Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction as a Treatment for Adolescent Social Media Addiction
Gina Sugiana Sugara, Salma Rachmawati, Muhammad Muhajirin, Anandha Putri Rahimsyah, Khairul Bariyyah, Idat Muqodas
Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling October 24, 2025 DOI: 10.1002/jaoc.70006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 22 |
| Population | Adolescents |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Addiction Meditation |
| Key points | MBSR significantly reduced social media addiction scores and increased mindfulness levels, with improvements in mood modification, escape, and relapse but not in withdrawal, deception, or conflict. |
Abstract
This study evaluates the effectiveness of an 8‐week Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention in reducing social media addiction among 22 adolescents. The program incorporated techniques such as body scan, sitting meditation, STOP, and RAIN meditation. Results indicated a significant reduction in social media addiction scores ( p < 0.001, d = 1.68) and an increase in mindfulness levels ( p < 0.001, d = 0.85). Specific dimensions, including mood modification, escape, and relapse, showed marked improvement, whereas withdrawal, deception, and conflict exhibited no notable changes. These findings underscore MBSR as a promising approach for addressing behavioral addictions and enhancing emotional regulation.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction Psychiatrically healthy nicotine-dependent smokers | 2014 | Open-label pilot study | n = 15 |
| Psilocybin-Occasioned Mystical Experiences in the Treatment of Tobacco Addiction Smokers | 2015 | Open-label pilot study | n = 15 |
| Ketamine Psychedelic Therapy (KPT): A Review of the Results of Ten Years of Research Alcoholic patients | 1997 | Controlled clinical trial | n = 211 |
| First study of safety and tolerability of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in patients with alcohol use disorder. Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) following community alcohol detoxification | 2021 | Open-label safety and tolerability proof-of-concept study | n = 14 |
| The Psychedelic Debriefing in Alcohol Dependence Treatment: Illustrating Key Change Phenomena through Qualitative Content Analysis of Clinical Sessions Participants in a psilocybin-assisted treatment study for alcohol dependence | 2018 | Open-label pilot (proof-of-concept) study with qualitative content analysis | n = 17 |
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). Psychological Assessment April 11, 2011
- A narrative review of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 1, 2013
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for the Treatment of Substance and Behavioral Addictions: A Systematic Review Frontiers in Psychiatry March 29, 2018
- EEG-based investigation of effects of mindfulness meditation training on state and trait by deep learning and traditional machine learning Frontiers in Human Neuroscience August 31, 2023
and 8 more in the library