Does Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Reduce Gaming Disorder Among College Students?

Background and Purpose: Empirical studies have identified a growing prevalence of gaming disorder, accompanied by a range of associated negative consequences. College students are particularly vulnerable to gaming disorder due to their high autonomy in time management and reduced parental control. Their excessive digital gaming may negatively affect academic performance, social relationships, emotional well-being, and career development. However, little attention has been paid to developing evidence-based interventions for gaming disorder in this population. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) enhances self-awareness and skillful responsivity, while reducing cognitive and behavioral reactivity. Therefore, it might mitigate vulnerability to gaming disorder. This study pilot-tested the effectiveness of MBCT for gaming disorder (MBCT-G) among college students, focusing on reducing symptoms of gaming disorder and secondary benefits such as reducing depression, stress, anxiety, and improving self-control.

Methods: MBCT-G is a modified intervention from mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for life developed by Oxford University. A randomized clinical trial was conducted in South Korea in 2025 with 46 college students aged 18 to 24 at high risk of gaming disorder. Participants were randomly assigned into intervention (n = 24) and control (n = 22), receiving no intervention. The intervention group participated in eight weekly group sessions of MBCT-G, each lasting 1.5 hours, delivered by a qualified MBCT practitioner. Internet Gaming Disorder-20 was used to assess gaming disorder as the primary outcome. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and Brief Self Control Scale assessed depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, and self-control as the secondary outcomes before and at termination of the intervention or at 8 weeks for the control group. Data analyses were performed with independent-sample t-tests and analysis of covariance.

Results: No significant differences between the two groups were found regarding demographic characteristics and outcome variables at baseline. No participants attrited from either group. Gaming disorder significantly decreased in the intervention group relative to the control group. Participants’ gaming disorder decreased 69.25±7.06 to 51.33±14.96 following MBCT-G. Participants in the intervention group had significantly greater reductions in gaming disorder (F = 6.470, p = .015, d = 0.62, 95% CI [0.03-1.22]), depressive symptoms (F = 3.790, p = .058, d = 0.74, 95% CI [0.15-1.34]), stress (F = 5.341, p = .026, d = 0.54, 95% CI [-0.05-1.13]), and state anxiety (F = 5.804, p = .020, d = 0.60, 95% CI [0.01-1.20]) and improvement in self-control (F = 5.743, p = .021, d = -0.52, 95% CI [-1.11-0.07]), all with moderate to large effects.

Conclusion and Implications: Findings provided preliminary support for MBCT-G as a treatment for gaming disorder among college students. Results demonstrate MBCT-G was linked to reduced symptoms of gaming disorder and improvements in mental health outcomes and self-control. The study offers valuable insights for social workers in implementing MBCT-G as a group-based therapeutic intervention for college students at high risk for gaming disorder. Further research is needed with a larger sample and comparisons receiving alternative interventions to determine whether the intervention is more effective.