ArticleAddiction science & clinical practice2026
Addressing gender disparities in the efficacy of psychological interventions for behavioral addictions: protocol for a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Article in Addiction science & clinical practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBehavioral addictions (BAs) are increasingly recognized as significant mental health challenges, but evidence on treatment efficacy remains limited. Psychological interventions, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and its internet-based formats, are considered first-line treatments. However, it remains unclear whether these interventions are equally effective across genders. Addressing this gap is essential for developing gender-sensitive treatment strategies and improving clinical outcomes in individuals with BAs.
methodsThis systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis (IPDMA) will evaluate the efficacy of psychological interventions for BAs and examine gender as a potential moderator of intervention outcomes. The primary endpoint is the change in BA symptom severity from baseline to end of treatment, with treatment × gender interaction effects estimated. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be identified through comprehensive database and trial register searches. Study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias (RoB) assessment will be conducted independently by two reviewers. RoB will be assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool, and certainty of evidence will be evaluated using the GRADE framework. Principal investigators will be contacted to provide anonymized patient-level data. Data will be synthesized using a two-stage IPDMA with random-effects models, allowing inclusion of trials providing either individual-level data or interaction estimates. Statistical heterogeneity will be quantified using the I EXPECTED
resultsWe anticipate including a substantial number of RCTs covering different BA subtypes. Based on previous literature, we expect beneficial intervention effects and potential gender-related response variations. Effect sizes may differ between men and women depending on addiction subtype and intervention characteristics. DISCUSSION: If gender does not modify treatment effects, the results will support broad applicability; if differences emerge, they will guide tailored, gender-sensitive interventions. This may guide the adaptation of therapeutic approaches to better address the healthcare needs of different gender groups affected by BAs. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD420251086582.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.