Developing an Emotional Regulation Training Model and its Effectiveness on Students’ Internet Addiction: Exploring the Moderating Role of Brain- Behavior Systems

Dysregulated emotional responses may promote addictive behaviors as a means of coping with high levels of stress. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of emotion regulation training on Internet addiction, focusing on the moderating role of brain-behavior systems. This semi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest design with a control group and a follow-up phase. The study population included all Internet-using second secondary school students in Islamshahr, Iran in the second half of 2021. A total of 100 students were selected by purposive sampling and divided into three experimental groups (activation system (n=15), inhibition system (n=15), and fight-flight-freeze system (n=18)) and three control groups (activation system (n=16), inhibition system (n=17), and fight-flight-freeze system (n=19)). Over seven weeks, seven 90-minute emotion regulation training sessions were conducted, while the control group received no training. Research instruments included a revised questionnaire based on Jackson’s (2009) Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and Young’s (2007) Internet Addiction Test. Normality of data distribution was tested using the Shapiro-Wilk index of Internet addiction for all three groups in three levels, the statistical index of Box’s M test, and the assumption of homogeneity of the covariance matrices of the dependent variable. Analysis of covariance was performed using SPSS version 26. Findings suggested that emotion regulation skill training could reduce Internet addiction in individuals with the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) compared with other brain-behavior system groups (P<0.001). In addition, the Bonferroni test showed that the difference in the mean scores of Internet addiction was significant between the BIS and behavioral activation system (BAS) (P=0.432) groups as well as between BIS and fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS) groups (P=0.002) was significant. However, no significant difference was found in the mean score of Internet addiction between the BAS and FFFS groups (P=0.006). The results of the study suggested that emotion regulation training for students with different neurological and behavioral systems can help reduce their tendency to excessive Internet use. Acquiring emotion regulation skills can significantly affect the tendency to use the Internet excessively.