Effect of Conventional Exercise and Tai Chi Exercise on College Students
Condition: Internet Addiction; Exercise; Tai Chi; Randomized Clinical Trial
MeSH terms: Behavior, Addictive; Internet Addiction Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is an impulse-control disorder of Internet behavior in the
      absence of addictive substances. Exercise has been found to have significant advantages in
      improving the severity and depressive symptoms of IAD. The purpose of this study was to
      observe the efficacy of conventional exercise and tai chi in the treatment of Internet
      addiction and to observe the changes in each group. Subjects diagnosed with IAD were randomly
      assigned to the exercise group, the tai chi group, or the control group. The exercise group
      and tai chi group received conventional exercise and tai chi for 8 weeks. The Internet
      Addiction Test (IAT), the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), the Zung Self-rating
      Depression Scale (SDS), the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Fatigue Scale-14
      (FS-14) were evaluated for all subjects at baseline and postintervention.
    

Detailed description: 
      Over the past decade, with the rapid growth and popularity of the Internet, Internet
      addiction (IA) has increased. Nowadays, Internet addiction disorder (IAD) has become a
      significant social problem, especially among teenagers and young adults. IAD is an
      impulse-control disorder of Internet behavior in the absence of addictive substances, its
      typical symptoms are involved, including tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, large amounts of
      time spent online, interruption of social relations, and disorder of the biological clock.

      Western scholars have developed interventions for Internet addiction based on cognitive
      behavioral therapy (CBT). Besides applying CBT treatment, Chinese psychologists also have
      developed trials to apply psychoanalytic group intervention, family therapy, sports exercise
      prescriptions, and Naikan therapy. Physical exercise (PE) interventions are known to
      facilitate cerebral blood and oxygen supply, enhance brain metabolism and neurotransmitter
      function and improve the balance of the nervous system, which in turn helps improve physical
      and mental adaptability. Active physical exercise is helpful to improve the symptoms of
      Internet addiction. Tai chi is a mind-body exercise that originated in China. It is a form of
      physical and mental training combining Chinese martial arts and meditative movements
      involving a series of slowly performed, continuous, and rhythmic movements that put a minimal
      impact on the joints of the body. This study aimed to validate the use of tai chi as an
      alternative approach to Internet addiction and compare the effectiveness of tai chi with
      conventional exercise. With both primary and secondary outcome measures, the effects of tai
      chi and exercise on Internet addiction can be more comprehensively analyzed, which will
      provide a basis for its future establishment as a non-pharmacological method for the
      treatment of Internet addiction.
    

Intervention name(s): Conventional Exercise and Tai Chi Exercise interventions
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Subjects diagnosed with IAD were randomly assigned to the exercise group, the tai chi group, or the control group. The exercise group and tai chi group received conventional exercise and tai chi for 8 weeks.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment