Randomized Controlled Evaluation of a Group-Based Training for Parents of Adolescents with Gaming Disorder or Social Network Use Disorder

Isabel Brandhorst (), Patrizia Lahres, Sara Hanke, Anil Batra, Tobias Renner, Gottfried Barth, Katajun Lindenberg, Eva Vonderlin and Kay Petersen
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Isabel Brandhorst: Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy in Childhood and Adolescence, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tubingen, Germany
Patrizia Lahres: Section of Addiction Medicine and Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Sara Hanke: Section of Addiction Medicine and Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Anil Batra: Section of Addiction Medicine and Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Tobias Renner: Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy in Childhood and Adolescence, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tubingen, Germany
Gottfried Barth: Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy in Childhood and Adolescence, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tubingen, Germany
Katajun Lindenberg: Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Institute for Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60486 Frankfurt, Germany
Eva Vonderlin: Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Institute for Psychology, University of Heidelberg, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Kay Petersen: Section of Addiction Medicine and Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Internet Use Disorder (IUD), Gaming Disorder (GD), and Social Network Use Disorder (SNUD) are common phenomena among adolescents and young adults. Negative consequences of such disorders can be observed in the individuals themselves and in the family system. Although parents can influence their children in many ways, they are rarely considered in interventions. The present study examines the effectiveness of a group-based training for parents of adolescents with IUD, GD, or SNUD. Methods: A total of 76 parents of adolescents (12 to 20 years) were randomly assigned to the intervention group (IG) or the waiting list control group. Parents in the IG participated over eight weeks in six sessions of training (topics: psychoeducation, parenting behaviour, parent-child relationships, parent-child communication, and stress and relaxation). Questionnaires on adolescent symptomatology, parent-child relationships, and parental burden were collected before and after the intervention/waiting period. Results: The training reduced the IUD symptomatology of adolescents from the parents’ perspective. GD symptomatology improved for at-risk users, though not for pathological users. Some aspects of the parent-child relationships improved in the mothers’ judgment. Parental stress was already low before the training. Conclusions: The presented parent group training can be used to improve IUD symptomatology in adolescents and is effective in the context of early intervention for at-risk computer gamers.

Keywords: gaming disorder; social network use disorder; internet use disorder; parents; family; group training; intervention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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