Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial to Enhance Executive Function via Brief Mindfulness Training in Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder.
PloS one January 1, 2025 Zhilin Chen, Jie Ge, Quan Gan et al. 2 citations
Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) involves uncontrolled gaming that harms emotional well-being, responsibilities, and relationships, and is linked to deficits in executive functions such as inhibition, updating, and shifting. Mindfulness interventions may improve these cognitive abilities. This planned study will recruit 82 individuals diagnosed with IGD and 40 non-addicted gamers, split evenly into a 7-day mindfulness breathing meditation group or a progressive muscle relaxation control group. Outcomes measured at seven time points include EEG data, behavioral response times and accuracy, heart rate variability, self-reported craving, mindfulness, executive function, and impulsivity. Secondary measures cover anxiety, stress, affect, sleep, personality, and health. The research aims to test whether brief mindfulness training improves executive function in IGD and to identify underlying neural mechanisms, potentially guiding targeted interventions.