Investigating the effect of educational intervention based on social cognitive theory on reducing internet addiction in students of University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Research shows that students are one of the groups at risk of Internet addiction. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on social cognitive theory on reducing Internet addiction in medical students of Bandar Abbas. Materials and methods: This is a semi-experimental intervention study that was conducted on ۲۰۱ students of Banda Abbas University of Medical Sciences in ۲۰۲۰. Initially, students answered a researcher-made social cognitive theory (SCT) questionnaire and Young's Internet Addiction Inventory (IAT). Then, with the same distribution, they were placed in two intervention and control groups. Two months later, the questionnaires were completed again by two groups and the data were analyzed with SPSS version ۱۶ software. Results: The students were in the age group of ۱۸ to ۴۲ years. After the intervention, a statistically significant difference (p<۰.۰۵) was observed between the two groups, knowledge, outcome expectations, outcome expectancies, self-efficacy to overcome impediments, self-control and emotional coping, but the statistical difference between them in terms of addiction score Internet (P=۰.۷۱۹) and environment structures (P=۰.۰۲۱), self-efficacy (P=۰.۱۱۹) and situational perception (P=۰.۹۷۶) were not significant. Conclusion: In this research, despite the effect of the educational intervention on most of the constructs, the statistical difference of the Internet addiction score in the two groups was not significant. Therefore, it is suggested that more educational interventions based on health education theories and models be made to reduce internet addiction in students.

Keywords:

Internet addiction disorder , social cognitive theory , Medical Students