Combined reality therapy and mindfulness meditation decrease intertemporal decisional impulsivity in young adults with Internet gaming disorder
Yuan-Wei Yao, Pin-Ru Chen, C. Li, T. Hare, Song Li, Jin-Tao Zhang, Lu Liu, Shan-Shan Ma, Xiao-Yi Fang
Computers in Human Behavior March 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.038 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pre-post intervention study with a healthy comparison group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 46 |
| Population | Young adults with Internet gaming disorder (n=25 at baseline, 18 completing intervention) and healthy comparison young adults (n=21 at baseline, 19 tested twice without intervention) |
| Intervention | Group behavioral intervention combining reality therapy and mindfulness meditation |
| Measures | Delay discounting task, balloon analog risk task |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | At baseline, IGD subjects showed greater intertemporal and risky decisional impulsivity than healthy comparisons. After the combined reality therapy and mindfulness meditation intervention, IGD subjects showed decreased delay discounting rate and IGD severity, but no change in risky-choice decisional impulsivity. The authors argue that decisional impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and a possible therapeutic target for IGD. |
Abstract
Decisional impulsivity represents an important phenotype and a therapeutic target in Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Reality therapy and mindfulness meditation were two approaches to reduce impulsivity. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a group behavioral intervention combining reality therapy and mindfulness meditation in reducing decisional impulsivity and IGD severity. Twenty-five IGD and 21 healthy comparison (HC) young adults participated in baseline tests on the delay discounting and balloon analog risk tasks to measure intertemporal and risky decision-making respectively. Among them, 18 IGD subjects participated in the intervention and were tested again at the end of intervention, and 19 HC subjects without intervention were also tested twice within a similar time period. Results indicate that: (1) at baseline, IGD subjects showed greater intertemporal and risky decisional impulsivity than HC subjects; (2) After intervention, IGD subjects were decreased in delay discounting rate and IGD severity, but did not perform differently on decisional impulsivity in risky choices, as compared with baseline. These findings suggest that decisional impulsivity is a multifaceted behavioral construct and may serve as a possible therapeutic target for IGD. In addition, these results highlight the need for further research into the roles of different forms of decisional impulsivity in the shaping, maintenance, and remission of IGD.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Investigating the Effectiveness of a Virtual-Reality-Based Mindfulness Intervention on Internet Gaming Disorder Behavioral Sciences November 27, 2024
- Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial to Enhance Executive Function via Brief Mindfulness Training in Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder. PLoS One 2025
- Understanding the role of rhythm: Effects of VR-based breathing meditation on anxiety, stress, and mindfulness Computers in Human Behavior Reports June 16, 2026
- Integrating Yoga and Mindfulness in the Management of Internet Gaming Disorder: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence and Future Directions. Current Psychiatry Reports September 9, 2026
- Life Satisfaction and Mindfulness in Esports-Involved Gamers in Türkiye: Parallel Mediation of Problematic Online Gaming and Maladaptive Daydreaming. Behavioral Sciences September 8, 2026
and 6 more in the library
Cites 6
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors August 28, 2006
- Brief meditation training induces smoking reduction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences August 20, 2013
- Combined Goal Management Training and Mindfulness meditation improve executive functions and decision-making performance in abstinent polysubstance abusers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence February 1, 2011
- Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition April 3, 2010
and 1 more in the library