Treatment outcomes of acceptance and commitment therapy on severity of internet gaming disorder comorbid with ADHD in adolescents

Abstract

Aims: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an increasingly concerning mental health problem which has the highest prevalence among adolescents. In the DSM-5, a diagnostic criteria are proposed for this disorder for the first time, and it is placed in the position of a potential behavioral addiction. No standard treatment for the disorder has been identified yet. The acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is shown to be effective in some behavioral addictions in different age groups. Given the high association between IGD and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we assessed the effect of ACT on the severity of IGD comorbid with ADHD in adolescents. Materials and Methods: Twenty adolescents aged 12–18 years with IGD comorbid with medically-controlled ADHD underwent ACT weekly for 8 weeks. For each individual, two separate questionnaires for IGD and ADHD were filled out, once at the beginning, and once at the end of treatment. The results before and after treatment were compared together. Results: The mean scores of the IGD questionnaire before and after the intervention were 37.25 and 30.30, respectively, and the mean difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The mean score of ADHD index and its three subscales were under the diagnostic cut-point of the disorder before and after the treatment. However, the mean score of ADHD index, hyperactivity, inattention, and oppositional behavior decreased by 1.80 (P = 0.0013), 1.45 (P = 0.114), 1.90 (P = 0.027), and 2.05 (P = 0.023), respectively. Conclusion: The results showed a significant effect by the ACT on reducing the severity of IGD in adolescents with underlying medically controlled ADHD.