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Eichenberg C, Schneider R, Rumpl H. Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality. BMC Psychiatry 2024; 24:278. [PMID: 38622677 PMCID: PMC11017614 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05709-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social media bring not only benefits but also downsides, such as addictive behavior. While an ambivalent closed insecure attachment style has been prominently linked with internet and smartphone addiction, a similar analysis for social media addiction is still pending. This study aims to explore social media addiction, focusing on variations in attachment style, mental distress, and personality between students with and without problematic social media use. Additionally, it investigates whether a specific attachment style is connected to social media addiction. METHODS Data were collected from 571 college students (mean age = 23.61, SD = 5.00, 65.5% female; response rate = 20.06%) via an online survey administered to all enrolled students of Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversity Vienna. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) differentiated between students addicted and not addicted to social media. Attachment style was gauged using the Bielefeld Partnership Expectations Questionnaire (BFPE), mental distress by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), and personality by the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10). RESULTS Of the total sample, 22.7% of students were identified as addicted to social media. For personality, it was demonstrated that socially media addicted (SMA) students reported significantly higher values on the neuroticism dimension compared to not socially media addicted (NSMA) students. SMA also scored higher across all mental health dimensions-depressiveness, anxiety, and somatization. SMA more frequently exhibited an insecure attachment style than NSMA, specifically, an ambivalent closed attachment style. A two-step cluster analysis validated the initial findings, uncovering three clusters: (1) secure attachment, primarily linked with fewer occurrences of social media addiction and a lower incidence of mental health problems; (2) ambivalent closed attachment, generally associated with a higher rate of social media addiction and increased levels of mental health problems; and (3) ambivalent clingy attachment, manifesting a medium prevalence of social media addiction and a relatively equitable mental health profile. CONCLUSIONS The outcomes are aligned with previous research on internet and smartphone addiction, pointing out the relevance of an ambivalent closed attachment style in all three contexts. Therapeutic interventions for social media addiction should be developed and implemented considering these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Eichenberg
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Psychosomatics, Sigmund Freud Private University, Freudplatz 3, Vienna, 1020, Austria
| | - Raphaela Schneider
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Psychosomatics, Sigmund Freud Private University, Freudplatz 3, Vienna, 1020, Austria.
| | - Helena Rumpl
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Psychosomatics, Sigmund Freud Private University, Freudplatz 3, Vienna, 1020, Austria
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Raimondi G, Imperatori C, Gostoli S, Gremigni P, Innamorati M. Italian Validation of the Short Version of the Failure to Mentalize Trauma Questionnaire in Adults at Risk Due to Childhood Trauma. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:843. [PMID: 37887492 PMCID: PMC10604537 DOI: 10.3390/bs13100843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of recurrent traumatic experiences during childhood may impede the integration of mentalization abilities and lead to psychopathology. Recently, the Failure to Mentalize Trauma Questionnaire (FMTQ), a comprehensive 29-item self-report scale aimed at identifying deficits in mentalization arising from childhood trauma, was developed. However, the length of the FMTQ may render it impractical for epidemiological studies involving multiple variables and measures. Furthermore, the initial testing revealed inadequate factor reliabilities for the two first-order factors. Therefore, this study aimed to shorten and create a unidimensional version (FMTQ-s) and investigate its psychometric properties, including internal consistency and convergent and concurrent validity, in a non-clinical Italian adult sample. The factor analysis supported a 13-item unidimensional version of the FMTQ with acceptable internal consistency (ordinal alpha = 0.88) and satisfactory convergent and concurrent validity. The FMTQ-s obtained scalar invariance between individuals with and without self-reported childhood traumas. Overall, the FMTQ-s appears to be a feasible and reliable tool for assessing deficits in mentalization resulting from childhood trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Raimondi
- Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy; (G.R.); (C.I.)
- Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (S.G.); (P.G.)
| | - Claudio Imperatori
- Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy; (G.R.); (C.I.)
| | - Sara Gostoli
- Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (S.G.); (P.G.)
| | - Paola Gremigni
- Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (S.G.); (P.G.)
| | - Marco Innamorati
- Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy; (G.R.); (C.I.)
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TRAUMA AND THE DISRUPTION OF TEMPORAL EXPERIENCE: A PSYCHOANALYTICAL AND PHENOMENOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. Am J Psychoanal 2023; 83:36-55. [PMID: 36918715 DOI: 10.1057/s11231-023-09395-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
A deep understanding of the subjective experience of time in traumatized individuals may require a comprehensive framework that takes into account both psychoanalytic and phenomenological contributions. Referring to the retroactive interpretation of past experiences, the concept of Nachträglichkeit is critical to analyze how trauma can be signified in the form of the après-coup, in which the original traces of traumatic experiences are signified only at a later time. Trauma alters the temporal sequence of past, present, and future, thus leaving the psyche in a time-shifted dimension, where the shadow of the past extends over the present, and the unbearable present hinders growth and development. A clinical vignette is presented to illustrate how trauma can disrupt the temporal nature of subjective experience by reshaping the meaning of psychic events. Ultimately, trauma treatment aims at inscribing the person's experience into a unified and coherent self-narrative.
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Gori A, Topino E, Cacioppo M, Craparo G, Schimmenti A, Caretti V. An Integrated Approach to Addictive Behaviors: A Study on Vulnerability and Maintenance Factors. Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ 2023; 13:512-524. [PMID: 36975391 PMCID: PMC10047755 DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe13030039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the relationships among the variables involved in a Comprehensive Model of Addiction (CMA), which posits that the presence and severity of addictive behaviors are related to the configuration of seven psychological variables, namely childhood trauma, insecure attachment, affect dysregulation, dissociation, impulsivity, compulsiveness, and obsessiveness. A vulnerability model was proposed, in which it was suggested that affect dysregulation and complex trauma mediated the association between insecure attachment and dissociation. Furthermore, a maintenance model was elaborated, in which it was hypothesized that dissociation influenced affect dysregulation via impulsivity, compulsiveness, and obsessiveness. A clinical sample of 430 individuals with substance use disorder was involved. All participants received a DSM-5 clinical diagnosis of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders and were recruited from the Italian National Health System. A parallel mediation emerged, confirming the vulnerability model, with complex trauma and affect dysregulation mediating the relationship between insecure attachment and dissociation. Furthermore, a mixed serial–parallel mediation described the maintenance model, where impulsiveness, compulsiveness, and obsessiveness significantly mediated the relationship between dissociation and affect dysregulation. Our findings offer a better understanding of the variables associated with addictive disorders, thus providing important indications for both treatment and preventive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Gori
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, Pad. 26, 50135 Firenze, Italy
- Integrated Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Institute (IPPI), Via Ricasoli 32, 50122 Florence, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Eleonora Topino
- Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University of Rome, Via della Traspontina, 21, 00193 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Cacioppo
- Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University of Rome, Via della Traspontina, 21, 00193 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Craparo
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE—Kore University of Enna, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy
| | - Adriano Schimmenti
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE—Kore University of Enna, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Caretti
- Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University of Rome, Via della Traspontina, 21, 00193 Rome, Italy
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Musetti A, Pingani L, Zagaria A, Uberti D, Meli S, Lenzo V, Gori A, Franceschini C, Galeazzi GM. Insecure adult attachment and reflective functioning as mechanisms of the relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation: A path analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 13:985148. [PMID: 36248502 PMCID: PMC9561888 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.985148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between traumatic life events and increased suicide risk has been well reported in literature. However, the complex nature of suicidality phenomena still hinders our ability to comprehend the mediation mechanism underlying this association. In this study, we examined the mediating role of adult attachment and reflective functioning in the relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation. Nine hundred and fifty Italian adults completed an online survey evaluating traumatic life events, adult attachment, reflective functioning and suicidal ideation. The path analysis showed that the positive relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation was partially mediated by attachment anxiety and reflective functioning. From a clinical point of view, these results support the relevance of evaluating and improving patients’ ability to mentalize as a part of psychotherapeutic intervention aimed at reducing suicidality in people with a history of traumatic experiences and attachment anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Musetti
- Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- *Correspondence: Alessandro Musetti,
| | - Luca Pingani
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Dipartimento ad attività integrata Salute Mentale e Dipendenze Patologiche, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Andrea Zagaria
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
| | - Daniele Uberti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Salvatore Meli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Vittorio Lenzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Società e della Formazione d’Area Mediterranea, Università per Stranieri Dante Alighieri, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Alessio Gori
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Florence, Firenze, Italy
| | | | - Gian Maria Galeazzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Dipartimento ad attività integrata Salute Mentale e Dipendenze Patologiche, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
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Russo A, Santoro G, Schimmenti A. Interpersonal Guilt and Problematic Online Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation. CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2022; 19:236-247. [PMID: 36101646 PMCID: PMC9442854 DOI: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20220406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The positive association between problematic Internet use (PIU) and emotion dysregulation (ED) is well documented. Research has also found that interpersonal guilt is positively associated with ED. Nevertheless, the influence of interpersonal guilt on PIU has been scarcely examined. In the current study, we investigated the relationships among the three constructs, and tested if emotion dysregulation mediates the association between interpersonal guilt and different types of PIU, namely problematic online gaming, problematic social media use, and problematic online pornography use. METHOD A sample of 434 adult participants (210 males, 48.4%) aged between 18 and 69 years old completed self-reported measures on interpersonal guilt, ED, and PIU. A structural equation modeling (SEM) framework was used to test the mediation models. RESULTS SEM analyses showed that ED mediates the relationship between interpersonal guilt as antecedent, and problematic online gaming, problematic social media use, and problematic online pornography use as outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that emotion dysregulation deriving from experiences of interpersonal guilt can amplify the risk of using gaming, social media, and online pornography in a problematic way. Implications for prevention and treatment of PIU are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Russo
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy,Corresponding author Dr. Angela Russo, Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
| | - Gianluca Santoro
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE – Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy
| | - Adriano Schimmenti
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE – Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy
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