Does Gambling Identity Predict Unique Variance in Negative Gambling-Related Outcomes: An Examination of Direct and Interactive Associations

Related metacognitions, desire thinking and identity differentially predict compulsion and withdrawal symptoms in problematic Instagram use

Work has identified that metacognitive thought results in desire-based thinking and perpetuates the magnitude and severity of maladaptive behaviour including problematic social media use, and also that one's ingroup identity is related to increasing problematic behaviour. No evidence has ascertained the relative contribution of these as related differential factors in the experience of problematic social media use. The current study explored the comparative importance of components of desire thinking, positive and negative metacognitions and dimensions of ingroup identity on degree of problematic use among 147 current Instagram users. Results showed that for predicting general problematic Instagram use negative metacognitive beliefs and the verbal perseverance component of desire-based thinking were significant. Importantly, however, different factors appeared to be important for predicting distinct aspects of problematic Instagram. For compulsivity indicators, negative metacognitions and verbal perseveration were essential, whereas for the withdrawal component identity centrality (and no other dimensions of identity) and imaginal prefiguration emerge as the sole independent predictors.

Components of identity expression in problem and non-problem gamblers

Few studies have examined whether specific aspects of group identification predict problematic and non-problematic addictive behaviours and none have focused on gambling. Applying Leach et al.'s (2008) hierarchical model of in-group identification, we tested the associations between components of self-investment (satisfaction, solidarity, and centrality) and components of self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) on distinguishing between problem and non-problem gambling (n = 10,157) and on the severity of problematic gambling behaviour (n = 2,568). Results showed that (i) in-group-based identities are important in predicting problematic vs. non-problematic gambling behaviours; (ii) in-group-based identities are important in predicting the severity of problematic gambling; (iii) how self-invested an individual is with their in-group and aspects associated with self-definition processes are both important predictors; (iv) perceptions related to how chronically salient one's group membership is for the self (centrality) are essential features of the self-investment mechanism; and (v) self-stereotypical beliefs about one's essential similarities to the prototypical gambling group member norm are fundamental for the defining oneself as a gambler.

Individual differences in selective attentional bias for healthy and unhealthy food-related stimuli and social identity as a vegan/vegetarian dissociate "healthy" and "unhealthy" orthorexia nervosa

Previous work identified the operation of an attentional bias (AB) towards healthy food related stimuli among those with increasing tendencies towards orthorexia nervosa (ON) using a modified Stroop task. The current work aimed to replicate and extend our understanding of this effect by incorporating alternative measures of AB (i.e., the dot probe task) and ON (i.e., the Teruel Orthorexia Scale [ToS]) in a sample of self-defined vegans/vegetarians. The theoretical assertion of the ToS is the conceptual broadening of orthorexia with differentiable dimensions - one characterised as a "healthy" preoccupation with healthy food/eating patterns (HeOr) and the other by a more underlying pathology (OrNe). This study also aimed to examine the pattern of responding across these two dimensions according to factors known to predict ON. Eighty-six participants (mean age = 33.0 years; 20 males, 66 females) completed measures of obsessive compulsivity, perfectionism, state/trait anxiety and ToS as well as a dot probe designed to measure AB for healthy and unhealthy-related food stimuli, threat ratings of each of words utilised and perceived identity centrality as a vegan/vegetarianism. Results showed a dissociation of predicted determinants for "healthy" ON (HeOr) and pathological ON (OrNe). HeOr was predicted by increasing identity centrality whereas OrNe was predicted by increased OCD and perfectionism, and increased interference for healthy-related food words (in particular slowed disengagement) and not unhealthy related food words. Threat-related ratings of unhealthy food words was shown to be common across both dimensions. This pattern highlights cognitive and individual differences-based correlates of pathological and non-pathological ON.

Alcohol and marijuana protective behavioral strategies mediate the relationship between substance use identity and use-related outcomes: A multi-sample examination

Substance use identity has been consistently associated with problematic substance use. Limited attention has considered mechanisms of this association. This research examined whether greater identification as a drinker or marijuana user would be associated with the use of fewer alcohol/marijuana protective behavioral strategies (PBS; e.g., avoiding drinking games/avoiding using marijuana in public places). Further, PBS have been associated with lower levels of negative alcohol/marijuana-related outcomes (i.e., frequency, quantity, consequences). In the current multi-sample study, PBS were examined as a mediator of the relationship between drinking/marijuana identity and alcohol/marijuana-related outcomes across three studies. Study 1 was an intervention study with heavy drinking college students (N = 605), Study 2 was a multisite study of marijuana outcomes among college students (N = 2,077), and Study 3 was a study of substance use in a community sample (n = 369_alcohol; n = 146_marijuana). Cross-sectional and/or longitudinal data were collected across studies. Substance use identity, PBS, and use-related outcomes were measured across the three studies. Indirect effects were evaluated by Monte Carlo confidence intervals. Manner of Drinking PBS were found to be the only statistically significant mediator of the relationship between drinking identity and alcohol-related outcomes (i.e., quantity and consequences) cross-sectionally. These significant cross-sectional mediation effects for alcohol were replicated in one of three longitudinal models. Marijuana PBS were also found to mediate the relationship between marijuana identity and all marijuana-related outcomes examined in the current study. Study findings may help to inform the development of identity-based and PBS-based interventions that aim to reduce negative alcohol/marijuana-related outcomes.