The adaptive decision-making, risky decision, and decision-making style of Internet gaming disorder

Ostracism and Sense of Coherence: The Mediating Role of Social Media Addiction in Adolescents

Social belonging is of vital importance for adolescents. However, ostracism in the digital age may negatively affect adolescents' sense of coherence through social media addiction. The main objective of the current study was to investigate the associations between ostracism and sense of coherence and to conduct mediation analysis including social media addiction. The sample consisted of 425 Turkish adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years (Mage= 15.53, SD = 1.26). Data were collected through the Ostracism Experience Scale for Adolescents, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and the Sense of Coherence Scale-Revised. The results showed that ostracism increased social media addiction, which in turn negatively affected adolescent's sense of coherence. Besides, an indirect role of social media addiction was found between ostracism and sense of coherence. Overall, these results suggest that ostracism is a risk factor for sense of coherence and that social media addiction increases this risk. Elucidating the indirect role of social media addiction between ostracism and sense of coherence is believed to shed light on the requirement for policies and intervention programmes to address ostracism and social media addiction to maintain adolescents'mental health.

The impact of anger on intertemporal decision-making in individuals with internet addiction: an fNIRS study

Intertemporal decision-making is the choice between an immediate smaller reward (SS) and a delayed larger reward (LL). Intertemporal decision-making depends on the interaction of the cognitive and emotional systems, and the latter is particularly vital. According to the Appraisal Tendency Frame (ATF) theory, anger influences intertemporal decision-making by increasing an individual's sense of certainty and control. This study examined whether anger affects intertemporal decision-making in individuals with internet addiction (IA) in this manner and investigated its neural mechanisms. Nineteen individuals with IA and 20 healthy controls were recruited. All subjects performed the Monetary choice task under anger and neutral emotions while functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment simultaneously recorded the hemodynamics in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Individuals with IA showed a more considerable delay discount and lower brain activations in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-dlPFC) compared to HC. Moreover, individuals with IA made more LL choices in the angry condition than in the neutral emotion, yet there was no difference in HC. The brain activation in L-dlPFC of individuals with IA tends to increase in the angry condition compared to the neutral condition. These findings revealed that impairment of intertemporal decision-making in individuals with individuals with IA might be related to the dysfunction of OFC and L-dlPFC. Our work also provided initial footing for the applicability of the appraisal tendency frame theory to individuals with IA, and L-dlPFC might play a role in the effects of anger on intertemporal decision-making.

Concurrent behavioral modeling and multimodal neuroimaging reveals how feedback affects the performance of decision making in internet gaming disorder

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) prompts inquiry into how feedback from prior gaming rounds influences subsequent risk-taking behavior and potential neural mechanisms. Forty-two participants, including 15 with IGD and 27 health controls (HCs), underwent a sequential risk-taking task. Hierarchy Bayesian modeling was adopted to measure risky propensity, behavioral consistence, and affection by emotion ratings from last trial. Concurrent electroencephalogram and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (EEG-fNIRS) recordings were performed to demonstrate when, where and how the previous-round feedback affects the decision making to the next round. We discovered that the IGD illustrated heightened risk-taking propensity as compared to the HCs, indicating by the computational modeling (p = 0.028). EEG results also showed significant time window differences in univariate and multivariate pattern analysis between the IGD and HCs after the loss of the game. Further, reduced brain activation in the prefrontal cortex during the task was detected in IGD as compared to that of the control group. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the aberrant decision-making processes in IGD and suggest potential implications for future interventions and treatments aimed at addressing this behavioral addiction.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between heavy smoking and probability discounting

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Probability discounting (PD), which refers to the process of adjusting the value of future probabilities when making decisions, is a method of measuring impulsive decision-making; however, the relationship between PD and nicotine remains unclear. The current study aimed at investigating the significance of PD in individuals who smoke.

METHODS

According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases for articles comparing individuals who smoke and their tobacco-naïve controls using PD task as outcome measure from inception to May 2023. The main outcome was an overall difference in PD function, while subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to examine the analysis methods and the moderators of PD.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies in total involving 384 individuals who smoke and 493 controls (mean age = 24.32 years, range = 15.1-38.05 years) were analyzed. The effect of smoking on PD was significant (g = 0.51, p = .02). The discounting parameter from the equation, compared to the area under the curve, was more sensitive to estimating PD function (p = .01). Regression analysis showed positive correlations of PD with female percentage, age, and the number of probability options (all p < .04), but not with the number of choices at each probability and maximum reward magnitude (all p > .07). There was no significant publication bias across the eligible studies (p = .09).

CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

Our findings, which are the first to demonstrate a smaller PD (i.e., prone to risk-taking) in individuals who smoke, shed light on the appropriate analysis method, gender effect, age, and probability options on the PD function.

Navigating Exploitative Traps: Unveiling the Uncontrollable Reward Seeking of Individuals With Internet Gaming Disorder

BACKGROUND

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) involves an imbalance in the brain's dual system, characterized by heightened reward seeking and diminished cognitive control, which lead to decision-making challenges. The exploration-exploitation strategy is key to decision making, but how IGD affects this process is unclear.

METHODS

To investigate the impact of IGD on decision making, a modified version of the 2-armed bandit task was employed. Participants included 41 individuals with IGD and 44 healthy control individuals. The study assessed the strategies used by participants in the task, particularly focusing on the exploitation-exploration strategy. Additionally, functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine brain activation patterns during decision-making and estimation phases.

RESULTS

The study found that individuals with IGD demonstrated greater reliance on exploitative strategies in decision making due to their elevated value-seeking tendencies and decreased cognitive control. Individuals with IGD also displayed heightened activation in the presupplementary motor area and the ventral striatum compared with the healthy control group in both decision-making and estimation phases. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex showed more inhibition in individuals with IGD than in the healthy control group during exploitative strategies. This inhibition decreased as cognitive control diminished.

CONCLUSIONS

The imbalance in the development of the dual system in individuals with IGD may lead to an overreliance on exploitative strategies. This imbalance, marked by increased reward seeking and reduced cognitive control, contributes to difficulties in decision making and value-related behavioral processes in individuals with IGD.

Association of internet gaming disorder with impulsivity: role of risk preferences

BACKGROUND

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a formal mental disorder leading to personal and social impairment. Although it shares similar physical and psychosocial effects to substance use disorder, the psychological mechanisms underlying IGD remain unclear, although several researches have made significant contributions to its understanding. This study aims to elucidate the correlation between IGD, impulsive personality and risk preference of medical college students in China, from a questionnaire-based investigation.

METHODS

Based on the cluster random sampling method, a questionnaire survey was conducted among medical college students in Northern Anhui, China from September 3 to October 27, 2020. The questionnaires included the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGD-20), Chinese revised of Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), and risk appetite index (RPI). Perform independent sample t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, and moderating effect analysis using SPSS 23.0. P < 0. 05 is considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

624 participants completed the survey, including 257 males (41.19%) and 367 females (58.81%). All participants were between 18 and 24 years. We found that in IGD and its six different dimensions and RPI, males scored significantly higher than females. Additionally, our finding revealed there is statistical significance in IGD and impulsiveness between gaming group with game time greater than or equal to 4 h and non-gaming group. The IGD and its six different dimensions, among which all except for mood modification are positively correlated with impulsiveness and RPI. Mediating effects indicate that RPI plays a partial mediating role between motor impulsiveness and IGD.

CONCLUSION

The findings shows that there is a certain relationship between impulsivity and RPI, as well as IGD and its dimensions. RPI may be a mediator between impulsivity and IGD, and men have higher IGD. The findings supported the compensatory hypothesis. These findings may contribute to further research and development of intervention and prevention measures for IGD.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of risky decision-making in specific domains of problematic use of the internet: Evidence across different decision-making tasks

This systematic review summarizes empirical evidence on risky decision-making (objective risk and ambiguity) in specific domains of problematic use of the internet (PUI) focusing on online addictive behaviors. We conducted a pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42020188452) PubMed search for PUI domains: gaming, social-network use, online buying-shopping, online pornography use, and unspecified PUI. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for quality assessment. Relevant studies were identified only for gaming (n = 19), social-network use (n = 8), unspecified PUI (n = 7), and online gambling (n = 1). The meta-analyses included 25 studies (2498 participants) comparing PUI and control groups regarding decision-making performance under objective risk and ambiguity. Across PUI domains, individuals with PUI compared to control participants showed more disadvantageous decision-making in measures of objective risk (g = -0.42 [-0.69, -0.16], p = .002) but not ambiguity (g = -0.22 [-0.47, -0.04], p = .096). PUI domain and gender were significant moderators. In the risk domain, effects were particularly present in gaming disorder, especially in exclusively male samples. Overall, the paucity of empirical studies in the considered area necessitates further research to identify probable gender- and disorder-specific cognitive relationships.

Intertemporal Decision-making and Risk Decision-making Among Habitual Nappers Under Nap Sleep Restriction: A Study from ERP and Time-frequency

Sleep restriction affects people's decision-making behavior. Nap restriction is a vital subtopic within sleep restriction research. In this study, we used EEG to investigate the impact of nap sleep restriction on intertemporal decision-making (Study 1) and decision-making across risky outcomes (Study 2) from ERP and time-frequency perspectives. Study 1 found that habitual nappers restricting their naps felt more inclined to choose immediate, small rewards over delayed, large rewards in an intertemporal decision-making task. P200s, P300s, and LPP in our nap-restriction group were significantly higher than those in the normal nap group. Time-frequency results showed that the delta band (1 ~ 4 Hz) power of the restricted nap group was significantly higher than that of the normal nap group. In Study 2, the nap-restriction group was more likely to choose risky options. P200s, N2s, and P300s in the nap deprivation group were significantly higher than in the normal nap group. Time-frequency results also found that the beta band (11 ~ 15 Hz) power of the restricted nap group was significantly lower than that of the normal nap group. The habitual nappers became more impulsive after nap restriction and evinced altered perceptions of time. The time cost of the LL (larger-later) option was perceived to be too high when making intertemporal decisions, and their expectation of reward heightened when making risky decisions-believing that they had a higher probability of receiving a reward. This study provided electrophysiological evidence for the dynamic processing of intertemporal decision-making, risky decision-making, and the characteristics of nerve concussions for habitual nappers.

Reward-related decision-making deficits in internet gaming disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

To estimate the aggregated effect sizes of reward-related decision-making deficits in internet gaming disorder (IGD) and to explore potential moderators on the variability of effect sizes across studies.

DESIGN

Review of peer-reviewed studies comparing reward-related decision-making performance between IGD and control participants identified via PubMed, Web of Science and ProQuest databases. Random-effects modeling was conducted using Hedge's g as the effect size (ES). The effects of decision-making situation, valence, sample type, testing environment, IGD severity and self-reported impulsivity on decision-making differences were examined by moderator analyses.

SETTING

No restrictions on location.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-four studies (20 independent samples) were included in the meta-analysis, resulting in 604 IGD and 641 control participants and 35 ESs.

MEASURES

Reward-related decision-making differences between IGD and control groups.

FINDINGS

The overall ES for decision-making deficits in IGD was small (g = -0.45, P < 0.01). The effects were comparable across risky, ambiguous and inter-temporal decision-making. Larger aggregate ESs were identified for pure-gain and mixed compared with pure-loss decision-making. Studies based on clinical and community samples showed similar effects. No significant difference between behavioral studies and those with extra measurements was observed. Decision-making alterations were not closely associated with IGD severity or self-reported impulsivity differences at the study level.

CONCLUSIONS

Internet gaming disorder appears to be consistently associated with reward-related decision-making deficits.

Association of Internet gaming disorder with catechol-O-methyltransferase: Role of impulsivity and fun-seeking

Dopamine functioning is an essential mechanism underlying addictive behaviors. This paper evaluates the association of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) with the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) val158met polymorphism and examines the roles of impulsivity and reinforcement sensitivity in this association. Using diagnostic interviews, this study recruited 69 participants with IGD and 138 participants without. All participants underwent diagnostic interviews for IGD and an evaluation for the COMT val158met polymorphism, impulsivity, and reinforcement sensitivity. Among participants with the Val/Val genotype, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for IGD was 2.09 (1.15-3.80). The IGD-Val/Val genotype association was mediated by impulsivity and fun-seeking. The Val/Val genotype is indicative of low frontal functioning and is a predictive factor of IGD, with this effect being confounded by impulsivity and fun-seeking. Interventions targeting impulsivity and fun-seeking might attenuate the risk of IGD, particularly among individuals with the Val/Val genotype. Additional studies are necessary to elucidate the possible role of dopamine functioning.

The Mediating Role of Impulsivity and the Moderating Role of Gender Between Fear of Missing Out and Gaming Disorder Among a Sample of Chinese University Students

The role of fear of missing out (FoMO) in addictive behaviors has recently attracted growing attention. In view of negative effects of gaming disorder (GD) among adolescents and emerging adults, research examining the relationship between FoMO and GD is needed, alongside the roles of impulsivity and gender in the relationship between FoMO and GD. This study examined whether impulsivity as a mediator and gender as a moderator impacted on the relationship between FoMO and GD among a sample of Chinese university students. A sample of 1,288 Chinese university students from three universities completed an online survey through the Wenjuanxing platform. The Chinese Trait-State Fear of Missing Out Scale, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Brief, and the Chinese Gaming Disorder Scale were used in this study. The model results indicated that impulsivity partially mediated the relationship between FoMO and GD, and that there was a larger effect size between impulsivity and GD among males. High levels of FoMO among individuals may impact on executive functions leading to more impulsivity, and are associated with GD. Gender may moderate the relationship between impulsivity and GD. This study deepens the understanding of the relationship between FoMO and GD, and provides new perspectives for practitioners to incorporate into health prevention programs to help regulate emotion, control impulsivity, and decrease GD.

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Gaming Disorder among Chinese University Students: Impulsivity and Game Time as Mediators

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Research into the fear of missing out (FoMO) has greatly increased in recent years. Given the negative consequences of gaming disorder (GD) among a small minority of individuals, there is an increasing need for research examining the impact of FoMO on GD. However, little is known about the roles of impulsivity and gaming time as mediators in the relationship between FoMO and GD. The present study examined whether impulsivity and gaming time mediated the relationship between FoMO (trait-FoMO and state-FoMO) and GD among Chinese university students, as well as the prevalence of GD.

METHODS

A total of 1127 university students completed an online survey including the Chinese Trait-State Fear of Missing Out Scale (T-SFoMOS-C), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Brief (BIS-Brief), gaming time survey, and the Chinese Gaming Disorder Scale (CGDS).

RESULTS

The prevalence of GD was 6.4% among Chinese university students. Trait-FoMO was found to indirectly impact GD via impulsivity and gamine time, whereas the direct effect of trait-FoMO on GD and the mediation effects of gaming time were not confirmed. State-FoMO impacted on GD both directly, and indirectly via the mediation effects of impulsivity as well as impulsivity and gaming time.

CONCLUSION

Trait-FoMO on GD was fully mediated via impulsivity and gaming time, whereas state-FoMO on GD was partly mediated via impulsivity and gaming time. Individuals with high levels of FoMO were more likely to show impulsivity and spend a longer time gaming, and these factors were associated with GD. These findings provide insights to incorporate into health prevention programs to help regulate emotion, control impulsivity, and decrease GD.

Identifying individuals in need of help for their uncontrolled gaming: A narrative review of concerns and comments regarding gaming disorder diagnostic criteria

OBJECTIVE

In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) included the diagnostic criteria of Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Then, in 2019, the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) categorized gaming disorder (GD) as an addictive disorder. This review aimed to review the raised concerns, debate, and research of IGD or GD criteria and provide suggestions to resolve them.

METHODS

A narrative review was conducted, and PubMed was searched for articles mentioning concerns and research on the DSM-5 criteria for IGD, ICD-11 criteria for GD, or criteria for other synonyms, such as problematic gaming or gaming addiction. A total of 107 articles were identified.

RESULTS

Concerns were organized into three categories: conceptual framework, moral panic, and diagnostic validity. Most argumentations supported the proposition that GD and other substance use disorders have similar presentations. A clear definition of GD and adequate public education could prevent rather than exacerbate moral panic. Several researchers reported concerns regarding the nosology, diagnostic validity, and wording of each criterion. However, the threshold, five of the nine criteria with impaired function, demonstrated adequate validity in interview studies.

CONCLUSION

The current findings support the addiction framework, functional impairment, and validity of the GD criteria. However, further prospective, experimental, and clinical studies validating these findings are warranted. Moreover, an integrative review or debate conference could contribute to the organization of the available results and concept development. Aggregating adequate scientific information could allay or resolve concerns related to the diagnosis of GD.

Clarifying terminologies in research on gaming disorder and other addictive behaviors: distinctions between core symptoms and underlying psychological processes

There exists ongoing debate regarding the clinical validity of single symptoms of and diagnostic criteria for gaming disorder. In particular, the potential symptom of gaming disorder that addresses coping with and escaping from negative feelings has received much attention and remains a focus of intensive discussion. We argue that it is important to consider differences or distinguish between, on the one hand, symptoms of and criteria for a disorder due to addictive behaviors, such as gaming disorder, versus, on the other hand, motivations, mechanisms, and psychological processes that may be involved in promoting addictive behaviors and that may explain symptom severity and course of the addictive disorder including potential treatment responses.

Is monetary reward processing altered in drug-naïve youth with a behavioral addiction? Findings from internet gaming disorder

Current models of addiction biology highlight altered neural responses to non-drug rewards as a central feature of addiction. However, given that drugs of abuse can directly impact reward-related dopamine circuitry, it is difficult to determine the extent to which reward processing alterations are a trait feature of individuals with addictions, or primarily a consequence of exogenous drug exposure. Examining individuals with behavioral addictions is one promising approach for disentangling neural features of addiction from the direct effects of substance exposure. The current fMRI study compared neural responses during monetary reward processing between drug naïve young adults with a behavioral addiction, internet gaming disorder (IGD; n = 22), and healthy controls (n = 27) using a monetary incentive delay task. Relative to controls, individuals with IGD exhibited blunted caudate activity associated with loss magnitude at the outcome stage, but did not differ from controls in neural activity at other stages. These findings suggest that decreased loss sensitivity might be a critical feature of IGD, whereas alterations in gain processing may be less characteristic of individuals with IGD, relative to those with substance use disorders. Therefore, classic theories of altered reward processing in substance use disorders should be translated to behavioral addictions with caution.

Maladaptive player-game relationships in problematic gaming and gaming disorder: A systematic review

While certain player vulnerabilities are known to increase risk of gaming disorder (GD), the topic of maladaptive player × game relationships in GD has received limited attention. This review aimed to: (1) identify game types associated with GD symptomatology; and (2) evaluate individual differences (e.g., age, personality, depression) in the relationship between gaming and GD symptomatology. A systematic review of six databases identified 23 studies of the relations between game types and GD, including 13 studies employing multivariate analyses. Player vulnerabilities implicated in GD included impulsivity, risk-taking, psychopathological symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety), and stronger gaming motivations (e.g., escapism, achievement). MMORPG involvement had the strongest positive association with GD. Problematic MMORPG players tend to have a socially anxious profile and may be attracted to the work-like roles and conventions of this genre. Problematic players of shooters tend to score higher on measures of sensation-seeking and impulsivity than other players. These findings suggest that GD may develop more readily and at more severe levels in complex, endless, socially driven games, irrespective of person-level characteristics. Some player vulnerabilities may selectively increase risk of GD for certain game types. Further research should investigate different player-game interactions to refine current models and interventions for GD.

The Mediating Effects of Affect on Associations between Impulsivity or Resilience and Internet Gaming Disorder

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a new disease proposed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5), and has been studied extensively in relation to depression and impulsivity. The relationship between resilience and disease has been found in a variety of addictive disorders, but studies on IGD are lacking. In this study, 71 IGD patients and 78 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Impulsivity, resilience, affects, and the degree of internet game addiction were measured using formal tools. The measured values were analyzed by mediation analysis to evaluate the mediating role of affects on resilience and impulsivity related to IGD symptoms. The IGD group showed higher impulsivity, lower resilience, lower positive affect, and higher negative affect than the HC group. The mediation analysis showed that a positive affect was a mediator between impulsivity and the severity of addiction in both groups. Negative affect mediated impulsivity/resilience and the severity of addiction only in the IGD group. Although the results of this study are based on a narrow category of subjects, who are young male adults around 25 years of age, the results suggest that positive affect can be strengthened to prevent the IGD illness, and that illness symptoms may be alleviated by reducing negative affect.

The association between problematic online gaming and perceived stress: The moderating effect of psychological resilience

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Vulnerability to stress appears to be a potential predisposing factor for developing specific internet-use disorders, such as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). Studies investigating the protective effect of psychological resilience against the impact of perceived stress on IGD and weekly gameplay have yet to be reported in the existing literature. The aim of this study was to examine the potential moderating relationships between perceived stress and online gaming (more specifically operationalized as IGD and weekly gameplay) with psychological resilience.

METHODS

An online survey was administered to 605 participants (males = 82%, M_age = 24.01 years, SD_age = 6.11). A multivariate multiple regression model was applied to test for the possible contribution of perceived stress and psychological resilience to weekly gameplay and IGD.

RESULTS

Perceived stress was associated with higher scores of IGD, whereas psychological resilience was related to lower scores of IGD. In addition, the combination of having higher perceived stress and lower level of psychological resilience was associated with a particularly high hours of gameplay per week.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

These findings further support the importance of personal traits (perceived stress and psychological resilience) in online gaming (IGD severity and weekly gameplay), and also emphasize the unique moderating relationship between perceived stress and weekly gameplay with lack of resilience. Enhancing psychological resilience to decrease the likelihood of online gamers who experience higher level of stress from spending more hours per week gaming is recommended.