Meta-Bibliometric Study of Effective Counseling Strategies for Addictive Behavior: Identification of Research Gaps from 2000 to 2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v18i3.9583Keywords:
Counseling, Addictive Behavior, Research Gap, BibliometricAbstract
The growing complexity of substance-related and behavioral addictions has increased the demand for evidence-informed counseling interventions. However, the global development of addiction counseling research and its emerging knowledge gaps remain insufficiently mapped. This study aims to examine publication trends, scientific contributions, collaboration networks, and emerging research themes in addiction counseling from 2000 to early 2026. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using 298 English-language, open-access articles retrieved from Scopus on February 2, 2026. Biblioshiny and VOSviewer were employed to analyze scientific productivity, author and institutional contributions, international collaboration, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. Publications increased substantially after 2013, reaching their highest annual output in 2023. The United States and the United Kingdom emerged as major research contributors, with the University of California and King's College London among the leading institutions. Keyword mapping identified cognitive behavioral therapy, internet addiction, gaming addiction, social media addiction, mHealth, and co-occurring mental health conditions as prominent research themes. The findings also indicated emerging opportunities for research on technology-assisted counseling, culturally responsive interventions, and school-based addiction prevention. Addiction counseling research increasingly addresses digital behavioral addictions and technology-supported interventions. These findings provide a bibliometric foundation for identifying future research priorities and strengthening counselor education. Further empirical studies are needed to evaluate intervention effectiveness and develop culturally appropriate counseling models for emerging addictive behaviors.
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