Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Smartphone Addiction, Attachment Styles, and Academic Self-Regulation in Adolescents with Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing smartphone addiction, improving attachment styles, and enhancing academic self-regulation in adolescents with body dysmorphic disorder. This study was conducted using a randomized controlled trial design with an experimental and a control group. The population included adolescents diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder in Karaj, from whom 30 participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (15 per group). The experimental group received group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected at pre-test, post-test, and a five-month follow-up and analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS version 27. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant time-by-group interaction effects for smartphone addiction, secure attachment, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and academic self-regulation (p<0.001). Bonferroni comparisons indicated significant differences between pre-test and post-test as well as pre-test and follow-up, whereas differences between post-test and follow-up were not significant. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective and durable intervention for reducing smartphone addiction, improving insecure attachment styles, and enhancing academic self-regulation in adolescents with body dysmorphic disorder.