The Effectiveness of "Reality Therapy" Training on Internet Addiction and Perceptions of Social Support -Family in Teenage Girls

Internet addiction and reduced perceptions of family social support among adolescents cause widespread social harm in the community. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of " Reality Therapy" training on internet addiction and perceptions of social support -family in teenage girls.

The research method was quasi-experimental and pre-test, post-test and follow-up with the control group. The statistical population of this study included 220 high school girls in North Khorasan province in Bojnourd in 2020. 30 people were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly (lottery) were placed in an intervention and control group (15 people in each group). Research instruments included a demographic questionnaire, the “Internet Addiction Test”, and the “Perceived Social Support - Family Scale”. Face validity was confirmed by qualitative method and reliability by internal consistency method by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Before the intervention, research instruments were completed by the groups. The intervention group received 90 minutes of educational interventions for 8 sessions and the control group was placed on the waiting list for training. After the intervention and post-test one month later, the instruments were completed by both groups. Then, at the end of the research, the control group received training. Data analysis was performed in SPSS. 22.

After the intervention, there was a significant difference between the intervention group and the control group in both variables of internet addiction (F= 23/02 and P =0/001) and perceiving the family social support (F=15/01 and P =0/001). According to the effect size values, 45% of the changes in Internet addiction and 0.34% of the changes in the perception of social support -family are due to "Reality Therapy" training (P =0/001). 

The use of "Reality Therapy" training is effective in reducing the internet addiction of teenage girls and increasing the perception of social support-family. It is recommended that counselors use the above training to improve individual abilities and reduce internet addiction and better understand family support in adolescents.