Dysfunctional inhibitory control and impulsivity in Internet addiction

Differences in Discounting Behavior and Brain Responses for Food and Money Reward

Most neuroeconomic research seeks to understand how value influences decision-making. The influence of reward type is less well understood. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate delay discounting of primary (i.e., food) and secondary rewards (i.e., money) in 28 healthy, normal-weighted participants (mean age = 26.77; 18 females). To decipher differences in discounting behavior between reward types, we compared how well-different option-based statistical models (exponential, hyperbolic discounting) and attribute-wise heuristic choice models (intertemporal choice heuristic, dual reasoning and implicit framework theory, trade-off model) captured the reward-specific discounting behavior. Contrary to our hypothesis of different strategies for different rewards, we observed comparable discounting behavior for money and food (i.e., exponential discounting). Higher k values for food discounting suggest that individuals decide more impulsive if confronted with food. The fMRI revealed that money discounting was associated with enhanced activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, involved in executive control; the right dorsal striatum, associated with reward processing; and the left hippocampus, involved in memory encoding/retrieval. Food discounting, instead, was associated with higher activity in the left temporoparietal junction suggesting social reinforcement of food decisions. Although our findings do not confirm our hypothesis of different discounting strategies for different reward types, they are in line with the notion that reward types have a significant influence on impulsivity with primary rewards leading to more impulsive choices.

Emotional and Behavioural Factors Predisposing to Internet Addiction: The Smartphone Distraction among Italian High School Students

In a digitally oriented society, smartphones provide continual online accessibility to daily life while simultaneously predisposing adolescents to engage in prolonged connections for various purposes, thus escalating the risk of Internet addiction (IA). Cognitive processes such as multitasking and attentional shifting are frequently associated with smartphone activities. Additionally, online engagements may serve as emotional strategies for regulating negative states (e.g., boredom and distress), redirecting attention towards more gratifying activities, such as social media contents. This study delves into cognitive-emotional processes (i.e., emotion regulation, attention impulsiveness, online vigilance, and multitasking) and emotional/behavioural factors (i.e., emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationships, and prosocial behaviours) that may be implicated in smartphone activities and technology addiction among adolescents. A community sample of Italian high school students (N = 676; 42.2% females) completed the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS), the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for internalising/externalising symptoms and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) to assess the presence and severity of IA. The scores on the SDS were found to be positively associated with IA levels. Furthermore, students exhibiting higher internalising/externalising symptoms, particularly those with traits of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are more likely to manifest problematic smartphone usage. The implications for screening adolescents more susceptible to developing IA symptoms and for implementing preventive interventions are discussed.

Clinical differences between outpatients with and without internet addiction and emotional disorders: a prospective naturalistic outcome study

Background/Objective

as internet use becomes increasingly ingrained in contemporary society, internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a global public health concern. There is ongoing debate regarding whether IA represents a distinct psychological disorder or a secondary manifestation of other existing disorders. This study aimed to examine the pathological relationship between IA and emotional disorders (ED).

Method

this study compared pre-treatment characteristics and treatment process of three groups of patients (N=1292) in a naturalistic treatment setting: IA only, ED only, and comorbidity of IA and ED.

Results

the IA only group differed from the other groups by reporting the highest levels of life satisfaction, adaptive emotion regulation, as well as risk behavior urges at intake. In addition, the IA only group displayed the lowest level of depressive and anxiety symptoms throughout the treatment.

Conclusion

our findings contribute to a better understanding of the discreteness of IA as a potential psychological disorder and inform more effective treatment strategies for IA and its comorbid conditions.

Associations between internet addiction and school engagement among Turkish college students: mediating role of psychological distress

Introduction

Internet addiction has become a subject of growing concern with adverse consequences. This study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of psychological distress in the relationship between internet addiction and school engagement.

Methods

Data were obtained from 732 Turkish college students (M = 20.98, SD = 2.58). The data were collected through Young's Internet Addiction Test, Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale (DASS21)-Short Form, and University Student Engagement Inventory. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the mediating effects of depression, anxiety, and stress in the association between internet addiction and school engagement.

Results

The results of the study showed that internet addiction was positively associated with psychological distress and negatively associated with school engagement, whereas psychological distress had a negative relationship with school engagement. This study also found that depression, anxiety, and stress acted as mediators in the relationship between internet addiction and behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and cognitive engagement.

Conclusion

This study has provided evidence that young adults with tendency of internet addiction may experience school engagement problems as well as psychological problems. Our findings underscore the need for special educational intervention programs aimed at encouraging college youth to limit their internet use for their future due to its negative consequences and raising awareness in this vulnerable group and their families.

Connectome-based predictive modeling of Internet addiction symptomatology

Internet addiction symptomatology (IAS) is characterized by persistent and involuntary patterns of compulsive Internet use, leading to significant impairments in both physical and mental well-being. Here, a connectome-based predictive modeling approach was applied to decode IAS from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity in healthy population. The findings showed that IAS could be predicted by the functional connectivity between prefrontal cortex with the cerebellum and limbic lobe and connections of the occipital lobe with the limbic lobe and insula lobe. The identified edges associated with IAS exhibit generalizability in predicting IAS within an independent sample. Furthermore, we found that the unique contributing network, which predicted IAS in contrast to the prediction networks of alcohol use disorder symptomatology (the range of symptoms and behaviors associated with alcohol use disorder), prominently comprised connections involving the occipital lobe and other lobes. The current data-driven approach provides the first evidence of the predictive brain features of IAS based on the organization of intrinsic brain networks, thus advancing our understanding of the neurobiological basis of Internet addiction disorder (IAD) susceptibility, and may have implications for the timely intervention of people potentially at risk of IAD.

Neuropsychological Deficits in Disordered Screen Use Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Over the last few decades, excessive and disordered screen use has become more prevalent, prompting investigations into its associated consequences. The extent to which disordered screen use behaviours impact neuropsychological functioning has been reportedly mixed and at times inconsistent. This review sought to synthesise the literature and estimate the magnitude of overall cognitive impairment across a wide range of disordered screen use behaviours. We also sought to determine the cognitive domains most impacted, and whether the observed impairments were moderated by the classification of screen-related behaviours (i.e., Internet or gaming) or the format of cognitive test administration (i.e., paper-and-pencil or computerised). A systematic search of databases (Embase, PsycINFO, MEDLINE) identified 43 cross-sectional articles that assessed neuropsychological performance in disordered screen use populations, 34 of which were included in the meta-analysis. A random-effects meta-analysis revealed significant small/medium (g = .38) cognitive deficits for individuals with disordered screen use behaviours relative to controls. The most affected cognitive domain with a significant medium effect size (g = .50) was attention and focus followed by a significant reduction in executive functioning (g = .31). The classification of disordered screen use behaviours into Internet or gaming categories or the format of cognitive testing did not moderate these deficits. Additionally, excluding disordered social media use in an exploratory analysis had little effect on the observed outcomes. This study highlights a number of methodological considerations that may have contributed to disparate findings and shows that disordered screen use can significantly impact cognitive performance. Recommendations for future research are also discussed. Data for this study can be found at https://osf.io/upeha/ .

Altered Inhibitory Control Mechanism of Internet Addiction: An Electroencephalogram Study of Brain Oscillations and Connectivity

The development of the Internet has changed people's lives and has resulted in a new type of addictive behavior. In the past decade, Internet game addiction has been identified as a mental illness. Considering internet game addiction as the only cause of mental illness is limited in its view, as internet games, social platforms and other internet multimedia are also widely used. Thus, other internet-related behaviors, that maybe addictive, should also be included. Previous neuroimaging studies have reported a role of alteration in brain's inhibitory control mechanism in addiction. However, the results are still diverse with inconsistent findings. In this study, we used an Internet-related stop signal task with EEG signals recorded to study the relationship between internet addiction through brain oscillations and functional connectivity. We also compared the differences in the brain connectivity between addicted and non-addicted participants using phase lag index. We found that the brain connectivity in participants addicted to the internet is significantly greater than that of nonaddicted users.Clinical Relevance- In this study, we assessed brain functional networks of participants with Internet Gaming Disorder and internet addiction.

A Review on Smartphone Keystroke Dynamics as a Digital Biomarker for Understanding Neurocognitive Functioning

Can digital technologies provide a passive unobtrusive means to observe and study cognition outside of the laboratory? Previously, cognitive assessments and monitoring were conducted in a laboratory or clinical setting, allowing for a cross-sectional glimpse of cognitive states. In the last decade, researchers have been utilizing technological advances and devices to explore ways of assessing cognition in the real world. We propose that the virtual keyboard of smartphones, an increasingly ubiquitous digital device, can provide the ideal conduit for passive data collection to study cognition. Passive data collection occurs without the active engagement of a participant and allows for near-continuous, objective data collection. Most importantly, this data collection can occur in the real world, capturing authentic datapoints. This method of data collection and its analyses provide a more comprehensive and potentially more suitable insight into cognitive states, as intra-individual cognitive fluctuations over time have shown to be an early manifestation of cognitive decline. We review different ways passive data, centered around keystroke dynamics, collected from smartphones, have been used to assess and evaluate cognition. We also discuss gaps in the literature where future directions of utilizing passive data can continue to provide inferences into cognition and elaborate on the importance of digital data privacy and consent.

Effects of emotional working memory training on problematic internet use, inhibition, attention, and working memory among young problematic internet users: A randomized control study

Problematic internet use (PIU) has been defined as an inability to control impulses to use the internet, and is associated with psychological, social, educational, and/or occupational problems. Considering the harmful effects of PIU, the present study evaluated a treatment intervention aimed at controlling PIU. A randomized control study investigated the effectiveness of emotional working memory training (eWMT) in improving inhibition, attention, and working memory among individuals with PIU in comparison with a placebo group. Young adults (N = 36) with PIU were either trained for 20 sessions in an n-back dual emotional task (eWMT; n = 18) or a feature matching task (placebo; n = 18). Results showed that 20 continuous sessions of eWMT significantly reduced the symptoms of PIU and improved participants' working memory, attention, and inhibition (compared to the placebo group). These preliminary findings suggest that eWMT can be considered a promising treatment to reduce PIU by improving individuals' cognitive and emotional functioning.

Health-Related Cognitions and Metacognitions Indirectly Contribute to the Relationships Between Impulsivity, Fear of COVID-19, and Cyberchondria

The aim of the study was to converge a structural equation model to unfold the compositive relationships between trait impulsivity, health cognitions, metacognitions about health, fear of COVID-19 and cyberchondria, after controlling for gender, age, marital status, having a chronic illness and chronic illness among first-degree relatives. Six hundred fifty-one participants (423 females, 65%; 228 males, 35%) participated in the study. The Short UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (S-UPPS-P), Health Cognitions Questionnaire (HCQ), The Meta-Cognitions about Health Questionnaire (MCQ-HA), Cyberchondria Severity Scale -Short Form (CSS-12), and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S) were completed by volunteered participants. The structural model showed that the S-UPPS-P directly and indirectly contributed to the HCQ, MCQ-HA, CSS-12, and FCV-19 S. The multi-group structural analysis by gender showed that the structural model had a partial measurement and factorial invariance. We concluded that the significant associations between impulsivity, fear of COVID-19 and cyberchondria were indirectly contributed by health-related cognitions and metacognitions.

Rich Get Richer: Extraversion Statistically Predicts Reduced Internet Addiction through Less Online Anonymity Preference and Extraversion Compensation

Internet addiction may arise from multiple factors and personality tendencies have been previously implicated. Prior studies have found that extraversion may be a protective factor mitigating against internet addiction, yielding a "rich-get-richer" effect. However, few studies have explored how extraversion may influence internet addiction from the perspective of online-offline integration. Drawing on a sample of 428 college students, the current study examined a serial mediation model exploring the underlying mechanisms of how extraversion may statistically predict internet addiction through online-offline integration and antecedent factors. The serial mediation model analyses indicated that extraverted internet users exhibited a weaker preference for online anonymity and less online extraversion compensation, thus formulating a higher level of online-offline integration than introverted individuals, which, in turn, appeared to reduce the risk of internet addiction. In contrast, with regard to specific components of online-offline integration, introverted internet users preferred online anonymity, which reduced their relationship integration and increased their likelihood of internet addiction; similarly, the introverted individuals were also more likely to exhibit an extraversion compensation effect. That is, they were more extraverted on the internet than in general; hence, they had a lower level of self-identity integration, resulting in a greater likelihood of experiencing internet addiction. These results highlight the importance of online-offline integration that may account for personality variations in social and psychological outcomes related to internet use, and suggest a role for online anonymity preference and extraversion compensation in influencing specific components of integration.

Executive Function and Social Media Addiction in Female College Students: The Mediating Role of Affective State and Stress

Social media addiction is the emerging occurrence in which individuals develop psychological dependencies on microblog, wechat, Tik Tok and so on. Existing research has demonstrated the possible relationship between mobile social media addiction and disordered eating attitudes/behavior. In this study, we investigated the relationship between executive function, especially food-inhibitory control, affective state/stress, and mobile social media addiction among female college students as all play predictive roles in food addiction. A structural equation model was used to examine the mediation model hypothesis, and the results confirmed the mediating role of affective state and stress between executive function, especially inhibitory control over high-calorie food, and mobile social media addiction among Chinese female college students. The results verify the correlation between social media addiction and disordered eating attitudes/behavior from the perspective of psychological mechanisms. These proposals emphasize the significance of improving inhibitory control over high-calorie food and the importance of providing psychological counseling to intervene in negative emotions and stress management in female college students.

Development and validation of the Reward Deficiency Syndrome Questionnaire (RDSQ-29)

BACKGROUND

The reward deficiency syndrome (RDS) integrates psychological, neurological, and genetic factors of addictive, impulsive, and compulsive behaviors. However, to date, no instrument has been validated to assess the RDS construct.

AIMS

The present study developed and tested a tool to assess RDS.

METHODS

Data were collected on two college and university samples. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed on Sample 1 (N = 1726), and confirmatory analysis was conducted on an independent sample (N = 253). Impulsivity and sensation-seeking were assessed.

RESULTS

Based on EFAs, a 29-item Reward Deficiency Syndrome Questionnaire (RDSQ-29) was developed, containing four subscales (lack of sexual satisfaction, activity, social concerns, and risk-seeking behavior). CFA indicated good fit (comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.941; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.933; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.068). Construct validity analysis showed strong relationship between sensation-seeking and the RDS scale.

CONCLUSION

The RDSQ-29 is an adequate scale assessing psychological and behavioral aspects of RDS. The RDSQ-29 assesses psychological and behavioral characteristics that may contribute to addictions generally.

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.

Harm avoidance, daily stress, and problematic smartphone use in children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Temperament is close to susceptibility to stress and the increased level of stress may lead problematic smartphone use (PSU). In this study, the relationships between harm avoidance (HA) as a personality trait, daily traits, and PSU in children and adolescents were investigated.

METHODS

At baseline, all participants (184 children and adolescents, mean age 13.15 years) completed questionnaires on PSU using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS). The Daily Hassles Questionnaire (DHQ) and Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) were also administered to evaluate stress levels and personality traits. SAS-SV, SAPS, and DHQ were reassessed at 3 and 6 months.

RESULTS

Among JTCI temperament, HA displayed robust positive correlations with SAS-SV, SAPS, and DHQ at all time points. Mediation effects of daily stress on the relationship between HA and PSU were observed at baseline, 3, and 6 months.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that managing stress may important in PSU children and adolescents with high HA.

The Relationship Between Self-Control and Internet Addiction Among Students: A Meta-Analysis

As past studies of self-control and Internet addiction showed mixed results, this meta-analysis of 83 primary studies with 80,681 participants determined whether (a) these students with less self-control had greater Internet addiction, and (b) age, culture, gender, Internet addiction measures, or year moderated these relations. We used a random-effects meta-analysis of Pearson product-moment coefficients r with Fisher’s z-transformation and tested for moderation with the homogeneity tests. The results showed a positive link between impulsivity and Internet addiction (r = 0.371, 95% CI = [0.311, 0.427]) and a negative link between restraint and Internet addiction (r = −0.362, 95% CI = [−0.414, −0.307]). The moderation analysis indicated that the correlation between impulsivity indicators and greater Internet addiction was stronger among undergraduates (18–22 years old) than among adolescents (10–17 years old). Furthermore, the negative link between a restraint indicator and Internet addiction was greater (a) among students in East Asia than those in Western Europe/North America, (b) among males than females and (c) when using the Internet addiction measures GPIUS or IAT rather than CIAS. Hence, these results indicate a negative link between self-control and Internet addiction, and this link is moderated by age, culture, gender, and Internet addiction measure.

A discriminant analysis model of psychosocial predictors of problematic Internet use and cannabis use disorder in university students

Researchers have found similarities and differences between behavioral and drug addictions. The present study was designed to explore which of a series of psychosocial predictors of addictive behaviors could differentiate problematic Internet use (PIU) and Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) in a sample of University students. A total of 144 participants (76 males, mean age = 23.03 years ± 2.83) were separated into three groups: those presenting with PIU (18 females, Mean age = 22.27 years), those presenting with CUD (22 female, Mean age = 22.73 years), and a control group (28 female, Mean age = 24.04 years). Participants completed the Internet Abusive Use Questionnaire (IAUQ), the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), the Multidimensional Distress Tolerance Scale (MDTS), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), and the Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 (RTQ-10). The classification analysis results showed that 68.8% of the control group, 70.8% of the PIU group, and 81.3% of the CUD group were correctly classified in their respective groups. In addition, the results of the discriminant function analysis showed that there was a significant difference between members of the PIU and CUD groups in the degree of family support (0.45), significant other (0.33), tolerance of physical discomfort (0.30), reappraisal (0.42), and cognitive confidence (0.35). The findings provide evidence that specific psychosocial predictors can discriminate PIU from CUD.

Cigarette-specific disgust aroused by smoking warning images strengthens smokers' inhibitory control under smoking-related background in Go/NoGo task

RATIONALE

Reduced inhibitory control is more pronounced during substance-related cue exposure among addicts. However, it is inconclusive whether smokers' inhibitory control would be impaired by smoking-related background. Furthermore, few studies explored whether the cigarette-specific disgust aroused by smoking warning images would alleviate the negative effect of smoking-related cues on smokers' inhibitory control.

OBJECTIVE

Experiment 1 investigated the effect of smoking-related background on inhibitory control in cigarette smokers with a modified Go/NoGo task and experiment 2 explored whether cigarette-specific disgust aroused by smoking warning images would alleviate the negative effect of smoking-related background on smokers' inhibitory control.

METHOD

Sixty-two male participants (32 smokers and 30 non-smokers) were recruited in experiment 1 and 51 male smokers were recruited in experiment 2.

RESULTS

Experiment 1 found that compared to neutral background, smokers made more commission errors (i.e., executing a response to a no-go target) under smoking-related background, indicating that smoking-related background has a negative effect on smokers' inhibitory control. Experiment 2 found that after experiencing cigarette-specific disgust, smokers made fewer commission errors at post-mood induction than pre-mood induction, indicating that cigarette-specific disgust aroused by smoking warning images alleviates the negative effect of smoking-related background on smokers' inhibitory control.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the negative effect of smoking-related cues on smokers' inhibitory control would be alleviated by cigarette-specific disgust aroused by smoking warning images, which emphasizes the important role of cigarette-specific disgust in strengthening smokers' inhibitory control towards smoking-related cues.

Distinct patterns of prefrontal cortical disengagement during inhibitory control in addiction: A meta-analysis based on population characteristics

Prefrontal cortical dysfunctions underlying inhibitory control deficits in addiction are complex and likely dependent on population characteristics. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine alterations in brain activations during response inhibition in addicted individuals. We characterized imaging findings based on substance use status, diagnosis, substance classes, and task performance. Results revealed in those with active drug addiction hypoactivation of the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), compared with healthy controls. Weakening of the dACC and MFG activations was particularly pronounced in nicotine users, respectively. Impaired task performance was also associated with diminished MFG activation. In contrast, abstinent users did not exhibit any significant differences compared with healthy controls. Those with behavioral addictions were characterized by higher midcingulate cortical activation. Thus, the neural disengagement during response inhibition in active drug addiction was limited to a small number of prefrontal cortical regions and dependent on population characteristics. Finally, the evidence for potential normalization of hypofrontality following substance use cessation highlights the benefits of abstinence in restoring cerebral functions.

Hypersexuality and Trauma: a mediation and moderation model from psychopathology to problematic sexual behavior

INTRODUCTION

. Hypersexuality is a clinical condition regarding the psychopathology of sexual behavior. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of trauma, through the post-traumatic stress-disorder (PTSD), depression, shame and guilt on the hypersexual behavior.

METHODS

. Through an online platform, a convenience sample of 1025 subjects was recruited (females: n=731; 71.3%; males: 294; 28.7%; age: 29.62±10.90). Recruited subjects compiled a psychometric protocol composed by the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) to assess hypersexuality, the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) for PTSD, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to evaluate depression and the State Shame and Guilt Scale (SSGS) for shame and guilt. Then a mediation/moderation model was performed for the data analysis.

RESULTS

. There was a statistically significant direct effect of post-traumatic symptoms (ITQTotal) on hypersexual behavior (HBTotal). Furthermore, indirect effects were also statistically significant, providing support to the hypothesis that depression and guilt would be serial mediators of trauma-hypersexual behavior relations. The paths through depression and guilt have been found to be the most significant with moderate and high indirect effects on hypersexuality. Moreover, male gender, as covariate variable, is a relevant risk factor for hypersexual behavior.

CONCLUSION

. We found the relationship between hypersexuality and trauma describing a possible etiological pathway mainly involving depression, shame and guilt. Hypersexuality can be considered as a reactive form of a major affective psychopathology representing a tip of the iceberg hiding the real issues of a suffering personality. Clinicians and researchers should therefore consider hypersexual behavior in the light of a symptomatic manifestation of a major psychopathology involving the affective aspects of personality.

Neuromodulatory Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Resting-State EEG Activity in Internet Gaming Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Parallel Group Trial

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used as an adjunct therapy for psychiatric disorders; however, little is known about the underlying neurophysiological effects of tDCS in Internet gaming disorder (IGD). We investigated the effects of tDCS on cortical activity using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) in patients with IGD. This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled parallel group study of tDCS (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03347643) included 31 IGD patients. Participants received 10 sessions (2 sessions per day for 5 consecutive days) of active repetitive tDCS (2 mA for 20 min per session) or sham stimulation. Anode/cathode electrodes were placed over the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, respectively. In total, 26 participants (active group n = 14; sham group n = 12) completed the trial. Resting-state EEG spectral activity (absolute power) and functional connectivity (coherence) were used to assess the effects of tDCS on cortical activity before stimulation and 1 month after the intervention. Active stimulation of tDCS suppressed increase of intra-hemispheric beta coherence after 1 month, which was observed in the sham group. The 1-month follow-up assessment revealed that absolute gamma power in the left parietal region was decreased in the active group relative to the sham group. Our findings suggest that repetitive tDCS stabilizes fast-wave activity in IGD.

Family Socioeconomic Status and Social Media Addiction in Female College Students: The Mediating Role of Impulsiveness and Inhibitory Control

There is increasing evidence that low family socioeconomic status (SES) not only is a social issue, but also is a precursor to addiction to social media and other technologies. The authors investigated the relationship between family SES, stress, impulsiveness and inhibitory control, and social media addiction among Chinese female college students. The findings revealed that in lower-SES families, increased social media addiction was associated with reduced inhibitory control and increased stress and impulsiveness. A structural equation model was used to examine the mediation model hypothesis, and the results confirmed the mediating role of no-planning impulsiveness and inhibitory control between family educational level and social media addiction among Chinese female college students. These findings demonstrate the importance of reducing impulsiveness and improving inhibitory control for preventing social media addiction in female college students of low SES. Future studies are required to confirm precursors to social media addiction, elucidate causal mechanisms, and support the explanatory model of social media addiction.

Impulsivity, Social Support and Depression Are Associated With Latent Profiles of Internet Addiction Among Male College Freshmen

Background: The rate of internet addiction is increasing in college students. The first year at college is a particularly vulnerable period for internet addiction. Students' psychological characteristics are likely to play an important role in internet addiction. Our study aimed to assess the relationship between impulsivity, social support, depression and internet addiction among male college freshmen. Materials and Methods: The current study utilized latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify at-risk profiles among 734 college freshmen (100% male) based on their Internet Addiction Test item ratings. We compared the levels of impulsivity, social support and depression among different profiles and investigated whether these variables could predict each latent internet addiction class. Results: LPA resulted in three distinct profiles: the low internet addiction group (42.10%), the moderate internet addiction group (35.70%) and the high internet addiction group (22.20%). Impulsivity and depression increased with internet addiction severity levels, whereas social support was inversely related to the severity of internet addiction. Male freshmen with high impulsivity, low social support and high depression were more likely to be included in the high internet addiction group. Conclusion: This study highlights that impulsivity, social support and depression may predict internet addiction in male college freshmen. Our findings have important practical implications for college educators and counselors in developing interventions for internet addiction.

A Cross-sectional Study of Attention Bias for Facial Expression Stimulation in Patients with Stroke at the Convalescence Stage

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke depression increases the likelihood of adverse physical symptoms. Attentional bias (AB) for negative stimuli is important in depression onset, maintenance, and remission. Stroke is more likely in older adults, who can have reduced cognitive function. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can have delayed reaction times (RTs). We hypothesized that RT to select neutral facial expression is affected by depressive symptoms and cognitive function in patients with stroke.

METHODS

This study analyzed 61 patients with stroke. Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) and Profile of Mood States (short version) scores were determined. Task stimuli comprised eight pairs of facial expressions containing affective (angry) and neutral faces. AB was measured as the RT to select the neutral face in two simultaneously presented images using attention bias modification (ABM) software. Patients were grouped according to depressive symptoms using BDI-II scores. Between-subject factors of depressive symptoms and cognitive function were determined by ANCOVA.

RESULTS

No significant interaction was found between depressive symptoms and cognitive function on RT. There was a main effect of cognitive function, but not depressive symptoms. In patients with hemiparesis and depressive symptoms, RT was significantly shorter in patients without MCI compared with patients with MCI.

CONCLUSIONS

People with stroke and elevated depression symptoms with hemiparesis but without MCI quickly selected neutral facial expressions from neutral and aversive expressions, and thus do not need ABM to escape aversive stimuli. ABM in response to aversive stimuli may be useful in evaluating negative emotions in individuals with post-stroke depression without MCI.

A pilot study using ecological momentary assessment via smartphone application to identify adolescent problematic internet use

For some youth, pathologic Internet use can cause significant distress and dysfunction, a phenomenon known as Problematic Internet Use (PIU). PIU has been associated with poorer health outcomes in adolescents with existing psychiatric illness but understanding PIU has been challenging due to research methodologies using cross-sectional, self-report data. This study assessed the feasibility of using app-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to provide more ecologically-valid data to identify and characterize the relationship between mood symptoms and PIU in adolescents in active mental health treatment. 25 youth (aged 12-23) were recruited to use an EMA app for 6 weeks. 96% of participants completed the study and the majority of participants completed surveys at least once weekly. Youth with anxiety disorders endorsed significantly greater benefit from using the app to monitor PIU. While PIU severity was positively correlated with worsened anxiety and depression, analyses of the temporal relationships between PIU and mood symptoms showed that anxiety symptoms were significantly improved after episodes of PIU. Overall results suggest that app-based EMA may be both acceptable and feasible to understand PIU in this population. Follow-up studies should consider personalization of study protocols and use of digital phenotyping methodology to collect more objective measurements of behavior.

Delineating adaptive esports involvement from maladaptive gaming: a self-regulation perspective

The last decade has witnessed the rise of electronic sports (esports), yet little is known about how involvement in intensive esports relates to self-regulatory processes, such as executive functioning (EF). In this paper, we review the evidence on EF in problematic and non-problematic video-game use. We also consider research on EF in traditional sports athletes, as well as in 'exercise addiction'. The focus of the review is on two core components of EF, namely response inhibition and cognitive flexibility. The available evidence suggests that EF is a reliable marker for indexing specific types of sport and video-gaming expertise, but does not appear to consistently delineate maladaptive from adaptive video-game involvement. Future research avenues on EF that characterize esport players are suggested to advance this area.

Maladaptive neurovisceral interactions in patients with Internet gaming disorder: A study of heart rate variability and functional neural connectivity using the graph theory approach

Heart rate variability (HRV) can be used to represent the regulatory adaptive system and is a proxy for neurovisceral integration. Consistent with the view that, like other addictions, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) involves disrupted regulatory function, the present study hypothesized that IGD patients would show (a) decreased HRV, (b) ineffective functional neural connectivity, and (c) differential patterns of association between HRV and functional neural connectivity relative to healthy controls (HCs). The present study included 111 young adults (53 IGD patients and 58 age‐ and sex‐matched HCs) who underwent simultaneous recordings with an electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram during a resting state. Heart rate (HR), HRV, and functional neural connectivity were calculated using the graph theory approach. Compared with the HCs, the IGD patients exhibited elevated HR and decreased HRV based on the high frequency (HF), which reflects suppression of parasympathetic and/or vagal tone. The IGD patients also exhibited a heightened theta band characteristic path length (CPL) compared with HCs, indicating decreased efficacy of the functional network. Furthermore, IGD patients exhibited negative correlations between the standard deviation of the normal‐to‐normal interval index (SDNNi) and theta and delta CPL values, which were not observed in HCs. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that IGD patients might have maladaptive brain‐body integration features involving disruptions of the autonomic nervous system and brain function.

Altered brain network topology related to working memory in internet addiction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The working memory (WM) ability of internet addicts and the topology underlying the WM processing in internet addiction (IA) are poorly understood. In this study, we employed a graph theoretical framework to characterize the topological properties of the IA brain network in the source cortical space during WM task.

METHODS

A sample of 24 subjects with IA and 23 matched healthy controls (HCs) performed visual 2-back task. Exact Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography was adopted to project the pre-processed EEG signals into source space. Subsequently, Lagged phase synchronization was calculated between all pairs of Brodmann areas, the graph theoretical approaches were then employed to estimate the brain topological properties of all participants during the WM task.

RESULTS

We found better WM behavioral performance in IA subjects compared with the HCs. Moreover, compared to the HC group, more integrated and hierarchical brain network was revealed in the IA subjects in alpha band. And altered regional centrality was mainly resided in frontal and limbic lobes. In addition, significant relationships between the IA severity and the significant altered graph indices were found.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, these findings provide evidence to support the notion that altered topological configuration may underline changed WM function observed in IA.

Altered core networks of brain connectivity and personality traits in internet gaming disorder

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Although the Internet has provided convenience and efficiency in many areas of everyday life, problems stemming from Internet use have also been identified, such as Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Internet addiction, which includes IGD, can be viewed as a behavioral addiction or impulse control disorder. This study investigated the altered functional and effective connectivity of the core brain networks in individuals with IGD compared to healthy controls (HCs).

METHODS

Forty-five adults with IGD and 45 HCs were included in this study. To examine the brain networks related to personality traits that influence problematic online gaming, the left and right central executive network (CEN) and the salience network (SN) were included in the analysis. Also, to examine changes in major brain network topographies, we analyzed the default mode network (DMN).

RESULTS

IGD participants showed lower functional connectivity between the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and other regions in the CEN than HC participants during resting state. Also, IGD participants revealed reduced functional connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and other regions in the SN and lower functional connectivity in the medial prefrontal cortex of the anterior DMN. Notably, in IGD individuals but not HC individuals, there was a positive correlation between IGD severity and effective connectivity and a positive correlation between reward sensitivity and effective connectivity within the ventral striatum of the SN.

CONCLUSIONS

Problematic online gaming was associated with neurofunctional alterations, impairing the capacity of core brain networks.

Reinforcement sensitivity, depression and anxiety: A meta-analysis and meta-analytic structural equation model

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) posits that individual differences in reward and punishment processing predict differences in cognition, behavior, and psychopathology. We performed a quantitative review of the relationships between reinforcement sensitivity, depression and anxiety, in two separate sets of analyses. First, we reviewed 204 studies that reported either correlations between reinforcement sensitivity and self-reported symptom severity or differences in reinforcement sensitivity between diagnosed and healthy participants, yielding 483 effect sizes. Both depression (Hedges' g = .99) and anxiety (g = 1.21) were found to be high on punishment sensitivity. Reward sensitivity negatively predicted only depressive disorders (g = -.21). More severe clinical states (e.g., acute vs remission) predicted larger effect sizes for depression but not anxiety. Next, we reviewed an additional 39 studies that reported correlations between reinforcement sensitivity and both depression and anxiety, yielding 156 effect sizes. We then performed meta-analytic structural equation modeling to simultaneously estimate all covariances and control for comorbidity. Again we found punishment sensitivity to predict depression (β = .37) and anxiety (β = .35), with reward sensitivity only predicting depression (β = -.07). The transdiagnostic role of punishment sensitivity and the discriminatory role of reward sensitivity support a hierarchical approach to RST and psychopathology.

Motivational but not executive dysfunction in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder predicts internet addiction: Evidence from a longitudinal study

This study tested the causal link between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Internet addiction (IA) and investigated motivational and executive dysfunction as explanatory mechanisms in this association. A sample of 682 young adults completed self-report measures both at Time1 and Time2, six-months apart, including 54 ADHD participants diagnosed by the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale and the Continuous Performance Test. According to the performance in four cognitive tasks, ADHD participants were classified into three groups based on the dual pathway model of ADHD: executive dysfunction (ED), motivational dysfunction (MD) and combined dysfunction (CD). Participants' severity of IA symptoms was assessed using the self-report Chen IA Scale. Results indicated that ADHD scores at Time1 predicted IA scores at Time2 but not vice versa. ADHD participants were easier to be IA than controls, while the severity of IA among the three ADHD groups changed differently. The MD and CD groups became more excessively engaged in Internet use over the course of the six-months while the ED group was unchanged. These findings identify ADHD as a potential risk factor for IA and suggest that motivational dysfunction, characterized by an excessive preference for immediate reward over delayed rewards, is a better predictor of IA than executive dysfunction.

Information Disclosure and Privacy Paradox

Self-disclosure of personal information is generally accepted as a security risk. Nonetheless, many individuals who are concerned about their privacy will often voluntarily reveal information to others. This inconsistency between individuals' expressed privacy concern and the willingness to divulge personal information is referred to as privacy paradox. Several arguments have been proposed to explain the inconsistency. One set of arguments centers around the possible effects of differences in personality characteristics, such as the Big Five factors. In the current article, we examine the role of one personality characteristic, impulsivity, in explaining the relationship between privacy concern and information disclosure. We report the results of a survey-based study that consisted of two hundred and forty-two (242) usable responses from subjects recruited on Amazon Mechanical Turk. The results show that one of the three dimensions of impulsivity, motor impulsivity, directly influences the extent of information disclosure and also moderates the relationship between privacy concern and information disclosure. Furthermore, our study shows impulsivity explains more variance in information disclosure than explained by the Big Five factors only.

Functional neural changes and altered cortical-subcortical connectivity associated with recovery from Internet gaming disorder

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Although studies have suggested that individuals with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) may have impairments in cognitive functioning, the nature of the relationship is unclear given that the information is typically derived from cross-sectional studies.

METHODS

Individuals with active IGD (n = 154) and those individuals no longer meeting criteria (n = 29) after 1 year were examined longitudinally using functional magnetic resonance imaging during performance of cue-craving tasks. Subjective responses and neural correlates were contrasted at study onset and at 1 year.

RESULTS

Subjects' craving responses to gaming cues decreased significantly at 1 year relative to study onset. Decreased brain responses in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and lentiform nucleus were observed at 1 year relative to onset. Significant positive correlations were observed between changes in brain activities in the lentiform nucleus and changes in self-reported cravings. Dynamic causal modeling analysis showed increased ACC-lentiform connectivity at 1 year relative to study onset.

CONCLUSIONS

After recovery from IGD, individuals appear less sensitive to gaming cues. This recovery may involve increased ACC-related control over lentiform-related motivations in the control over cravings. The extent to which cortical control over subcortical motivations may be targeted in treatments for IGD should be examined further.

Cognitive deficits in problematic internet use: meta-analysis of 40 studies

BACKGROUND

Excessive use of the internet is increasingly recognised as a global public health concern. Individual studies have reported cognitive impairment in problematic internet use (PIU), but have suffered from various methodological limitations. Confirmation of cognitive deficits in PIU would support the neurobiological plausibility of this disorder.

AIMS

To conduct a rigorous meta-analysis of cognitive performance in PIU from case-control studies; and to assess the impact of study quality, the main type of online behaviour (for example gaming) and other parameters on the findings.

METHOD

A systematic literature review was conducted of peer-reviewed case-controlled studies comparing cognition in people with PIU (broadly defined) with that of healthy controls. Findings were extracted and subjected to a meta-analysis where at least four publications existed for a given cognitive domain of interest.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis comprised 2922 participants across 40 studies. Compared with controls, PIU was associated with significant impairment in inhibitory control (Stroop task Hedge's g = 0.53 (s.e. = 0.19-0.87), stop-signal task g = 0.42 (s.e. = 0.17-0.66), go/no-go task g = 0.51 (s.e. = 0.26-0.75)), decision-making (g = 0.49 (s.e. = 0.28-0.70)) and working memory (g = 0.40 (s.e. = 0.20-0.82)). Whether or not gaming was the predominant type of online behaviour did not significantly moderate the observed cognitive effects; nor did age, gender, geographical area of reporting or the presence of comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

PIU is associated with decrements across a range of neuropsychological domains, irrespective of geographical location, supporting its cross-cultural and biological validity. These findings also suggest a common neurobiological vulnerability across PIU behaviours, including gaming, rather than a dissimilar neurocognitive profile for internet gaming disorder.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

S.R.C. consults for Cambridge Cognition and Shire. K.I.'s research activities were supported by Health Education East of England Higher Training Special interest sessions. A.E.G.'s research has been funded by Innovational grant (VIDI-scheme) from ZonMW: (91713354). N.A.F. has received research support from Lundbeck, Glaxo-SmithKline, European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), Servier, Cephalon, Astra Zeneca, Medical Research Council (UK), National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Foundation, University of Hertfordshire, EU (FP7) and Shire. N.A.F. has received honoraria for lectures at scientific meetings from Abbott, Otsuka, Lundbeck, Servier, Astra Zeneca, Jazz pharmaceuticals, Bristol Myers Squibb, UK College of Mental Health Pharmacists and British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP). N.A.F. has received financial support to attend scientific meetings from RANZCP, Shire, Janssen, Lundbeck, Servier, Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cephalon, International College of Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, International Society for Behavioral Addiction, CINP, IFMAD, ECNP, BAP, the World Health Organization and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. N.A.F. has received financial royalties for publications from Oxford University Press and payment for editorial duties from Taylor and Francis. J.E.G. reports grants from the National Center for Responsible Gaming, Forest Pharmaceuticals, Takeda, Brainsway, and Roche and others from Oxford Press, Norton, McGraw-Hill and American Psychiatric Publishing outside of the submitted work.

The Mediating Role of Coping Styles on Impulsivity, Behavioral Inhibition/Approach System, and Internet Addiction in Adolescents From a Gender Perspective

Previous findings have shown that impulsivity and Behavioral Inhibition/Approach System (BIS/BAS) have substantial effects on adolescents’ Internet addiction, but the mechanisms underlying these associations and gender differences in these effects have received little attention. We examined the mediating effects of coping styles from impulsivity, and BIS/BAS to Internet addiction as well as gender differences in these associations. A total of 416 Chinese adolescents were examined using a cross-sectional survey involving Young’s Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, BIS/BAS scales, and Coping Style Scale for Middle School Students. The data were analyzed using the independent sample t-test, chi-square test, Pearson correlation, and structure equation modeling. The results from the multiple-group (by adolescent gender) structural model analysis revealed that both impulsivity (p < 0.001) and BIS (p = 0.001) directly predicted positive Internet addiction in girls, while both impulsivity (p = 0.011) and BAS (p = 0.048) directly predicted positive Internet addiction in boys. Furthermore, emotion-focused coping mediated the relationship between impulsivity and Internet addiction (β = 0.080, 95% CI: 0.023–0.168) and the relationship between BIS and Internet addiction (β = 0.064, 95% CI: 0.013–0.153) in girls, while in boys, problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping mediated the association between impulsivity and Internet addiction (β = 0.118, 95% CI: 0.031–0.251; β = 0.065, 95% CI: 0.010–0.160, respectively) and problem-focused coping mediated the association between BAS and Internet addiction [β = −0.058, 95% CI: (−0.142)–(−0.003)]. These findings extend our insight into the mechanisms underlying the associations among impulsivity, BIS/BAS, and Internet addiction in adolescents and suggest that gender-sensitive training approaches to decrease adolescents’ Internet addiction are indispensable. These interventions should focus on the different gender predictors of adolescent Internet addiction and on the development of specific coping styles for boys and girls respectively.

Transitions in Problematic Internet Use: A One-Year Longitudinal Study of Boys

OBJECTIVE

Longitudinal studies may help elucidate the factors associated with Problematic Internet Use (PIU); however, little prospective research has been conducted on the subject. The aim of the current study was to prospectively examine PIU in children/adolescents and identify the possible risk factors associated with transitions in PIU severity.

METHODS

650 middle-school boys were surveyed at two points one year apart and assessed for PIU using the Internet Addiction Proneness Scale for Youth (KS-II) and on other psychological characteristics.

RESULTS

We found that 15.3% at baseline and 12.4% at one year met the criteria for at-risk/high-risk PIU (ARHRPIU). Both the persistent-ARHRPIU and emerging-ARHRPIU groups revealed greater depressive, motor impulsive, and smart-phone-addiction tendencies than the remitting-ARHRPIU group or the persistent low-risk group. In addition, we found that individuals exhibiting higher hyperkinetic attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) scores were less likely to remit from ARHRPIU, and that individuals exhibiting more ADHD-related cognitive dysfunction and reporting fewer Internet-game-free days were more likely to demonstrate an emergence of ARHRPIU.

CONCLUSION

The present findings support previous studies in that specific negative-health features are linked to transitions in ARHRPIU. Furthermore, these findings suggest that intervention is needed and may be best targeted at specific groups of youths.

Profiles of Impulsivity in Problematic Internet Users and Cigarette Smokers

Problematic Internet use (PIU) has been gradually recognized as a mental health issue among adolescents and young students. PIU shows many similarities with substance use disorders, but the shared and distinct mechanisms underlying them are unclear. The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationships between impulsive traits and PIU as well as cigarette smoking behaviors among young adults. Two independent samples of university students (N 1 = 1281, N 2 = 1034, respectively) over 3 years were assessed with multiple measurements of impulsivity, including the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), the UPPSP Impulsive Behaviors Scale (UPPSP), and the Delay-discounting Test (DDT). Logistic regression models revealed that across the two independent samples, BIS-11 Attentional Impulsiveness was the common trait positively predicting both PIU and cigarette smoking. While BIS-11 Motor Impulsiveness as well as UPPSP Lack of Perseverance, Lack of Premeditation, and Negative Urgency were the typical traits linked to PIU as positive predictors, UPPSP Sensation Seeking was the unique trait linked to cigarette smoking as a positive predictor. These results suggested that specific dimensions of impulsivity might be concurrently implicated in PIU and cigarette smoking among young adults, putatively representing important trait marks for addictive behaviors.

The relationship between smartphone addiction and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity in South Korean adolescents

BACKGROUND

Excessive smartphone use has been associated with numerous psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of smartphone addiction and its association with depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a large sample of Korean adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 4512 (2034 males and 2478 females) middle- and high-school students in South Korea were included in this study. Subjects were asked to complete a self-reported questionnaire, including measures of the Korean Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Conners-Wells' Adolescent Self-Report Scale (CASS). Smartphone addiction and non-addiction groups were defined using SAS score of 42 as a cut-off. The data were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

338 subjects (7.5%) were categorized to the addiction group. Total SAS score was positively correlated with total CASS score, BDI score, BAI score, female sex, smoking, and alcohol use. Using multivariate logistic regression analyses, the odds ratio of ADHD group compared to the non-ADHD group for smartphone addiction was 6.43, the highest among all variables (95% CI 4.60-9.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that ADHD may be a significant risk factor for developing smartphone addiction. The neurobiological substrates subserving smartphone addiction may provide insights on to both shared and discrete mechanisms with other brain-based disorders.

Does mild internet use augment cognitive functions?: Preliminary evidence

Background:

Internet usage leads to psychological disturbances, social problems, and neuropsychological dysfunctions. Alhough there is no definite trend has been reported for the association of augmentation of cognitive function and internet use pattern.

Method:

The current work explored the neuropsychological profile among healthy, mild, and moderate users of internet in the age group of 18 to 30 years. Sixty subjects (20 healthy internet users, 20 mild internet users, and 20 moderate internet users) were screened for internet usage using internet addiction test. Background datasheet, NIMHANS comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests, and Wechsler memory scale III (Indian adaptation) were administered in an individual setting.

Results:

It revealed that mild users have performed relatively better than healthy normal controls on mental speed, sustained attention, cognitive switch, and interference scores on Stroop test.

Conclusions:

It has implication for evolving psychological intervention for promotion of mild internet use for the promotion neuropsychological functioning as well as physicians at primary setting can educate users about benefits of mild use of the internet and other technology devices. It will help in the promotion of healthy use of technology.

The effect of sleep disturbances and internet addiction on suicidal ideation among adolescents in the presence of depressive symptoms

Maladaptive use of internet and sleep problems is a significant health concern among adolescents. We aimed to understand better how sleep problems are related to suicidal ideation taking into account the presence of depression and internet addiction. 631 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 randomly recruited from different middle and high schools to complete self-report questionnaires assessing sleep disturbances, addictive use of the internet, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. 22.9% of the sample reported on suicidal ideation during the month before the study, 42% of the sample suffer from sleep disturbances, 30.2% reported on the addictive use of the internet, and 26.5% exhibited severe symptoms of depression. Adolescents with suicidal ideation had higher rates of sleep disturbances, addictive use of internet and depressive symptoms. A confirmatory path analysis suggests that the effect of sleep disturbances on suicidal ideation moderated by the impact of internet addiction and mediated by the sleep effects on depressive symptoms. These results emphasize the importance to address the above risk behaviors in prevention curriculums programs. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine the temporal order and to validate causal pathways.

Internet and Video Game Addictions: Diagnosis, Epidemiology, and Neurobiology

In the past 2 decades, there has been substantial increase in availability and use of digital technologies, including the Internet, computer games, smart phones, and social media. Behavioral addiction to use of technologies spawned a body of related research. The recent inclusion of Internet gaming disorder as a condition for further study in the DSM-V invigorated a new wave of researchers, thereby expanding our understanding of these conditions. This article reviews current research, theory, and practice regarding the diagnosis, epidemiology, and neurobiology of Internet and video game addictions.