A Systematic Review of Outcome Measures and Concepts Included in Trials on Problematic Internet Use (Preprint)
Authors: Wu Liu , Dong Yu-Ting , Wang Yang , Zhao Xin-Yu , Li Hui , Li Hui , Zhu Tian-Min 
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

This scoping review was conducted as the first phase of the development of the Problematic Internet Use (PIU) Core Result Set (COS-EPOCH). The purpose of this review is to identify the results collected and reported in randomized controlled trials of PIU. A systematic scoping review was conducted based on published guidelines. Trial registries and Medline were searched, and the retrieved records were screened by two reviewers. Results are assigned to result domains and similar definitions within each domain are merged based on key literature and expert consensus. Estimate the result and domain frequencies and represent them in the result matrix. Seven outcome domains were identified from 78 included studies: observation of Internet addiction, mental/emotional measurement, laboratory examination, TCM indicators, general self-test, follow-up, adverse reactions and other special measures. The most commonly reported result area is Internet addiction Diagnosis Scale (IAT), mental health symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and Self-rating depression scale (SDS). 201 unique outcomes were identified, indicating a high degree of heterogeneity. The significant heterogeneity of the results supports the need to develop COS-EPOCH.

OBJECTIVE

The outcome index set of PIU is developed by using relevant methods.

METHODS

The purpose of this review is to identify the results collected and reported in randomized controlled trials of PIU. A systematic scoping review was conducted based on published guidelines. Trial registries and Medline were searched, and the retrieved records were screened by two reviewers. Results are assigned to result domains and similar definitions within each domain are merged based on key literature and expert consensus. Estimate the result and domain frequencies and represent them in the result matrix.

RESULTS

Seven outcome domains were identified from 78 included studies: observation of Internet addiction, mental/emotional measurement, laboratory examination, TCM indicators, general self-test, follow-up, adverse reactions and other special measures. The most commonly reported result area is Internet addiction Diagnosis Scale (IAT), mental health symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and Self-rating depression scale (SDS). 201 unique outcomes were identified, indicating a high degree of heterogeneity. The significant heterogeneity of the results supports the need to develop COS-EPOCH.

CONCLUSIONS

This review identifies significant heterogeneity in outcomes measured and reported in PIU intervention trials. Seven result domains were identified and a large number of results are currently reported in relatively few studies. As Internet use becomes an integral part of humanity, more and more people are suffering from PIUs, and effective and efficient interventions are needed. The results of this scoped review will support the development of COS EPOCH, with the aim of guiding PIU intervention studies and facilitating the synthesis of knowledge between studies to ensure that investigators obtain a more comprehensive domain of indicators in trials involving patients with PIU.

CLINICALTRIAL