tDCS for Social Media Addiction
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorEgas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL
About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation, can reduce "craving" and problematic levels of social media/internet use in university students.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does active tDCS reduce craving to use social media during the intervention period compared with sham stimulation and no stimulation? * Does active tDCS reduce internet/social media addiction severity (measured with the Internet Addiction Test, IAT) compared with sham stimulation and no stimulation, and are any effects still present at follow-up? Researchers will compare three groups-active tDCS, sham tDCS (a simulation where stimulation is stopped after the first seconds), and a control group (no stimulation)-to see whether changes are due to tDCS rather than placebo effects or time.
Participants will:
* Complete an initial screening and baseline questionnaires (a sociodemographic questionnaire and the IAT). * Be randomly assigned to one of three groups: active tDCS, sham tDCS, or control (no stimulation). * Complete the IAT again after the intervention and again about 5 weeks later (follow-up), along with questions about social media use habits.
During intervention, participants in active tDCS and sham tDCS will:
* Attend 10 sessions over 2 consecutive weeks (Monday-Friday), with each session lasting about 30 minutes; mobile phone use is not allowed during sessions. * Rate craving on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at the start and end of each session.
This study will be conducted with university students in the Greater Lisbon area and will follow double-blind procedures for the active vs sham conditions (participants and researchers will not know the assigned condition until the end of the study).
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Age ≥18 years.
Availability to participate in all study phases/sessions.
IAT score ≥31 (moderate to severe level).
Disqualifiers
Diagnosis of depressive, anxiety, or bipolar disorders with recent symptoms; schizophrenia; psychotic disorders; or autism spectrum disorder.
Recent psychotropic medication use or dose change within the last 3 months.
Current need for inpatient care or ongoing psychotherapy.
History of dizziness or seizures/convulsions.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
DeviceActive tDCS delivered in 10 consecutive sessions (Monday-Friday over 2 weeks), 30 minutes per session, in a supervised controlled environment. Electrode montage follows the International 10/20 system with the anode at F4 (right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and the cathode at F3 (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex).
Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Sham tDCS)
DeviceSham stimulation using the same device setup and schedule as active tDCS, but the stimulation is turned off after the first seconds to mimic the sensation while minimizing neuromodulatory effects. Sessions are supervised, with the same electrode positioning (anode F4; cathode F3).
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groupsGroup A: Active tDCSExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Sham tDCSSham comparator 1 intervention
Group C: No Stimulation ControlNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Change in Internet Addiction Test (IAT) Total Score
Severity of problematic internet/social media use measured by the Internet Addiction Test (IAT; 20 items; total score 0-100, higher scores mean worse outcome). The IAT is administered at baseline (pre-intervention), after completion of the intervention period, and again at follow-up to evaluate sustained effects. Group comparisons will be made between active tDCS, sham, and control arms.
Time frame
Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately post-intervention (after the 10-session/2-week period); follow-up ~5 weeks after the intervention.Secondary outcomes
1
Change in Social Media Craving (VAS)
A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to assess Craving to social media . The VAS is administered twice per tDCS session: at the start of the session (pre) and at the end of the session (post). Participants are asked to rate their desire to use social media from 0 to 10, higher scores mean worse outcome.
Time frame
Each of 10 sessions over 2 consecutive weeks: assessed immediately pre-session and immediately post-session.2
Change in Social Media Use Habits (Self-Report)
Self-reported social media use habits collected via the study's questionnaire items (e.g., daily time, frequency, and typical moments of access). These items are used to characterize patterns of use and to assess changes over time following the intervention.
Time frame
Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately post-intervention; follow-up ~5 weeks after the intervention.Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov