The predictive role of working memory and impulsivity in internet addiction, an investigation about the mediating role of time perception

Alcohol use disorder and time perception: The mediating role of attention and working memory

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been associated with attentional deficits and impairments of working memory. Meanwhile, attention and working memory are critical for time perception. However, it remains unclear how time perception alters in AUD patients and how attention and working memory affect their time perception. The current study aims to clarify the time perception characteristics of AUD patients and the cognitive mechanisms underlying their time perception dysfunction. Thirty-one patients (three of them were excluded) with AUD and thirty-one matched controls completed the Time Bisection Task, Attention Network Test and Digital Span Backward Test to assess their abilities in time perception, attention network and working memory, respectively. The results showed that, after controlling for anxiety, depression, and impulsivity, AUD patients had a lower proportion of 'long' responses at intervals of 600, 750, 900, 1050 and 1200 ms. Furthermore, they displayed higher subjective equivalence points and higher Weber ratios compared to controls. Moreover, AUD patients showed impaired alerting and executive control networks as well as reduced working memory resources. Only working memory resources mediated the impact of AUD on time perception. In conclusion, our findings suggested that the duration underestimation in AUD patients is predominantly caused by working memory deficits.

Psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender of the Compulsive Online Shopping Scale (COSS) among Iranians

The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Compulsive Online Shopping Scale (COSS) in an Iranian population. The total sample of 802 participants (257 females; Mean age = 22.27, SD = 2.83) were selected via convenience sampling from Tehran, Iran. Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the 7-factor structure of the COSS as proposed in the original study. The measurement invariance found in this study suggests that the COSS provides sufficiently unbiased use among males and females. The current findings also support the concurrent validity of the Persian COSS, which exhibited positive and significant associations with loneliness, impulsivity, obsession, internalized symptoms, and Internet use. Furthermore, results confirm the convergent validity of the Persian COSS and showcased acceptable internal consistency for all factors, and the total score. The findings of the present study indicate that compulsive online shopping could be assessed adequately in Iranian samples using the COSS.

The Role of BDNF and NPY Levels, Effects of Behavioral Systems and Emotion Regulation on Internet Addiction in Adolescents

Internet addiction (IA), one of the behavioral addictions, is also related to impulsivity. Although studies on its etiology and risks continue, the number of studies is limited. In this study, we aimed to assess the roles of behavioral systems, emotional regulation (ER), and impulsivity in the development of IA in adolescents and also to assess the relationship between all these clinical parameters and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Forty-two adolescents with IA and 30 healthy controls (ages 12 -17) were included in the study. Self-reported measures included the Internet Addiction Scale. (IAS), Behavioral Activation and Behavioral Inhibition Scale (BAS/BIS), Barratt. Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (DERS-16) were used for the assessment of the participants. The levels of plasma brain BDNF and NPY were evaluated with the ELISA method. BAS/BIS subscale scores, BIS-11, and DERS-16 scale total scores were found to be statistically significantly higher, while BDNF and NPY levels were found to be lower in adolescents with IA compared to the healthy controls. IA severity was not found to correlate with both BDNF and NPY. IA was found to be more related to BIS than to BAS. There is a need for further studies evaluating developmental features and possible diagnostic biomarkers that may be associated with IA in adolescents.

Potential risk and protective factors related to problematic social media use among adolescents in Iran: A latent profile analysis

This study aimed to assess Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) among Iranian adolescents and explore potential risk and protective factors. In the present cross-sectional study, 3375 Iranian adolescents were recruited online and completed questionnaires. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed to identify groups with various levels of PSMU. Indicator variables included standardized factor scores for PSMU, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sensation-seeking, internet addiction, loneliness, social anxiety, internalizing symptoms, social support and self-esteem. Five groups were identified relating to severities of PSMU and other factors: low-risk: n = 823 (24.4 %); low-to-moderate-risk: n = 835 (24.7 %); moderate-risk: n = 630 (18.7 %); moderate-to-high-risk: n = 584 (17.3 %); high-risk: n = 503 (14.9 %). Multiple factors, including sensation-seeking, internalizing symptoms, social anxiety, loneliness, internet addiction, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, low self-esteem and low perceived social support, statistically predicted PSMU. The current findings may help identify Iranian adolescents who are particularly vulnerable to PSMU and assist in intervention development.

Slow-Wave EEG Activity Correlates with Impaired Inhibitory Control in Internet Addiction Disorder

Impaired inhibitory control is a core feature of internet addiction disorder (IAD). It is therefore of interest to determine the neurophysiological markers associated with it. The present study aimed to find such biomarkers with a resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG). We specifically used scores on the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale revised edition (CIAS-R) to divide 46 participants into two groups: the IAD group (>53, n = 23) and control group (<46, n = 23). Both behavioral aspects (Go/NoGo responses and impulsivity) and EEG were measured in the lab. The results suggest that the IAD group presented a decreased slow-wave (1−8 Hz) absolute power across the whole brain. The slow-wave activities in the frontal areas were also correlated with the commission error rate in the Go/NoGo task in the IAD group. These results imply that the frontal slow-wave EEG activity may serve as a neurophysiological marker of IAD, helping to understand the underlying neural mechanisms of inhibitory control deficits in IAD and point to possible interventions.

Internet addiction in young adults: The role of impulsivity and codependency

Excessive Internet use has demonstrated comorbidity with other psychological symptoms and psychiatric disorders, as well as impairments in the management of daily life, relationships and emotional stability. Recent findings in the literature have consistently supported the relationship between impulsivity and Internet addiction. The present study hypothesized that, in addition to impulsivity, a further predictor of Internet addiction might be relational co-dependency, which is also associated in the literature with addiction phenomena, but mainly substance addiction. This paper investigates the role and predictive weight of impulsivity and codependency on Internet addiction on a sample of young adult university students (n = 481) by using a hierarchical regression analysis. The participants were administered the UADI-2, the BIS-11 and the SFCDS. In terms of percentage distribution, 38 % of the participants were in the dependency range, while 37.7 % demonstrated Internet abuse behavior. The results confirmed the role of impulsiveness (β = 0.312) and added to the literature by showing the significant role of relational codependency (β = 0.275), gender (β = 0.174) and age (β = 0.196). Thus, male participants were more dependent, more impulsive and more co-dependent, with increasing age in the given range (18-30). The present study shed light to the presence of this issue among young adults and that, as a preventive and restraining measure, there is a need not only for targeted awareness-raising programmes but also for interventions to promote greater emotional control and a more balanced management of personal relationships.