title: Multi-family group therapy for adolescent Internet addiction: exploring the underlying mechanisms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Internet addiction is one of the most common problems among adolescents and effective treatment is needed. This research aims to test the effectiveness and underlying mechanism of multi-family group therapy (MFGT) to reduce Internet addiction among adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 92 participants consisting of 46 adolescents with Internet addiction, aged 12-18years, and 46 their parents, aged 35-46years, were assigned to the experimental group (six-session MFGT intervention) or a waiting-list control. Structured questionnaires were administered at pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2) and a three-month follow-up (T3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference in the decline both in the average score and proportion of adolescents with Internet addiction in MFGT group at post-intervention (MT1=3.40, MT2=2.46, p<0.001; 100 versus 4.8%, p<0.001) maintained for three months (MT3=2.06, p<0.001; 100 versus 11.1%, p<0.001). Reports from both adolescents and parents were significantly better than those in the control group. Further explorations of the underlying mechanisms of effectiveness based on the changed values of measured variables showed that the improvement in adolescent Internet use was partially explained by the satisfaction of their psychological needs and improved parent-adolescent communication and closeness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The six-session multi-family group therapy was effective in reducing Internet addiction behaviors among adolescents and could be implemented as part of routine primary care clinic services in similar populations. As family support system is critical in maintaining the intervention effect, fostering positive parent-adolescent interaction and addressing adolescents' psychological needs should be included in preventive programs for Internet addiction in the future.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors.forename: Qin-Xue
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China. Electronic address: fangxy@bnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Beibei 400700, China.
authors.forename: Ni
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors.forename: Zong-Kui
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Sociology and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jiao
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Chao-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Effectiveness mechanism; Family relationships; Internet addiction; Multi-family group therapy; Need satisfaction