Trial reportJournal of behavioral addictions2019
Reducing compulsive Internet use and anxiety symptoms via two brief interventions: A comparison between mindfulness and gradual muscle relaxation.
Trial report in Journal of behavioral addictions, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 80 citations in OpenAlex.
- Therapeutic Interventions Targeted at Problematic Use of Digital Technology: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Evidence.JMIR mental health · 2026Pooled it
- Gambling in women: A systematic review of interventions and prevention approaches.Journal of behavioral addictions · 2026Pooled it
- The efficacy of mindfulness apps on symptoms of depression and anxiety: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Clinical psychology review · 2024Pooled it
- Just-in-Time Adaptive Mechanisms of Popular Mobile Apps for Individuals With Depression: Systematic App Search and Literature Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- A network analysis of short video addiction and inattention symptoms among undergraduate nursing students.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- Healthcare Practice Post COVID-19 Impacts: Will 21st Century Pharmacists Become Global, Agile, Collaborative and Curated?Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Psychological inoculation against problematic social media use among adolescents: An experimental study.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2025Article
- A Review of Current Digital Mental Health Care Applications for Anxiety Symptoms and Future Prospects.Psychiatry investigation · 2024Article
- Effectiveness of mobile mindfulness training on stress, burnout, and work engagement of office workers: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Mindfulness for internet use disorder: a study protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2022Article
- Efficacy and Conflicts of Interest in Randomized Controlled Trials Evaluating Headspace and Calm Apps: Systematic Review.JMIR mental health · 2022Review
- Effects of mobile mindfulness training on mental health of employees: A CONSORT-compliant pilot randomized controlled trial.Medicine · 2022Article
- Digital Addiction and Sleep.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- The Effect of Psychosocial Interventions for Reducing Co-occurring Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in Individuals with Problematic Internet Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.International journal of mental health and addiction · 2022Article
- The Impact of a Mindfulness App on Postnatal Distress.Mindfulness · 2022Article
- Study Protocol for the Evaluation of Individual Psychological Interventions for Family Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients.Frontiers in psychology · 2020Article
- Investigation of a Progressive Relaxation Training Intervention on Precompetition Anxiety and Sports Performance Among Collegiate Student Athletes.Frontiers in psychology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCompulsive Internet use (CIU) refers to those individuals who experience a loss of control regarding their online use. Although suffered by a minority, a much larger proportion of adults report to be experiencing early signs of CIU, which can become more problematic if sustained over time, especially when used as a coping mechanism for stress. Since compulsive behaviors are characterized by executing behaviors on "automatic pilot," mindfulness techniques, which help individuals relate more consciously with their environment, could help develop a more adaptive relationship with technology. However, mindfulness interventions are often lengthy hence not ideal for busy individuals with early signs of CIU.
aimsThis study tested the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness intervention (10 min a day for 2 weeks) to reduce CIU and anxiety and depression symptoms, in relation to an equivalent length classic arousal descending technique (i.e., gradual-muscle-relaxation), and a wait-list control group.
methodsA randomized controlled trial (RCT) was used with assessments at pre- and post-phases. Participants showing initial signs of CIU were allocated to a mindfulness-group (
resultsThe mindfulness and gradual-muscle-relaxation participants were equally effective in reducing anxiety and depression. The mindfulness intervention was more effective reducing CIU symptoms. DISCUSSION: Given the large sample sizes of this RCT, these results are promising, although follow-up studies are needed. Considering health hazards of the "always-on-culture" and the popularity of bite-sized learning, the effectiveness of easy-to fit-in daily life health practices is a positive development.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.