 관련된 용어
기타 연구 ID 번호
- TribhuvanU
- TU-NPAR-079/80 EFRG-11 (기타 보조금/기금 번호: Tribhuvan University)
- ERBTU-081-001 (기타 식별자: Tribhuvan University Ethical Review Board)
개별 참가자 데이터(IPD) 계획
개별 참가자 데이터(IPD)를 공유할 계획입니까?
IPD 계획 설명
약물 및 장치 정보, 연구 문서
미국 FDA 규제 의약품 연구
미국 FDA 규제 기기 제품 연구
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