Gaming DisorderNCT07363850
A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Group Gaming Interventions for Individuals With Problematic Gaming Behavior and Gaming Disorder.
A study testing group gaming interventions in people with Gaming Disorder, run by Shanghai Mental Health Center at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This is a randomized, parallel-group, two-arm study design registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The study divides participants into an intervention group and a control group in the same ratio. The participants in the intervention group will receive a series of game-based activities and treatment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 18 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Gaming Disorder
- What is being tested?
- group gaming interventions
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2025to 31 Dec 2026
- 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 12 to 18 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- (1) Clinical diagnosis of hazardous gaming defined in the ICD-11 (2) Fully comprehending the research's purpose and procedures and signing the informed consent
Who cannot join
- (1)Serious physical illness or intellectual disability (2) Clinical diagnosis of gaming disorder (3) Not completing all the interventions or assessments
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Shanghai Mental Health Center
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality
Na Zhong, MD, 008613671644472, winco917@hotmail.com
About this study
This is a randomized, parallel-group, two-arm study design registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The study divides participants into an intervention group and a control group in the same ratio. The participants in the intervention group will receive a series of game-based activities and treatment. Firstly, we will distribute the recruitment advertisements for this intervention program in the school, including the project introduction, registration code, and contact details. Secondly, if students are interested in this project, they need to screen the code, and completely fill in personal information, and the screening questionnaire. Thirdly, students reaching the inclusion criteria and their parents will be invited to participate in a project briefing session and obtain their informed consent. Lastly, three times assessments in the whole process will be conducted, preintervention(T0), post-intervention(T1), and at a three-month(T3) follow-up. Importantly, participants can quit the project at any time during the whole process.
- Conditions
- Gaming Disorder
- Being tested
- group gaming interventions
- Keywords
- Gaming Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
group gaming interventionsBehavioural
Each intervention is once a week for 90 minutes. A total of 10 sessions are set up, divided into the beginning stage (the 1st and the 2nd sessions), the middle stage (the 3rd to 8th), and the end stage (the 9th and 10th sessions). At this stage, the leader distributes point cards and wish lists to each member and explains the scoring rules, updating scores at the end of each activity. The point system combines group and individual scoring for cumulative totals. Each member may list desired prizes on their wish list, which will be redeemed for rewards based on their point total when the group concludes. The main aim of the middle stage is to knowledge game types, learn game reward mechanisms, the concept of IGD and influencing factors, and how to play healthily. In the end stage, each subgroup needs to show their complete game design, including the game name, game character, game rule, and reward mechanism, and all participants will make a summary of the whole process and say farewell
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| intervention group | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: group gaming interventions |
| control group | No intervention | Not described |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
the severity of gaming disorder
Description: Measured by Gaming Disorder Screening Scale
Measured: baseline, two months after intervention
Secondary outcomes (5)
average daily gaming hours
self-reported number of gaming sessions per week
Measured: baseline, two months after intervention
frequency of gaming sessions
self-reported number of gaming sessions per week
Measured: baseline, two months after intervention
anxiety severity
Measured by: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale Scale Range: 0 to 21 (higher scores indicate worse anxiety)
Measured: baseline, two months after intervention
depression severity
Measured by: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Scale Range: 0 to 27 (higher scores indicate worse depression)
Measured: baseline, two months after intervention
self-esteem
Measured by: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) Scale Range: 0 to 30 (higher scores indicate better self-esteem)
Measured: baseline, two months after intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Jan 2026
- Study start1 Oct 2025
- Primary completion1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for 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
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Shanghai Mental Health Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07363850
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- NZhong-008
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 19 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 23 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Group Gaming Interventions for Individuals With Problematic Gaming Behavior and Gaming Disorder.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07363850
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NZhong-008
- Conditions
- Gaming Disorder
- Keywords
- Gaming Disorder
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 23 Jan 2026 (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.
This is a randomized, parallel-group, two-arm study design registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The study divides participants into an intervention group and a control group in the same ratio. The participants in the intervention group will receive a series of game-based activities and treatment. Firstly, we will distribute the recruitment advertisements for this intervention program in the school, including the project introduction, registration code, and contact details. Secondly, if students are interested in this project, they need to screen the code, and completely fill in personal information, and the screening questionnaire. Thirdly, students reaching the inclusion criteria and their parents will be invited to participate in a project briefing session and obtain their informed consent. Lastly, three times assessments in the whole process will be conducted, preintervention(T0), post-intervention(T1), and at a three-month(T3) follow-up. Importantly, participants can quit the project at any time during the whole process.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| intervention group | Experimental | Behavioral: group gaming interventions |
| control group | No intervention | – |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- (1) Clinical diagnosis of hazardous gaming defined in the ICD-11 (2) Fully comprehending the research's purpose and procedures and signing the informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- (1)Serious physical illness or intellectual disability (2) Clinical diagnosis of gaming disorder (3) Not completing all the interventions or assessments
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 |
|---|---|---|
| group gaming interventionsEach intervention is once a week for 90 minutes. A total of 10 sessions are set up, divided into the beginning stage (the 1st and the 2nd sessions), the middle stage (the 3rd to 8th), and the end stage (the 9th and 10th sessions). At this stage, the leader distributes point cards and wish lists to each member and explains the scoring rules, updating scores at the end of each activity. The point system combines group and individual scoring for cumulative totals. Each member may list desired prizes on their wish list, which will be redeemed for rewards based on their point total when the group concludes. The main aim of the middle stage is to knowledge game types, learn game reward mechanisms, the concept of IGD and influencing factors, and how to play healthily. In the end stage, each subgroup needs to show their complete game design, including the game name, game character, game rule, and reward mechanism, and all participants will make a summary of the whole process and say farewell | Behavioural | intervention group |
Primary outcome
the severity of gaming disorder
Time frame: baseline, two months after intervention
Description: Measured by Gaming Disorder Screening Scale
5 secondary outcomes
average daily gaming hours
Time frame: baseline, two months after intervention
frequency of gaming sessions
Time frame: baseline, two months after intervention
anxiety severity
Time frame: baseline, two months after intervention
depression severity
Time frame: baseline, two months after intervention
self-esteem
Time frame: baseline, two months after intervention
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 23 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Gaming Disorder
Active, not recruiting
Technology-supported Motor Rehabilitation for People With Rett Syndrome
Rett Syndrome
Active, not recruiting
Measuring Impact of Computer Gaming on Arm Use in Rett Syndrome
Rett Syndrome
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
Collective Motivational Interviewing (CMI) for Adolescents With Internet Gaming Disorder
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 group gaming interventions in people with Gaming Disorder, run by Shanghai Mental Health Center at 1 site in China.
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 1 inclusion and 1 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 23 Jan 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 China. 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 Na Zhong, MD (008613671644472, winco917@hotmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
the severity of gaming disorder (time frame: baseline, two months after intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 23 Jan 2026.