Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Internet Addiction: A Clinical Pilot Study on the Effects of a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program

Table 1

Therapeutic elements of the therapy program “Short-term treatment for internet and computer game addiction” (STICA).

Probatory	Psychological diagnostic of IA
	Anamnesis of current and life-time media use
	Identification of problematically used online contents
	Diagnostic of comorbid disorders
	Assessment of psychopathological symptoms and psychosocial resources
Initial stage	Initializing trustful patient-therapist alliance and therapy commitment
	Assessment and enhancement of motivation for behavioral change
	Development of proximal and distal therapy aims
	Psychoeducation
Behavior modification	Psychoeducation
	Identification of triggers (situations, cognitions, beliefs, emotions, and psychophysiological reactions) of Internet use
	Development of SORKC-schemes and cognitive restructuring
	Development of an individual model of IA
	Training module: discrimination of emotional states
	Social skills training
	Reestablishment of alternative behavioral strategies and interests
Stabilization and relapse prevention	Reestablishment of alternative behavioral strategies and interests
	Exposure training and habituation training
	Individual relapse prevention, stopping techniques, and emergency plans