| NCT ID | NCT07410104 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL |
| Condition | Social Media Addiction |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 60 participants |
| Start Date | 2026-03 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-03 |
Trial Parameters
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Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation, can reduce "craving" and problematic levels of social media/internet use in university students. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does active tDCS reduce craving to use social media during the intervention period compared with sham stimulation and no stimulation? * Does active tDCS reduce internet/social media addiction severity (measured with the Internet Addiction Test, IAT) compared with sham stimulation and no stimulation, and are any effects still present at follow-up? Researchers will compare three groups-active tDCS, sham tDCS (a simulation where stimulation is stopped after the first seconds), and a control group (no stimulation)-to see whether changes are due to tDCS rather than placebo effects or time. Participants will: * Complete an initial screening and baseline questionnaires (a sociodemographic questionnaire and the IAT). * Be randomly assigned to one of three groups: active tDCS, sham tDCS, or control (no stimulation). * Complete the IAT again after the intervention and again about 5 weeks later (follow-up), along with questions about social media use habits. During intervention, participants in active tDCS and sham tDCS will: * Attend 10 sessions over 2 consecutive weeks (Monday-Friday), with each session lasting about 30 minutes; mobile phone use is not allowed during sessions. * Rate craving on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at the start and end of each session. This study will be conducted with university students in the Greater Lisbon area and will follow double-blind procedures for the active vs sham conditions (participants and researchers will not know the assigned condition until the end of the study).
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥18 years. * Availability to participate in all study phases/sessions. * IAT score ≥31 (moderate to severe level). Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of depressive, anxiety, or bipolar disorders with recent symptoms; schizophrenia; psychotic disorders; or autism spectrum disorder. * Recent psychotropic medication use or dose change within the last 3 months. * Current need for inpatient care or ongoing psychotherapy. * History of dizziness or seizures/convulsions. * Contraindications to tDCS, including pregnancy, metallic implants, tumors, prior brain surgery, or significant anatomical brain alterations.
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