The intervention was held after school hours and the treatment lasted for 8 weeks (i.e., 2 months), from 5th March, 2018 to 7th May, 2018, excluding a 1 month follow-up evaluation. The intervention was delivered at a Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu in South-East Nigeria. Due to the college’s tight academic calendar, we were allowed to meet with the participants once a week. One session was held a week, lasting for 40 minutes. Different issues and topics were discussed during the sessions. In the first session, the researchers spelled out the procedure for group interaction. During this session we highlighted that our group norms included confidentiality, commitment, and mutual respect among participants.
The second session focused on describing the meaning of PIU. The participants, including the researchers, shared the meaning of PIU. This was an opportunity to understand the feelings of others and their experiences. The researchers also explored what needs participants had neglected as a result of excessive internet use. At the end of the session, a home exercise was given to the participants. At this stage, the researchers focused on dealing with basic factors that induce the participants to engage in excessive internet usage.
In session three, the participants were allowed to discuss the problems they encountered in their studies that could be linked with PIU. Some of these problems include inadequate preparation for examinations, late submission of assignments, inadequate concentration in classes, and examination phobia. The researchers exposed participants to cognitive behavioral techniques for possible solutions to the problems identified, such as problem solving, cognitive restructuring, and time management techniques. Other things the researchers trained the participants about were how to identify erroneous thoughts and cognitive errors, enhancing self-worth, controlling anger and assertiveness.55
Homework was given to participants to practice mood monitoring, and time management techniques.
During sessions four and five, the session participants shared knowledge on how to explore alternative activities rather than PIU and how to recognize internet usage patterns and their addiction triggers. This was followed by session six. The participants reviewed the group rules and made oral and written contracts with group members. They promised to make a commitment plan to quit excessive internet usage and committed to doing their assignments. In session seven, the researchers reviewed the practice exercises brought by the participants. Closely after that, they reviewed and made positive reminder cards and encouraged the group to use them in their real life, reducing excessive internet use. Assignment: use positive reminder cards.
Finally, the last session was held. The content was a follow up of the homework/assignment. Significant accomplishments of the group were reviewed. The group participants were thanked for their cooperation. Remind the group participants of the need for confidentiality. Refreshment was offered to the participants at the end the group sessions. The researchers expressed appreciation to the group participants for their commitment and cooperation. The techniques adopted during the treatment included shaping, cognitive restructuring, relaxation technique, systematic desensitization, reinforcement, ignoring technique, mood monitoring, problem-solving, and listening.
After completion of the experiment, both the treatment and the control group completed the post-test assessment. One month after completion of the post-test assessment, the 40 participants from both groups attended a one month follow-up meeting after which they completed the PIUs for the third time (Time 3) at the end of the meeting to ascertain if the probable effect was maintained and sustained by the participants. The maximum attendance was achieved because of active engagement by the research team, who monitored the intervention process. The participants saw them as external bodies monitoring their commitments, believing that they were under watch. Equally, the participants were provided with a hired bus that consistently conveyed them to the treatment venue. The presence of the college teachers/lecturers also enhanced the students’ active participation, as some of the lecturers were also committed to monitor the students’ activities. Given these precautions, no dropouts were recorded during the study. The researchers collated the data from the participants directly after each assessment. This is a blind study in which the researchers did not disclose the identities of the participants to the data analysts to avoid revealing which participants were in the intervention group and which were in the waitlisted group. This was to ensure concealment of information during the study. To ensure there were no missing responses, we engaged three data analysts, each to analyze one set of assessment data e.g., Time 1.
The second session focused on describing the meaning of PIU. The participants, including the researchers, shared the meaning of PIU. This was an opportunity to understand the feelings of others and their experiences. The researchers also explored what needs participants had neglected as a result of excessive internet use. At the end of the session, a home exercise was given to the participants. At this stage, the researchers focused on dealing with basic factors that induce the participants to engage in excessive internet usage.
In session three, the participants were allowed to discuss the problems they encountered in their studies that could be linked with PIU. Some of these problems include inadequate preparation for examinations, late submission of assignments, inadequate concentration in classes, and examination phobia. The researchers exposed participants to cognitive behavioral techniques for possible solutions to the problems identified, such as problem solving, cognitive restructuring, and time management techniques. Other things the researchers trained the participants about were how to identify erroneous thoughts and cognitive errors, enhancing self-worth, controlling anger and assertiveness.55
Homework was given to participants to practice mood monitoring, and time management techniques.
During sessions four and five, the session participants shared knowledge on how to explore alternative activities rather than PIU and how to recognize internet usage patterns and their addiction triggers. This was followed by session six. The participants reviewed the group rules and made oral and written contracts with group members. They promised to make a commitment plan to quit excessive internet usage and committed to doing their assignments. In session seven, the researchers reviewed the practice exercises brought by the participants. Closely after that, they reviewed and made positive reminder cards and encouraged the group to use them in their real life, reducing excessive internet use. Assignment: use positive reminder cards.
Finally, the last session was held. The content was a follow up of the homework/assignment. Significant accomplishments of the group were reviewed. The group participants were thanked for their cooperation. Remind the group participants of the need for confidentiality. Refreshment was offered to the participants at the end the group sessions. The researchers expressed appreciation to the group participants for their commitment and cooperation. The techniques adopted during the treatment included shaping, cognitive restructuring, relaxation technique, systematic desensitization, reinforcement, ignoring technique, mood monitoring, problem-solving, and listening.
After completion of the experiment, both the treatment and the control group completed the post-test assessment. One month after completion of the post-test assessment, the 40 participants from both groups attended a one month follow-up meeting after which they completed the PIUs for the third time (Time 3) at the end of the meeting to ascertain if the probable effect was maintained and sustained by the participants. The maximum attendance was achieved because of active engagement by the research team, who monitored the intervention process. The participants saw them as external bodies monitoring their commitments, believing that they were under watch. Equally, the participants were provided with a hired bus that consistently conveyed them to the treatment venue. The presence of the college teachers/lecturers also enhanced the students’ active participation, as some of the lecturers were also committed to monitor the students’ activities. Given these precautions, no dropouts were recorded during the study. The researchers collated the data from the participants directly after each assessment. This is a blind study in which the researchers did not disclose the identities of the participants to the data analysts to avoid revealing which participants were in the intervention group and which were in the waitlisted group. This was to ensure concealment of information during the study. To ensure there were no missing responses, we engaged three data analysts, each to analyze one set of assessment data e.g., Time 1.
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