Collective Motivational Interviewing (CMI) for Adolescents With Internet Gaming Disorder

A Randomized Controlled Study of Collective Motivational Interviewing (CMI) for Adolescents With Internet Gaming Disorder

The present study examines the efficacy of CMI in reducing adolescent IGD symptoms and enhancing social support given by CSOs among adolescents with high risk of IGD (probable IGD cases screened positive by validated tools). It is hypothesized that the intervention group (with CMI plus IGD education materials for both the clients and his/her selected CSO) would show more improvements in reduction in the severity of IGD, motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour, craving on gaming, and social support obtained from CSOs than to the control group (only educational materials for both the client and the CSOs).

This study adopts a randomized controlled efficacy study with an open-label parallel-group design. The trial will be registered by the WHO's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform once the project is approved. Research participants will be recruited from the primary and secondary schools, and youth social services. After completing the screening process, research participants who are confirmed to fit the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to the intervention group with CMI intervention plus IGD education materials to both adolescents with IGD and their CSO or the control group with IGD education materials alone. The present study sets four-time points to track the change in the between-group difference of the primary and secondary outcomes from the baseline (T0) to post-intervention (T1), 3-month follow-up (T2), and 6-month follow-up (T3).

Inclusion Criteria for Adolescents:

• Aged between 10-16
• Probable IGD condition screened by the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) reaching the cut-off value at 21, those at high risk of having IGD but no IGD cases with clinical diagnosis, although the symptoms measured by IGDS9-SF are equivalent to DSM-5 IGD criteria)
• Hong Kong ID card holder
• Chinese speaking
• Student identity
• Possessing an electronic mobile device or computer
• Willingness to participate in the intervention/control group and complete four surveys (baseline, post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up)
• Can nominate a CSO (e.g., parents) [client's autonomy is a critical factor to facilitate motivation posited by the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2020) (9) to obtain informed consent and parental consent

Inclusion Criteria for CSO:

• Aged greater than 18 years
• Having a close relationship with the adolescent with probable IGD (as rated by participants being generally supportive of the participants)
• Being willing to participate in the present study and provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria for Adolescents:

• Participants who have psychiatric problems such as psychosis, significant cognitive impairment and/or receiving active and structured psychotherapy about IGD elsewhere will be excluded (Nielsen et al., 2021).

Exclusion Criteria for CSO:

• Participants who have psychosis, aggressive or suicidal behavior
• Having life-threatening medical conditions