The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in Adolescents

Background: Social Media Disorder (SMD) is a growing behavioral addiction among adolescents, marked by excessive and uncontrolled use of social media. It is associated with emotional difficulties such as anxiety, aggression, and impulsive behaviors, including online shopping addiction (OSA). Objecti...

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Main Authors: Sara Malek Mohammadi, Mahtab Shah Hosseini, Narges Asgari Toorzani, Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe, Abbas Ali Hossein Khanzadeh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Guilan University of Medical Sciences 2025-07-01
Series:Caspian Journal of Health Research
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Online Access:http://cjhr.gums.ac.ir/article-1-423-en.pdf
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author Sara Malek Mohammadi
Mahtab Shah Hosseini
Narges Asgari Toorzani
Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe
Abbas Ali Hossein Khanzadeh
author_facet Sara Malek Mohammadi
Mahtab Shah Hosseini
Narges Asgari Toorzani
Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe
Abbas Ali Hossein Khanzadeh
author_sort Sara Malek Mohammadi
collection DOAJ
description Background: Social Media Disorder (SMD) is a growing behavioral addiction among adolescents, marked by excessive and uncontrolled use of social media. It is associated with emotional difficulties such as anxiety, aggression, and impulsive behaviors, including online shopping addiction (OSA). Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing anxiety sensitivity, aggression, and OSA in adolescents with SMD. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted using a pretest-posttest design with a control group. Thirty-six adolescents with SMD were purposively recruited from secondary schools in Tehran’s District 8 and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 18) or a control group (n = 18). The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute ACT sessions; the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), and Online Shopping Addiction Scale (OSAS). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-27. Results: ACT significantly decreased anxiety sensitivity (F=63.67, P=0.001, η2=0.68), aggression (F=62.66, P=0.001, η2=0.66), and OSA (F=46.17, P=0.001, η2=0.59), in adolescents with SMD (P<0.01). Conclusion: ACT is an effective intervention for reducing emotional dysregulation and compulsive behaviors among adolescents with SMD. These findings suggest its broader utility in addressing psychological challenges linked to digital overuse in youth populations.
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spelling doaj-art-2be65820b4c64782846b2ce4ea57fba72025-08-20T11:37:56ZengGuilan University of Medical SciencesCaspian Journal of Health Research2423-81712025-07-01103171182The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in AdolescentsSara Malek Mohammadi0Mahtab Shah Hosseini1Narges Asgari Toorzani2Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe3Abbas Ali Hossein Khanzadeh4 Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen Branch, Roudehen, Iran Department of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran Department of Welfare and Health Social Sciences, Islamic Azad University Medical Sciences, Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran Department of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Department of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran Background: Social Media Disorder (SMD) is a growing behavioral addiction among adolescents, marked by excessive and uncontrolled use of social media. It is associated with emotional difficulties such as anxiety, aggression, and impulsive behaviors, including online shopping addiction (OSA). Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing anxiety sensitivity, aggression, and OSA in adolescents with SMD. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted using a pretest-posttest design with a control group. Thirty-six adolescents with SMD were purposively recruited from secondary schools in Tehran’s District 8 and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 18) or a control group (n = 18). The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute ACT sessions; the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), and Online Shopping Addiction Scale (OSAS). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-27. Results: ACT significantly decreased anxiety sensitivity (F=63.67, P=0.001, η2=0.68), aggression (F=62.66, P=0.001, η2=0.66), and OSA (F=46.17, P=0.001, η2=0.59), in adolescents with SMD (P<0.01). Conclusion: ACT is an effective intervention for reducing emotional dysregulation and compulsive behaviors among adolescents with SMD. These findings suggest its broader utility in addressing psychological challenges linked to digital overuse in youth populations.http://cjhr.gums.ac.ir/article-1-423-en.pdfacceptance and commitment therapyanxiety sensitivityaggressiononline shopping addictionsocial media disorder
spellingShingle Sara Malek Mohammadi
Mahtab Shah Hosseini
Narges Asgari Toorzani
Farzin Bagheri Sheykhangafshe
Abbas Ali Hossein Khanzadeh
The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in Adolescents
Caspian Journal of Health Research
acceptance and commitment therapy
anxiety sensitivity
aggression
online shopping addiction
social media disorder
title The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in Adolescents
title_full The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in Adolescents
title_fullStr The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in Adolescents
title_full_unstemmed The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in Adolescents
title_short The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity, Aggression, and Online Shopping Addiction in Adolescents
title_sort effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on anxiety sensitivity aggression and online shopping addiction in adolescents
topic acceptance and commitment therapy
anxiety sensitivity
aggression
online shopping addiction
social media disorder
url http://cjhr.gums.ac.ir/article-1-423-en.pdf
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