Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy on Reducing Levels of Internet Addiction, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Nursing Students in Morocco

Internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a serious threat to the mental health of young individuals.

The present study aimed to test the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) on controlling Internet addictive behaviors and improving levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among nursing students in Morocco.

A total of 60 nursing students participated in the study based on convenience sampling and were then randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30). The intervention group received 8 sessions of CBGT, unlike the control group. The Internet Addiction Test and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale were used as the pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up tests to determine participants’ levels of IA, depression, anxiety, and stress. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to assess the effects of this therapeutic intervention.

The results showed that following the CBGT program, the intervention group showed a reduction in IA (P < 0.05), depression (P < 0.05), anxiety (P < 0.05), and stress (P < 0.05) scores.

Cognitive-behavioral group therapy was observed to be more effective in improving the cognitive, psychological, and behavioral skills of Internet-dependent nursing students, thereby reducing levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. This outcome opens up important perspectives in the field of health sciences education by considering this approach as a preferred way to promote students’ mental health in this context.