Group Counseling Integrating Single-Session Principles and Chinese Cultural Perspectives for Problematic Internet Use: A Pilot Wait-List Study

This nonrandomized pilot wait-list study examined preliminary outcomes of culturally informed group counseling based on single-session principles for university students with problematic Internet use. Nine students were allocated by campus to immediate (n = 5) or delayed (n = 4) counseling sequences; both received eight weekly sessions. Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) scores were assessed during counseling and at three months and one year. Mean scores declined from 80.40 to 63.20 in the immediate group and from 81.50 to 45.00 in the delayed group (within-group dz = 1.81 and 1.96). During waiting, the delayed-group mean increased from 69.50 to 81.50. Eight participants met an exploratory reliable-improvement criterion; seven also scored below 68 after counseling. At one year, means remained below treatment baseline (64.20 and 56.25), with partial rebound and individual variation. All nine had follow-up CIAS records. Findings support further controlled evaluation; the small sample and two-group delivery preclude definitive efficacy or mechanism conclusions.