Internet Gaming DisorderNCT05917977
Collective Motivational Interviewing (CMI) for Adolescents With Internet Gaming Disorder
A study testing Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials in people with Internet Gaming Disorder, run by Hong Kong College of Technology at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
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). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 10 to 16 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Internet Gaming Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 172 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 1 Jun 2023to 31 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 10 to 16 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- 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
Show all 11Show fewer
- 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
- 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
Who cannot join
- 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).
- Participants who have psychosis, aggressive or suicidal behavior
- Having life-threatening medical conditions
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Hong Kong College of Technology
Shatin
Yat Hung Chui, Doctorate, +852 2265 6970, yhchui@ctihe.edu.hk
About this study
Official title: 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).
Read the detailed description
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).
- Conditions
- Internet Gaming Disorder
- Being tested
- Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials, Control group (Education Materials)
- Keywords
- Motivational interviewing, Family counselling, Effective treatment, Randomized controlled trial
- Medical subject headings
- Internet Addiction Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education MaterialsBehavioural
The participants in the intervention group will receive IGD educational materials as well as four counseling sessions of CMI intervention.
Control group (Education Materials)Other
The participants in the control group will receive IGD educational materials.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control group (Education Materials) | Other | After completing the baseline screening, survey and randomization, the participants in the control group will receive educational materials regarding topics including: (1) what IGD is and its consequences, (2) how to communicate with parents about the gaming time, and (3) how to develop a healthy lifestyle, etc. Receives: Other: Control group (Education Materials) |
| Intervention group (Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials) | Experimental | Participants in the intervention group will be given the same Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) education materials as those in the control group, thus, they will further participate in four counseling sessions with Collective Motivational Interviewing (CMI) (each session 60 mins). In the first session, adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder will be implemented a standard MI session to elicit and strengthen the client's motivation to change. In the second session, a nominated CSO of the client will participate in a standard MI session to elicit their motivation to help the client toward change and prepare positive attitudes of CSO for the conjoint session. Afterward, the third and fourth sessions (75 mins) will be conjoint sessions. The Collective Motivational Interviewing practitioners will create a safe platform for both parties to share their perspectives with openness and trustfulness, in turn, to reach an agreed goal (e.g., develop a change plan on internet gaming behaviors). Receives: Behavioral: Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Severity of IGD
The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) are used to detect the change in the severity of IGD. It is the first brief standardized psychometric tool of IGD based on the nine DSM-5 IGD criteria. This instrument has been translated into 15 languages and is widely used in research and clinical settings. In addition, a validated Chinese version with satisfactory psychometric properties is available (Qin et al., 2020). The items were rated by using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never to 5 = Very often).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Severity of IGD at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Severity of IGD
The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) are used to detect the change in the severity of IGD. It is the first brief standardized psychometric tool of IGD based on the nine DSM-5 IGD criteria. This instrument has been translated into 15 languages and is widely used in research and clinical settings. In addition, a validated Chinese version with satisfactory psychometric properties is available (Qin et al., 2020). The items were rated by using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never to 5 = Very often).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Severity of IGD at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Severity of IGD
The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) are used to detect the change in the severity of IGD. It is the first brief standardized psychometric tool of IGD based on the nine DSM-5 IGD criteria. This instrument has been translated into 15 languages and is widely used in research and clinical settings. In addition, a validated Chinese version with satisfactory psychometric properties is available (Qin et al., 2020). The items were rated by using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never to 5 = Very often).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Severity of IGD at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcomes (18)
Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour
Contemplation Ladder for Internet Gaming (CL-LG), which is derived from the Contemplation Ladder measure the motivation to quit smoking (Biener \& Abrams, 1991), are employed. Contemplation Ladder for drug use problems is commonly used in clinical settings and research in Hong Kong (Siu et al., 2018). The instrument measures the motivation to abstain from maladaptive gaming behaviors based on a single brief option of 11 rungs and five types of statements. The instrument is rated on a scale from 0 to 10, with each point representing a specific statement showing a corresponding stage of change. The ladder has been used in smoking cessation studies, which displayed strong reliability and validity with strong intercorrelations (Pearson's r = .82 - .98) (Rustin \& Tate, 1993).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour
Contemplation Ladder for Internet Gaming (CL-LG), which is derived from the Contemplation Ladder measure the motivation to quit smoking (Biener \& Abrams, 1991), are employed. Contemplation Ladder for drug use problems is commonly used in clinical settings and research in Hong Kong (Siu et al., 2018). The instrument measures the motivation to abstain from maladaptive gaming behaviors based on a single brief option of 11 rungs and five types of statements. The instrument is rated on a scale from 0 to 10, with each point representing a specific statement showing a corresponding stage of change. The ladder has been used in smoking cessation studies, which displayed strong reliability and validity with strong intercorrelations (Pearson's r = .82 - .98) (Rustin \& Tate, 1993).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour
Contemplation Ladder for Internet Gaming (CL-LG), which is derived from the Contemplation Ladder measure the motivation to quit smoking (Biener \& Abrams, 1991), are employed. Contemplation Ladder for drug use problems is commonly used in clinical settings and research in Hong Kong (Siu et al., 2018). The instrument measures the motivation to abstain from maladaptive gaming behaviors based on a single brief option of 11 rungs and five types of statements. The instrument is rated on a scale from 0 to 10, with each point representing a specific statement showing a corresponding stage of change. The ladder has been used in smoking cessation studies, which displayed strong reliability and validity with strong intercorrelations (Pearson's r = .82 - .98) (Rustin \& Tate, 1993).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Craving for Internet Gaming
Craving for Internet Gaming Scale (CIGS) is used to measure respondents' intensity, frequency, duration of their craving, and capability to resist acting on their craving for a particular period of time. It comprises five-item, scoring from 0 to 6 for each item. Respondents with higher scores tend to have higher levels of gaming craving (Cronbach's alpha was .88-.91) (Savci \& Griffiths, 2019).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Craving for Internet Gaming at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Craving for Internet Gaming
Craving for Internet Gaming Scale (CIGS) is used to measure respondents' intensity, frequency, duration of their craving, and capability to resist acting on their craving for a particular period of time. It comprises five-item, scoring from 0 to 6 for each item. Respondents with higher scores tend to have higher levels of gaming craving (Cronbach's alpha was .88-.91) (Savci \& Griffiths, 2019).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Craving for Internet Gaming at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Craving for Internet Gaming
Craving for Internet Gaming Scale (CIGS) is used to measure respondents' intensity, frequency, duration of their craving, and capability to resist acting on their craving for a particular period of time. It comprises five-item, scoring from 0 to 6 for each item. Respondents with higher scores tend to have higher levels of gaming craving (Cronbach's alpha was .88-.91) (Savci \& Griffiths, 2019).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Craving for Internet Gaming at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Social support from CSO
The 4-item significant other subscales of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) will be used. It is a self-reporting instrument designed for assessing the level of perceived social support from significant others. The items are scored on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 7 (very strongly agree). The Cantonese version has demonstrated a high internal consistency coefficient with a Cronbach's alpha of .89 (Chou, 2000).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Social support from CSO at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Social support from CSO
The 4-item significant other subscales of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) will be used. It is a self-reporting instrument designed for assessing the level of perceived social support from significant others. The items are scored on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 7 (very strongly agree). The Cantonese version has demonstrated a high internal consistency coefficient with a Cronbach's alpha of .89 (Chou, 2000).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Social support from CSO at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Social support from CSO
The 4-item significant other subscales of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) will be used. It is a self-reporting instrument designed for assessing the level of perceived social support from significant others. The items are scored on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 7 (very strongly agree). The Cantonese version has demonstrated a high internal consistency coefficient with a Cronbach's alpha of .89 (Chou, 2000).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Social support from CSO at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Child-Parent Relationship
The Child-Parent Relationship Scale (C-PRS). The items are scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 5 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Child-Parent Relationship at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Child-Parent Relationship
The Child-Parent Relationship Scale (C-PRS). The items are scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 5 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Child-Parent Relationship at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Child-Parent Relationship
The Child-Parent Relationship Scale (C-PRS). The items are scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 5 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Child-Parent Relationship at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Parental Stress
The 17-items Parental Stress Scale (PSS). The items are scored on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 6 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Parental Stress at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Parental Stress
The 17-items Parental Stress Scale (PSS). The items are scored on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 6 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Parental Stress at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Parental Stress
The 17-items Parental Stress Scale (PSS). The items are scored on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 6 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Parental Stress at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Motivation for treatment
The 8-item Motivation for Youth's Treatment Scale (MYTS). The items are scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 5 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation for treatment at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Motivation for treatment
The 8-item Motivation for Youth's Treatment Scale (MYTS). The items are scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 5 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation for treatment at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Motivation for treatment
The 8-item Motivation for Youth's Treatment Scale (MYTS). The items are scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 5 (very strongly agree).
Measured: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation for treatment at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Jun 2023
- Study start1 Jun 2023
- Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (8)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Internet Gaming DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The present study adopted a two-armed RCT to examine the efficacy of CMI in improving IGD among adolescents with IGD. The research participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (four-session CMI intervention plus IGD educational materials) or the control group (IGD education materials alone). Block randomization will be executed, of which the block size is 4. Computer-generated randomization allocation codes will be produced and sealed in opaque envelopes by a research associate with no involvement in recruitment. One envelope will be drawn and opened by the project officer.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 172 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hong Kong College of Technology
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Nottingham Trent University, Fudan University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Tse Ka Wo, Hong Kong College of Technology
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05917977
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UGC/FDS21/H01/22
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 9 May 2023
- Last updated
- 29 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Ryan RM, Deci EL. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions. Contemp Educ Psychol. 2000 Jan;25(1):54-67. doi: 10.1006/ceps.1999.1020.
PubMed 10620381Zhu S, Zhuang Y, Lee P, Li JC, Wong PWC. Leisure and Problem Gaming Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents During School Closures Caused by COVID-19 in Hong Kong: Quantitative Cross-sectional Survey Study. JMIR Serious Games. 2021 May 7;9(2):e26808. doi: 10.2196/26808.
PubMed 33960954Nielsen P, Christensen M, Henderson C, Liddle HA, Croquette-Krokar M, Favez N, Rigter H. Multidimensional family therapy reduces problematic gaming in adolescents: A randomised controlled trial. J Behav Addict. 2021 Apr 26;10(2):234-243. doi: 10.1556/2006.2021.00022. Print 2021 Jul 15.
PubMed 33905350Qin L, Cheng L, Hu M, Liu Q, Tong J, Hao W, Luo T, Liao Y. Clarification of the Cut-off Score for Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF) in a Chinese Context. Front Psychiatry. 2020 May 25;11:470. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00470. eCollection 2020.
PubMed 32528331Siu AMH, Ko FSL, Mak SK. Outcome Evaluation of a Short-Term Hospitalization and Community Support Program for People Who Abuse Ketamine. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Jul 17;9:313. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00313. eCollection 2018.
PubMed 30065669Rustin TA, Tate JC. Measuring the stages of change in cigarette smokers. J Subst Abuse Treat. 1993 Mar-Apr;10(2):209-20. doi: 10.1016/0740-5472(93)90046-5.
PubMed 8389898Savci, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2019). The development of the Turkish craving for internet gaming scale (CIGS): A validation study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1-18.
Chou, K. L. (2000). Assessing Chinese adolescents' social support: The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Personality and Individual Differences, 28(2), 299-307. https://doi.org/bpjrkw
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Randomized Controlled Study of Collective Motivational Interviewing (CMI) for Adolescents With Internet Gaming Disorder
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05917977
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UGC/FDS21/H01/22
- Conditions
- Internet Gaming Disorder
- Keywords
- Motivational interviewing, Family counselling, Effective treatment, Randomized controlled trial
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 172 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Hong Kong College of TechnologyUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Nottingham Trent University, Fudan University
- Study start
- 1 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 26 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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).
Detailed description
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).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The present study adopted a two-armed RCT to examine the efficacy of CMI in improving IGD among adolescents with IGD. The research participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (four-session CMI intervention plus IGD educational materials) or the control group (IGD education materials alone). Block randomization will be executed, of which the block size is 4. Computer-generated randomization allocation codes will be produced and sealed in opaque envelopes by a research associate with no involvement in recruitment. One envelope will be drawn and opened by the project officer.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control group (Education Materials) | Other | Other: Control group (Education Materials)After completing the baseline screening, survey and randomization, the participants in the control group will receive educational materials regarding topics including: (1) what IGD is and its consequences, (2) how to communicate with parents about the gaming time, and (3) how to develop a healthy lifestyle, etc. |
| Intervention group (Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials) | Experimental | Behavioral: Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education MaterialsParticipants in the intervention group will be given the same Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) education materials as those in the control group, thus, they will further participate in four counseling sessions with Collective Motivational Interviewing (CMI) (each session 60 mins). In the first session, adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder will be implemented a standard MI session to elicit and strengthen the client's motivation to change. In the second session, a nominated CSO of the client will participate in a standard MI session to elicit their motivation to help the client toward change and prepare positive attitudes of CSO for the conjoint session. Afterward, the third and fourth sessions (75 mins) will be conjoint sessions. The Collective Motivational Interviewing practitioners will create a safe platform for both parties to share their perspectives with openness and trustfulness, in turn, to reach an agreed goal (e.g., develop a change plan on internet gaming behaviors). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 10 to 16 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (11 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- 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).
- Participants who have psychosis, aggressive or suicidal behavior
- Having life-threatening medical conditions
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education MaterialsThe participants in the intervention group will receive IGD educational materials as well as four counseling sessions of CMI intervention. | Behavioural | Intervention group (Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials) |
| Control group (Education Materials)The participants in the control group will receive IGD educational materials. | Other | Control group (Education Materials) |
Primary outcome
Severity of IGD
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Severity of IGD at posttest (T1: After intervention)
The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) are used to detect the change in the severity of IGD. It is the first brief standardized psychometric tool of IGD based on the nine DSM-5 IGD criteria. This instrument has been translated into 15 languages and is widely used in research and clinical settings. In addition, a validated Chinese version with satisfactory psychometric properties is available (Qin et al., 2020). The items were rated by using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never to 5 = Very often).
Severity of IGD
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Severity of IGD at 3-month follow-up (T2)
The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) are used to detect the change in the severity of IGD. It is the first brief standardized psychometric tool of IGD based on the nine DSM-5 IGD criteria. This instrument has been translated into 15 languages and is widely used in research and clinical settings. In addition, a validated Chinese version with satisfactory psychometric properties is available (Qin et al., 2020). The items were rated by using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never to 5 = Very often).
Severity of IGD
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Severity of IGD at 6-month follow-up (T3)
The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) are used to detect the change in the severity of IGD. It is the first brief standardized psychometric tool of IGD based on the nine DSM-5 IGD criteria. This instrument has been translated into 15 languages and is widely used in research and clinical settings. In addition, a validated Chinese version with satisfactory psychometric properties is available (Qin et al., 2020). The items were rated by using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never to 5 = Very often).
18 secondary outcomes
Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation to change maladaptive gaming behaviour at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Craving for Internet Gaming
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Craving for Internet Gaming at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Craving for Internet Gaming
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Craving for Internet Gaming at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Craving for Internet Gaming
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Craving for Internet Gaming at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Social support from CSO
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Social support from CSO at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Social support from CSO
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Social support from CSO at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Social support from CSO
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Social support from CSO at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Child-Parent Relationship
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Child-Parent Relationship at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Child-Parent Relationship
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Child-Parent Relationship at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Child-Parent Relationship
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Child-Parent Relationship at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Parental Stress
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Parental Stress at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Parental Stress
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Parental Stress at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Parental Stress
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Parental Stress at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Motivation for treatment
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation for treatment at posttest (T1: After intervention)
Motivation for treatment
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation for treatment at 3-month follow-up (T2)
Motivation for treatment
Time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Motivation for treatment at 6-month follow-up (T3)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Sep 2026.
- Background: PubMed 10620381Ryan RM, Deci EL. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions. Contemp Educ Psychol. 2000 Jan;25(1):54-67. doi: 10.1006/ceps.1999.1020.
- Background: PubMed 33960954Zhu S, Zhuang Y, Lee P, Li JC, Wong PWC. Leisure and Problem Gaming Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents During School Closures Caused by COVID-19 in Hong Kong: Quantitative Cross-sectional Survey Study. JMIR Serious Games. 2021 May 7;9(2):e26808. doi: 10.2196/26808.
- Background: PubMed 33905350Nielsen P, Christensen M, Henderson C, Liddle HA, Croquette-Krokar M, Favez N, Rigter H. Multidimensional family therapy reduces problematic gaming in adolescents: A randomised controlled trial. J Behav Addict. 2021 Apr 26;10(2):234-243. doi: 10.1556/2006.2021.00022. Print 2021 Jul 15.
- Background: PubMed 32528331Qin L, Cheng L, Hu M, Liu Q, Tong J, Hao W, Luo T, Liao Y. Clarification of the Cut-off Score for Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF) in a Chinese Context. Front Psychiatry. 2020 May 25;11:470. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00470. eCollection 2020.
- Background: PubMed 30065669Siu AMH, Ko FSL, Mak SK. Outcome Evaluation of a Short-Term Hospitalization and Community Support Program for People Who Abuse Ketamine. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Jul 17;9:313. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00313. eCollection 2018.
- Background: PubMed 8389898Rustin TA, Tate JC. Measuring the stages of change in cigarette smokers. J Subst Abuse Treat. 1993 Mar-Apr;10(2):209-20. doi: 10.1016/0740-5472(93)90046-5.
- BackgroundSavci, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2019). The development of the Turkish craving for internet gaming scale (CIGS): A validation study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1-18.
- BackgroundChou, K. L. (2000). Assessing Chinese adolescents' social support: The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Personality and Individual Differences, 28(2), 299-307. https://doi.org/bpjrkw
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Internet Gaming Disorder
Not yet recruiting
Evaluation of Interventions to Promote Work-Life Balance Among Students at Gaming Schools
Internet Gaming Disorder
RecruitingObservational study
Is Craving a Central Criterion for Diagnosing a Behavioral Addiction?
Addictive Behaviors, Internet Addiction Disorder
Recruiting
Mechanism of BCI-Based Dual-Target Neurofeedback Training in Improving Cognitive Control Deficits in Internet Gaming Disorder
Internet Gaming Disorder
Not yet recruiting
Evaluation of a Modularized Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy Programme for Young Adults (CHANGE-Study)
Psychiatric Disorder
Not yet recruiting
Virtual Reality Exercise for Young Adults at Risk of Digital Gaming Addiction
Internet Gaming Disorder
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Collective Motivational Interviewing plus Education Materials in people with Internet Gaming Disorder, run by Hong Kong College of Technology at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 11 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ka Wo Tse, Doctorate (+852 5720 9881, nicktse@ctihe.edu.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Severity of IGD (time frame: Change from Baseline (T0) Severity of IGD at posttest (T1: After intervention)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05917977, which also lists 8 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Sep 2026.