Co-development of Problem Gambling and Depression Symptoms in Emerging Adults: A Parallel-Process Latent Class Growth Model

The modulation of acute stress on model-free and model-based reinforcement learning in gambling disorder

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Experiencing acute stress is common in behavioral addictions such as gambling disorder. Additionally, like most substance-induced addictions, aberrant decision-making wherein a reactive habit-induced response (conceptualized as a Model-free [MF] in reinforcement learning) suppresses a flexible goal-directed response (conceptualized as a Model-based [MB]) is also common in gambling disorder. In the current study we investigated the influence of acute stress on the balance between habitual response and the goal-directed system.

METHODS

A sample of N = 116 problem gamblers (PG) and healthy controls (HC) performed an acute stress task - the Socially Evaluated Cold pressure task (SECPT) - or a control task. Self-reported stress and salivary cortisol were collected as measures of acute stress. Following the SECPT, participants performed the Two-Step Markov Task to account for the relative contribution of MB and MF strategies. Additionally, verbal working memory and IQ measures were collected to account for their mediating effects on the orchestration between MB/MF and the impact of stress.

RESULTS

Both groups had comparable baseline and stress-induced cortisol response to the SECPT. Non-stressed PG displayed lower MB learning than HC. MANOVA and regression analyses showed a deleterious effect of stress-induced cortisol response on the orchestration between MB and MF learning in HC but not in PG. These effects remained when controlling for working memory and IQ.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

We found an abnormal pattern of modulation of stress on the orchestration between MB and MF learning among PG. Several interpretations and future research directions are discussed.

Alexithymia, Dissociation, and Family Functioning in a Sample of Online Gamblers: A Moderated Mediation Study

The diffusion of the internet and technological progress have made gambling on online platforms possible, also making it more anonymous, convenient, and available, increasing the risk of pathological outcomes for vulnerable individuals. Given this context, the present study explores the role of some protective and risk factors for problematic gambling in online gamblers by focusing on the interaction between alexithymia, dissociation, and family functioning. A sample of 193 online gamblers (Mage = 28.8 years, SD = 10.59; 17% females, 83% males) completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen, Twenty-Items Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Dissociative Experience Scale-II, and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-IV through an online survey. MANOVA, ANOVA and moderated mediation analyses were carried out to analyse the data. Significant differences in cohesive family functioning, alexithymia and dissociation have been found between online gamblers with problematic, at-risk or absent levels of gambling disease. Furthermore, the results showed a significant and positive association between alexithymia and problematic online gambling, partially mediated by dissociation, with the moderation of cohesive family functioning. Such data may have relevant clinical implications, highlighting the interaction of some core personal and environmental variables that may be involved in the etiology of online pathological gambling and could be kept in mind to tailor preventive interventions.

Co-Developmental Trajectories of Specific Anxiety Symptoms from Middle Childhood to Early Adolescence: Associations with Psychological Well-Being and Academic Achievement

Different types of specific anxiety symptoms commonly co-occur but also display distinct developmental trajectories over time in children and adolescents. Nevertheless, little is known about the co-developmental trajectories of specific anxiety symptoms among youth during the transition into adolescence and how identified trajectories are associated with important psychological and academic outcomes. This study thus aimed to determine the (a) heterogeneous co-developmental trajectories of five specific anxiety symptoms (generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, social anxiety, school anxiety, and panic disorder) from middle childhood to early adolescence, and (b) associations between the identified, distinct trajectories and youth's psychological well-being and academic achievement. A total of 715 Chinese elementary school students (45.6% girls, M_age = 8.96, SD = 0.76) completed measures on six occasions across three years, using 6-month intervals. Parallel process latent class growth modeling revealed five distinct anxiety trajectory groups: "congruent-low" (49.8%), "moderately low with predominant social anxiety" (18.5%), "moderately low with predominant school anxiety" (12.6%), "moderately high with predominant generalized and social anxiety" (8.6%), and "congruent-high" (10.5%). The lowest psychological well-being and academic achievement were observed for youth who persistently experienced the co-occurrence of two or more specific anxiety symptoms, followed by those who persistently experienced one predominant anxiety symptom, and finally, youth who persistently experienced low levels of all five specific anxiety symptoms. The identification of five heterogeneous groups with differential outcomes highlights the importance of individual differences considerations in understanding the co-developmental patterns of specific anxiety symptoms from middle childhood to early adolescence and the need for more sophisticated intervention programs tailored to members of specific groups to promote optimal psychological well-being and academic success.

Social Media and Depression Symptoms: a Meta-Analysis

Social Networking Sites (SNS) have close to 3 billion users worldwide. Recently, however, SNS have come under media scrutiny for their potential association with depression. Two previous meta-analyses failed to find evidence for a robust concurrent association between SNS use and depression symptoms. However, these analyses focused primarily on the time spent using SNS. The current meta-analysis is the first to consider the multi-dimensional nature of SNS use, and examines separately the quantitative associations of depression symptoms to SNS use in three types of SNS studies examining three distinct constructs of SNS use: time spent using SNS, intensity of SNS use, and problematic SNS use. Sixty-two studies (N = 451, 229) met inclusion criteria. Depression symptoms were significantly, but weakly, associated with time spent using SNS (r = 0.11) and intensity of SNS use (r = 0.09). However, the association of depression symptoms to problematic SNS use was moderate (r = 0.29), was significantly higher than for time spent using SNS (Q_between = 35.85, p < 0.001) or intensity of SNS use (Q_between = 13.95, p < 0.001), and was not significantly moderated by age, gender, year of study publication, or mode of recruitment. These results suggest that future research examining causal models of the relation of SNS use and depression, as well as research on intervention and prevention, should focus in more detail on individuals who are engaging in a pattern of problematic SNS use.

Perspective of Internet Poker Players on Harm-Reduction Strategies: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Internet gambling may increase rates of gambling harm. This current study aimed to assess Internet poker players’ views on various harm-reduction (HR) strategies. It also examined differences in these views according to the games played (poker only vs. poker plus other gambling activities), indebtedness, and problem gambling severity. Methods: Internet poker players (n = 311; 94.2% Male) recruited online between 2012 and 2014 were included in the analyses and completed a survey on indebtedness, problem gambling severity index, and ten statements regarding HR features. Results: Among the whole sample, the most frequently endorsed HR strategy was setting money limits, specialized online help, and peer support forums. People who play poker only (70%) are less prone to endorse the utility of information on excessive gambling and specialized healthcare centers. No differences were found between those people with debt versus those without regarding HR assessment. Participants with severe problem gambling were more skeptical about HR strategies based on information on specialized healthcare centers. Conclusion: Setting money limits, online help, and peer support forums are the most commonly endorsed strategies. Future research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of online harm reduction strategies.

Stressful life events and gambling: The roles of coping and impulsivity among college students

Substantial research has found a robust relationship between stressful life events and increased negative health outcomes and a greater predisposition to various forms of substance use and gambling behavior; however, less is known about the individual factors that explain this relationship. The present study examines the moderating factors of gambling to cope and individual impulsivity factors (e.g., perseverance, premeditation, and negative urgency) on the relationship between stressful life events over the past year and gambling problems among a sample of college students. Participants included 653 total students (48.57% female; M = 26.31 years old; SD = 8.35 years) enrolled in universities across the United States who scored three or higher on the South Oaks Gambling Screen, an indicator of risk for problematic gambling. We found a positive relationship between stressful life events and gambling problems. Gambling to cope moderated the link between stressful life events and gambling problems such that for those higher in gambling to cope, stressful life events had little impact on gambling problems while those at lower to moderate levels of gambling to cope saw a positive relationship between stressful life events and gambling problems. Moreover, we found two significant three-way interactions between stressful life events, gambling to cope, and impulsivity factors of perseverance and premeditation in predicting problems. These findings suggest that prevention and/or treatment strategies should consider how gambling to cope and impulsivity factors in conjunction with an individual's report of stressful life events relate to problematic gambling and associated consequences.

Conduct problems and depressive symptoms in association with problem gambling and gaming: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Behavioral addictions such as gambling and gaming disorder are significant public health issues that are of increasing importance to policy makers and health care providers. Problem gambling and gaming behaviors have been identified as being associated with externalizing and internalizing problems, with theoretical models suggesting that both conduct problems and depressive symptoms may be significant risk factors in the development of problem gambling and gaming. As such, the purpose of this systematic review is to provide an overview of research identifying the relationship between conduct problems, depressive symptoms and problem gambling and gaming among adolescents and young adults.

METHODS

Systematic literature searches in accordance with PRISMA guidelines found 71 eligible studies that met the inclusion criteria, 47 for problem gambling, 23 for problem gaming and one for both problem behaviors.

RESULTS

Based on cross-sectional evidence, both problem gambling and gaming are consistently concurrently associated with conduct problems and depressive symptoms. Longitudinal evidence appears to be clearer for conduct problems as a risk factor for problem gambling, and depressive symptoms as a risk factor for problem gaming. However, both risk factors appear to increase the risk for these problem behaviors.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Results from the literature review suggest that problem gambling and gaming are associated with the presence of conduct problems and depressive symptoms, with the potential of sharing common etiological factors. Additional research is necessary to confirm these longitudinal relationships with an emphasis on investigating the interaction of both early conduct problems and depressive symptoms.

Vulnerable narcissism and addiction: The mediating role of shame

Problem drinking and gambling are addictive behaviours experienced by young adults and commonly occur with narcissism. Research has acknowledged two distinct forms of narcissism: grandiose and vulnerable. There has been work that has examined the relationship between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and addictive behaviours, but it has been limited, particularly with vulnerable narcissism. Evidence suggests vulnerable narcissism, but not grandiose narcissism, is associated with greater negative affect. Accordingly, shame, a potent social emotion could be a mediator in the narcissism-addiction pathway. Shame has been implicated in both vulnerable narcissism and problem drinking and gambling. Thus, we hypothesized that shame would mediate the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and addictive behaviours. Young adults (N = 210) completed self-report baseline (Time 1) and 1-month follow-up (Time 2) assessments of shame, narcissism, problem drinking, and gambling. As predicted, those with elevated vulnerable narcissism at Time 1 had increased shame at Time 2, which predicted problem drinking and gambling at Time 2. This relationship was not observed for grandiose narcissism. Overall, our results suggest that feelings of shame are essential to understanding the vulnerable narcissism-addiction pathway, and an important consideration when designing clinical interventions for at-risk young adults.