Are we overpathologizing everyday life? A tenable blueprint for behavioral addiction research

Emotional Intelligence and Behavioural Addictions: A Systematic Review

Background: The role of emotional intelligence on the experience of behavioural addictions is a growing area of research interest. However, there are operationalisation issues in studying both emotional intelligence and behavioural addictions separately. This review aims to report on the existing literature of studies exploring the relationship between these two concepts, and to identify gaps in research practice in order to inform future studies. Methods: A search, covering the date range of 2013-2024, conducted in five databases in August 2024 identified 43 articles, reported according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The findings are discussed under four subheadings: technology-related behavioural addiction, internet gaming disorder, eating disorders, and consumer behaviour and compulsive buying. Results: Overall, the results show that emotional intelligence is negatively correlated with behavioural addictions and plays both a moderating and mediating role in the associations between behavioural addictions and other negative outcomes such as suicidal ideation, rumination, fear of missing out, and depression. Conclusions: In addition to summarising studies and controversial discussions on emotional intelligence and behavioural addictions, this review suggests possible roadmaps to ensure more accurate research outcomes by highlighting the importance of theoretical and methodological distinctions between trait and ability models of emotional intelligence.

Wanting and liking of Facebook functions and their correlation to problematic use

A key question about social media use is whether it constitutes an addiction. A possible frame of reference to investigate this question is the Incentive Sensitizations Theory (IST), as it provides a solid empirical background to understand the motivational and hedonic aspects of problematic behaviors. A central assumption of IST that addiction-related cues play a pivotal role in addictive behaviors has remained relatively understudied in the context of social media use. Given that social media platforms are multifaceted applications, the aim of this study was to explore motivational and hedonic responses associated with cues from different features of Facebook and their correlation with problematic use, analyzing survey data of 1436 respondents. The study primary focused on (1) the relationship between Facebook usage time/frequency, wanting and liking, and problematic use, and (2) the wanting and liking of 10 different Facebook notifications and their correlation to problematic use. Results aligned with predictions of IST, showing a positive correlation between wanting and usage time/frequency and problematic use, while marginal and inconsistent correlation was found with liking. Various Facebook functions contribute differently to its addictive potential, with social-communication features having the highest and general information features the lowest impact. In summary, the findings indicate that excessive Facebook use is primarily driven by compulsive tendencies rather than positive emotions. Although this study doesn't conclusively determine if Facebook use can turn into an addiction, it appears that there are strikingly similar dynamics to substance use within the self-reported reflection of the motivational and hedonic systems.

Problematic Gaming and Gambling: A Systematic Review of Task-Specific EEG Protocols

Even though gaming and gambling bear similar problematic behavioral aspects, there are no recognizable neurophysiological biomarkers or features characterizing and/or distinguishing these conditions. A systematic review of the literature with a focus on methods was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (Web of Science Core Collection), EBSCOhost Research Databases (APA PsycINFO; APA PsycArticles; OpenDissertations; ERIC) databases. Following search terms were used to search the databases: ERP, "event related potential*", EP, "evoked potential*", SS, "steady state", EEG, electroencephal*; gam*. Data about the participants (total number, gender, age), main aim of the study and information about the experimental setup (experimental task description, stimuli used, ERPs measured (latency windows and placement of the electrodes), process evaluated) was extracted. A total of 24 studies were revised (problematic gaming - 16, pathological gambling - 8). The experimental protocols could be grouped into 3 main target domains (Cue-reactivity, General Information processing and Reward Processes & Risk Assessment). Sample-related limitations (small sample sizes, gender differences, differences between the groups regarding potential confounding variables) and heterogeneity regarding the experimental tasks, implementation and interpretation reviewed. Gambling-related research is highly focused on the investigation of the reward-related processes, whereas gaming-related research is mostly focused on the altered aspects of more general information processing. A vast heterogeneity regarding the ERP experimental paradigms being used and lack of clear guidelines and standardized procedures prevents identification of measures capable to reliably discriminate or characterize the population susceptible to addictive behavior or being able to diagnose and monitor these disorders.

Sense of Belonging at School and on Social Media in Adolescence: Associations with Educational Achievement and Psychosocial Maladjustment

Belongingness is a key factor in the psychological development and school adjustment of children and adolescents. Going beyond the existing literature, the present study evaluated the association between two sources of belongingness, namely sense of belonging at school (SOBAS) and on social media (SOBOSM), and both psychological maladjustment and educational achievement. Sample consisted of 698 early-to-late adolescents (52.3% female, mean age = 13.79 ± 2.09). Both SOBAS and SOBOSM showed negative direct associations with psychological maladjustment. SOBOSM showed a negative direct association with educational achievement. Social media addiction mediated the links between both SOBAS and SOBOSM and psychological maladjustment and education achievement. Overall, findings suggest that adolescents reporting high sense of belonging both at school and on social media may at lower risk for psychological maladjustment. However, adolescents reporting low SOBAS and high SOBOSM may also be a greater risk of SMA, possibly impacting their psychological health and school adjustement.

Psychometric evaluation and measurement invariance of the problematic smartphone use scale among college students: A national survey of 130 145 participants

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Given the insufficient validation of previously imported smartphone addiction scales in China, this study revised and evaluated the Problematic Smartphone Use Scale among Chinese college students (PSUS-C).

METHODS

We based our research on a national sample comprising 1324 higher education institutions and 130 145 participants. Using cross-sectional data, comprehensive methods were employed to examine validity, reliability and measurement invariance.

RESULTS

The final scale consists of 20 items across four dimensions: withdrawal and loss of control, negative impact, salience behaviors and excessive use. All Heterotrait-Monotrait (HTMT) values were below 0.85, and the lower 90% and upper 95% confidence intervals were also below 0.85, except for factors 1 and 3. The amount of variance (AVE) values were greater than 0.5, composite reliability (ω) values exceeded 0.89 and all factor loadings were above 0.5. The criterion validity was supported as expected: problematic smartphone usage positively correlated with depression (r = 0.451), loneliness (8 items, r = 0.455), loneliness (6 items, r = 0.504), social media use (r = 0.614) and phone usage duration (r = 0.148); and negatively correlated with life satisfaction (r = -0.218) and self-esteem (r = -0.416). Across sex, type of university and place of residence, the measurement invariance performed well, with most changes in root mean square error of approximation (ΔRMSEA), comparative fit index (ΔCFI) and Tucker-Lewis index (ΔTLI) values being less than 0.005, and no indicator showing a difference greater than 0.010.

CONCLUSIONS

The Problematic Smartphone Use Scale for College Students (PSUS-C) demonstrated good factor structure, internal consistency, construct validity, discriminant validity and criterion validity. Strict and structural invariance were demonstrated across sex, type of university and place of residence. The PSUS-C has the potential to assess smartphone addiction among Chinese university students.

Vitality structures in 'addictive' game design

For decades, research on technology use and mental health has been based on the assumption that identifiable structures of 'design' are psychologically relevant for their users. This has been central especially for the nosological emergence of 'behavioural addictions', which currently include two formal diagnoses on technology use: problems related to playing gambling games (gambling disorder) and videogames (gaming disorder). Alas, the research on identifying 'addictive' design structures has suffered from major construct validity issues. To make progress over those issues, I draw from the history of 'vitality affects' in psychiatry and introduce vitality structures as a design-phenomenological framework that can help researchers conceptualise psychologically relevant 'bonds' between entities of game design and corresponding player phenomenology. Vitality structures are not natural kinds to be discovered but pragmatic constructs to be used-and useful as long as they communicate what is both identifiable and empirically prevalent. As a demonstration of practice, I propose working conceptualisations of three vitality structures, which surface in videogames played by gaming treatment-seekers. Systematic research programs for identifying relevant vitality structures can lead to construct-valid and replicable design effects.

The Associations Between Attachment Insecurity and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder or Problematic Pornography Use: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties

Compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) was previously considered an attachment disorder, while emotion dysregulation was thought to potentially be a key characteristic of it. However, this theoretical model was not tested in previous empirical research. In our cross-sectional study, we tested whether emotional regulation (ER) difficulties can be adopted as an explanatory mechanism for the relationships between attachment avoidance and anxiety, as well as CSBD and its most prevalent behavioral presentation-problematic pornography use (PPU). Participants (n = 1002; Mage = 50.49 years, SD = 13.32; men: 50.2%) completed an online survey regarding the investigated variables. In mediation analyses, attachment avoidance and anxiety were treated as simultaneous predictors, ER difficulties as a mediating variable, with CSBD/PPU severity as dependent variables. Emotion regulation difficulties and attachment anxiety had a direct positive effect on both CSBD and PPU. The direct effect of attachment avoidance on PPU was non-significant, and significant for CSBD depending on the measure used. Moreover, all the relationships between both insecure attachment dimensions and CSBD/PPU symptom severity were at least partially mediated by ER difficulties. Our results corroborate the theoretical claim that ER difficulties may be a useful framework for explaining the impact of attachment insecurity on CSBD/PPU. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The dimensional validity and reliability of the Italian smartphone addiction inventory of Yemeni university students

The increasing usage of smartphones globally necessitates the creation of reliable and valid scales to evaluate their psychological effects, particularly within academic settings such as universities. The current study aimed to identify the factorial structure of the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) in the Republic of Yemen. The sample consisted of 1920 university students (1136 males and 784 females). The data was analyzed with the AMOS V25 statistical program. The results of the factor analysis supported the goodness of fit of the five-factor model to the data with excellent indices: RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.910, GFI = 0.931, AGFI = 0.915, TLI = 0.907, NFI = 0.915, RFI = 0.916, and RMR = 0.032, all of which are within the ideal range to support the goodness of fit of the model to the factorial structure of the inventory, as the values of the explained variances ranged between 0.740 and 0.834., with indices of reliability in measurement. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis revealed that four items loaded on the Time Spent factor, four items on the Compulsivity factor, eight items on the Daily Life Interference factor, five items on the Craving factor, and three items on the Sleep Interference factor, with all loadings being statistically significant (>0.001). Based on these findings, research direction and recommendations were provided.

Studyholism and Attachment Style: A Study among Italian University Students

Studyholism (or obsession with studying) is a new potential clinical condition introduced in the literature in 2017. Since then, growing research has supported its conceptualization as a clinical disorder and highlighted some potential intervention targets, namely trait worry, social anxiety, negative interpretation bias, and defense mechanisms. The present study aims to extend the literature concerning psychodynamic-related constructs that might constitute targets for interventions aimed at reducing Studyholism by investigating the role of attachment in 1073 students (Mage = 23.48 ± 3.77), balanced concerning civil status (i.e., currently being single or involved in a relationship/non-single). Among the main findings, we found that insecure attachment-mainly preoccupied attachment-is a positive predictor of Studyholism in both non-single and single students. However, there are also some differences depending on the civil status. Finally, (single) disengaged studyholics have a statistically significant lower level of secure attachment than (single) engaged studyholics. In conclusion, this study showed the value of distinguishing between non-single and single students when investigating the role of attachment. Regarding problematic overstudying specifically, the study provided support for its definition as a clinical disorder, also with evidence of the appropriateness of its OCD-related conceptualization. Finally, it suggests preoccupied (insecure) attachment as a target to reduce Studyholism by fostering in students the feeling of being loved and deserving of being loved in their current adult relationships.

Understanding the Emergence of Comorbidity between Problematic Online Gaming and Gambling: A Network Analysis Approach

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Problematic online gaming and gambling tend to co-occur. The exact mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and the potential effects of gender differences remain unknown. This study aimed to identify the early clustering patterns of problematic online gaming and gambling in a community sample of young adults without a lifetime history of psychiatric treatment.

METHODS

Data were collected through an online survey and analyzed using partial correlations and Bayesian networks.

RESULTS

Altogether, 1441 individuals (aged 18-40 years, 51.4% females) participated in the survey. Both problematic online behaviors were weakly interrelated, suggesting that they serve as distinct constructs. Men's networks appeared to be more complex and had significantly higher global connectivity. Moreover, men and women differed with respect to the specific nodes that bridged both constructs. In men, the bridge nodes were "being criticized because of betting or being told about gambling problems", "loss of previous interests due to gaming", "deceiving other people because of gaming", and "health consequences of gambling". Among women, the bridge nodes were "feeling guilty because of gambling", "loss of previous interests because of gaming", "social consequences of gaming", and "continued gaming problems with other people". In men, the strongest edge was found between "borrowing money/selling anything to gamble" and "financial problems because of gambling", while in women, the strongest edge appeared between "betting more than afforded to be lost" and "tolerance symptoms of gambling".

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that problematic online gaming and gambling tend to emerge in different ways among men and women. Therapeutic interventions should be planned considering gender differences.

Relationship between Problematic Internet Use and Depression in Young Latin American College Students

(1) Problematic Internet use (PIU) in young people is a topic of great interest both in the field of addictions and mental health, but scientific evidence is limited in Latin America. The aim was to analyze the relationship between PIU and depression in Latin American college students. (2) Methods: The sample consisted of 1828 college students (63.7% women), aged between 18-30 years (M = 21.64 years). (3) Results: PIU was detected in 40.2% of cases, and severe or moderately severe depression in 31.7%. Rates of severe depression in students with PIU were 3.02 times higher than in those without PIU (χ2(3) = 168.443; p < 0.000). The presence of PIU was also statistically significantly higher among youth with depressive symptoms. Linear and logistic regression models for predicting PIU, show how the depression level constitutes a risk factor for PIU: seven times higher for severe depression; more than five times higher for moderate depression; and more than two times for mild depression. (4) Conclusions: There is a clear association between depression and PIU, suggesting that a higher level of depression would act as a predictor of PIU. However, this finding is exploratory. Future studies should clarify the directionality of the relationship between both variables.

Studyholism as a New Potential OCD-Related Disorder: What Evidence Have We Gathered until Now? A Narrative Review

In 2017, Loscalzo and Giannini introduced the new potential clinical condition of studyholism (or obsession toward study) and a comprehensive model including its possible antecedents and outcomes. Then, emphasizing the value of avoiding an aprioristic (addiction) framework in analyzing problematic overstudying, they suggested conducting research on this new construct to unveil its internalizing and/or externalizing nature while also avoiding the over-pathologizing of a common behavior such as studying. Seven years after the first publication about studyholism, growing evidence concerning its antecedents suggested that studyholism might be defined as an OCD-related disorder (or, more generally, as an internalizing disorder). Moreover, the research about its outcomes highlighted that it is a problem behavior deserving attention as it is associated with academic, psychological, physical, and social downsides. Therefore, this paper aims to review the scientific literature published concerning studyholism to illuminate if it might be conceptualized as an OCD-related disorder based on its symptomatology, antecedents, and impact on individuals' academic, physical, and psychological functioning. Given that it is a new construct, it is of critical value to systematize the findings gathered until now as it can help scholars interested in students' well-being to have a clear understanding concerning the importance of screening studyholism since childhood, as this will help favor academic success and well-being and reduce the risk for school dropout. Finally, this paper presents an agenda for future research on studyholism, and it highlights the importance of further analyzing problematic overstudying using different theoretical perspectives (such as the behavioral addiction conceptualization) to unveil its real nature.

The Association Between Neuroticism and Problematic Social Networking Sites Use: The Role of Fear of Missing out and Self-Control

Problematic use of social networking sites (SNS) has a negative impact on mental health. It has been found that people who score high on neuroticism are especially vulnerable towards engaging with SNS in a problematic way but it is not clear which psychological mechanisms explain this relationship. We addressed this issue by examining the mediating role of fear of missing out and self-control in the relationship between neuroticism and problematic SNS use. For this purpose, we conducted a cross-sectional study (n = 151, 69.5% female, Mage = 26.23, SD = 7.52) and tested for parallel mediation using structural equation modelling. Neuroticism was found to be predictive of increased levels of problematic SNS use. Moreover, neuroticism was associated with both increased levels of fear of missing out and decreased levels of self-control. However, only fear of missing out was found to robustly mediate the relationship between neuroticism and problematic use of SNS. These findings suggest that fear of missing out could be an intervention target to prevent people scoring high on neuroticism from engaging in problematic SNS use.

Commentary: Technoference or parental phubbing? A call for greater conceptual and operational clarity of parental smartphone use around children

Recent years have seen a widespread integration of technology into the daily lives of families. Psychological science has recently started to focus on the use of smartphones by parents while they are engaged in parenting activities, a behavior known under the terms "phubbing," "technoference," "parental screen distraction," and various other terms. We argue that understanding the real impact of co-present smartphone use by parents is inhibited by problems related to the conceptualization and methodology employed in empirical studies. In the present commentary, we identify the features of current research that may contribute to the theory crisis and hamper the progress of psychological research. Specifically, we discuss the implications of (a) inconsistent conceptualization of the phenomenon and (b) suboptimal operationalizations that may prevent us from understanding what is being studied and call for greater consideration of definitional clarity and valid operationalization in future research.

Wellbeing and Problematic Smartphone Use: Serial Mediation of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

The relationship between wellbeing and Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) has been explored in the past, however, the role of the potential mediators of this association is a relatively neglected area of research. Therefore, the current study examined mindfulness and self-compassion as mediators of the relationship between wellbeing and PSU in 220 university students. WHO-5 Wellbeing Index, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale- State, Self-Compassion Scale- Short form and Smartphone Addiction Scale- Short version were used for assessing wellbeing, mindfulness, self-compassion, and PSU respectively. Wellbeing had a direct and indirect effect on PSU. In addition, results supported a serial mediation model where wellbeing was found to influence PSU via mindfulness and self-compassion in a sequential manner. The results expanded the Compensatory Internet Use Theory (CIUT) to understand PSU and have implications for the management of PSU.

Validation of the ACSID-11 for consistent screening of specific Internet-use disorders based on ICD-11 criteria for gaming disorder: A multitrait-multimethod approach

INTRODUCTION

With the inclusion of gaming disorder in the ICD-11, diagnostic criteria were introduced for this relatively new disorder. These criteria may be applied to other potential specific Internet-use disorders. The 11-item Assessment of Criteria for Specific Internet-use Disorders (ACSID-11) was developed for consistent screening of gaming disorder, online buying-shopping disorder, online pornography-use disorder, social networks-use disorder, and online gambling disorder. This study tested the construct validity of the ACSID-11, including convergent and divergent measures.

METHODS

The ACSID-11 measures five behavioral addictions with the same set of items by following the principles of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). The ACSID-11 was administered to a convenience sample of active Internet users (N = 1597) together with validated and established measures of each specific Internet-use disorder along with screeners for mental health. Included are the Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10), the Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS), the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and the Berlin Inventory of Gambling behavior - Screening (BIG-S). The ACSID-11 was compared convergently and divergently through a multitrait-multimethod approach along with contingency tables with the other Internet-use disorder screeners.

RESULTS

The multitrait-multimethod results shows that each behavior assessed with the ACSID-11 has moderate to strong correlations (r's from 0.462 to 0.609) with the scores of the corresponding established measures and, furthermore, positive correlations (r's from 0.122 to 0.434) with measures of psychological distress and further shows that the ACSID-11 can be used for a comprehensive assessment of different behaviors. The contingency tables reveal large divergences between the ACSID-11 and other screening instruments concerning the classification of problematic specific Internet use based on the given cut-off values.

CONCLUSION

The current work provides additional validation for the ACSID-11. Accordingly, this tool can be considered as reliable and valid for the simultaneous assessment of different Internet-use disorders: gaming disorder, online buying-shopping disorder, online pornography use disorder, social networks use disorder, and online gambling disorder. With a subsequent clinical validation of the scale and the proposed cut-off score, the ACSID-11 will be a thoroughly validated useful screening tool for clinical practice.

How adolescents lose control over social networks: A process-based approach to problematic social network use

Social networks (SNs) are immensely popular, especially among teenagers, yet our understanding of problematic SNs remains limited. Understanding motivations and patterns of use is crucial given the current prevalence of problematic SNs use. Perarles et al. (2020) distinguish two behavioral control modes: Model-Free Control, where actions are characterized by actions driven by immediate gratification without reflective consideration for long-term consequences, and Model-Based Control, enabling planned and goal-directed actions. Both control modes can lead to problematic social network use. This study aims to delve into problematic SNs use and the underlying motives behind adolescents' participation in SNs, drawing upon the theoretical proposal by Perales et al. (2020). We conducted four focus groups with adolescents aged 13-17 (50 % female; Mage = 14.5, SD = 1.75), comprising two public school and two Catholic private school groups. Thematic analysis using Atlas.ti software revealed three themes. The first uncovers characteristics of problematic SNs use, including withdrawal, increased usage time, impaired control, behavioral salience and attentional capture and cognitive hijacking. The second spotlights motives, emphasizing emotional regulation, finding out what is going on, and social interaction. The third theme explores consequences such as compromised academic performance and physical harm. In conclusion, addressing both motives and problematic behaviors present a more effective approach to confronting SNs use challenges and fostering healthier online experiences for adolescents.

Assessment and treatment of compulsive sexual behavior disorder: a sexual medicine perspective

INTRODUCTION

The addition of compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) into the ICD-11 chapter on mental, behavioral, or neurodevelopmental disorders has greatly stimulated research and controversy around compulsive sexual behavior, or what has been termed "hypersexual disorder," "sexual addiction," "porn addiction," "sexual compulsivity," and "out-of-control sexual behavior."

OBJECTIVES

To identify where concerns exist from the perspective of sexual medicine and what can be done to resolve them.

METHODS

A scientific review committee convened by the International Society for Sexual Medicine reviewed pertinent literature and discussed clinical research and experience related to CSBD diagnoses and misdiagnoses, pathologizing nonheteronormative sexual behavior, basic research on potential underlying causes of CSBD, its relationship to paraphilic disorder, and its potential sexual health consequences. The panel used a modified Delphi method to reach consensus on these issues.

RESULTS

CSBD was differentiated from other sexual activity on the basis of the ICD-11 diagnostic criteria, and issues regarding sexual medicine and sexual health were identified. Concerns were raised about self-labeling processes, attitudes hostile to sexual pleasure, pathologizing of nonheteronormative sexual behavior and high sexual desire, mixing of normative attitudes with clinical distress, and the belief that masturbation and pornography use represent "unhealthy" sexual behavior. A guide to CSBD case formulation and care/treatment recommendations was proposed.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical sexologic and sexual medicine expertise for the diagnosis and treatment of CSBD in the psychiatric-psychotherapeutic context is imperative to differentiate and understand the determinants and impact of CSBD and related "out-of-control sexual behaviors" on mental and sexual well-being, to detect forensically relevant and nonrelevant forms, and to refine best practices in care and treatment. Evidence-based, sexual medicine-informed therapies should be offered to achieve a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences.

Development of the Saini-Hodgins Addiction Risk Potential of Games (SHARP-G) Scale: An International Delphi study

Background and Objectives

As the gaming industry experiences exponential growth, concerns about gaming disorder (GD) also grow. It is crucial to understand the structural features of games that can interact with individual characteristics of gamers to promote GD. This research consolidates the views of an international body of panelists to create an assessment tool for gauging the addictive potential of distinct games.

Methods

Utilizing the iterative and structured Delphi method, an international panel of researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience were recruited to offer a multifaceted viewpoint on the addictive risk associated with specific structural elements in games. Two rounds of surveys facilitated consensus.

Results

The panel initially included 40 members-ten from research, eight from clinical settings, and 22 with lived experiences. The second round included 27 panelists-seven from research, eight from clinical settings, and 11 with lived experiences. The study identified 25 structural features that contribute to potentially addictive gaming patterns.

Discussion and Conclusions

Consensus was found for 25 features, which were distilled into a 23-item evaluation tool. The Saini-Hodgins Addiction Risk Potential of Games Scale (SHARP-G) consists of five overarching categories: 'Social,' 'Gambling-Like Features,' 'Personal Investment,' 'Accessibility,' and 'World Design.' SHARP-G yields a total score indicating level of addiction risk. A case study applying the scale to three games of differing perceived risk levels demonstrated that that score corresponded to game risk as expected. While the SHARP-G scale requires further validation, it provides significant promise for evaluating gaming experiences and products.

From everyday life to measurable problematic smartphone use: The development and validation of the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ)

Background and aims

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has gained attention, but its definition remains debated. This study aimed to develop and validate a new scale measuring PSU-the Smartphone Use Problems Identification Questionnaire (SUPIQ).

Methods

Using two separate samples, a university community sample (N = 292) and a general population sample (N = 397), we investigated: (1) the construct validity of the SUPIQ through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses; (2) the convergent validity of the SUPIQ with correlation analyses and the visualized partial correlation network analyses; (3) the psychometric equivalence of the SUPIQ across two samples through multigroup confirmatory factor analyses; (4) the explanatory power of the SUPIQ over the Short Version of Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV) with hierarchical multiple regressions.

Results

The results showed that the SUPIQ included 26 items and 7 factors (i.e., Craving, Coping, Habitual Use, Social Conflicts, Risky Use, Withdrawal, and Tolerance), with good construct and convergent validity. The configural measurement invariance across samples was established. The SUPIQ also explained more variances in mental health problems than the SAS-SV.

Discussion and conclusions

The findings suggest that the SUPIQ shows promise as a tool for assessing PSU. Further research is needed to enhance and refine the SUPIQ as well as to investigate its clinical utility.

Gaming Disorder: The role of a gamers flow profile

Digital games are widely popular and integral to contemporary entertainment. Nevertheless, a proportion of users present with disordered/excessive gaming behaviours, provisionally classified as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). Previous literature suggests examining the contribution of an individual's profile of immersive engagement with their gaming activity, known as online flow, for disordered gaming behaviours. Therefore, the main goals of this study were (1) to categorise gamers into distinct profiles based on their online flow experiences and (2) to investigate the differences in disordered gaming among these different flow profiles. A sample of 565 gamers (12-68 years, Mage = 29.3 years) was assessed twice over six months with the Online Flow Questionnaire (OFQ), the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF), and the Gaming Disorder Test (GDT). Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified five distinct profiles encompassing 'High-Flow with High Loss of Control' (HF-HLOC; 14.0 %), 'Low Flow with Low Enjoyment' (LF-LE; 11.9 %), 'Average Flow with Low Enjoyment' (AF-LE; 17.5 %), 'Low Flow with High Enjoyment' (LF-HE; 20.2 %), and 'High Loss of Sense of Time with Low Loss of Control' groups (HLOT-LLOC; 36.5 %). As hypothesised, individuals across varying profiles evidenced differences in their concurrent and longitudinal disordered gaming behaviours. Overall, findings suggest that 'loss of sense of time' may be the most pivotal factor in differentiating flow states and profiles during gaming, advocating its consideration in disordered gaming assessment and treatment.

Alexithymia in gaming addiction and engagement

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that alexithymia plays a significant role in substance and behavioral addictions. However, only a handful of studies investigated this construct in relation to gaming addiction, and no study analyzed its differential effect on gaming engagement and addiction.

METHODS

A total of u adult gamers (Mage = 26.04, SD = 5.78, 94 % male) completed a questionnaire that included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (and its subscales of difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and externally oriented thinking), the Addiction-Engagement Questionnaire, and additional questions about gender, age, and time spent gaming. Structural equation modeling was used as the main analytical strategy.

RESULTS

Difficulty identifying feelings (β = 0.28) and externally oriented thinking (β = 0.19) showed a significant positive effect on gaming addiction. Contrary to addiction, externally oriented thinking showed a significant negative effect (β = -0.21) on gaming engagement. No other alexithymia subscales were significant. The model with alexithymia explained 32.7 % of the variance in gaming addiction while only 10.4 % of gaming engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

Alexithymia is a strong predictor of gaming addiction. Gaming engagement seems to be a qualitatively different phenomenon that shows an opposite association with alexithymia than gaming addiction. However, both are related to increased time spent gaming. This suggests a need to distinguish between problematic vs. non-problematic excessive gaming as they have different associations with affect dysregulation.

Impact of mobile phones and wireless devices use on children and adolescents' mental health: a systematic review

Growing use of mobiles phones (MP) and other wireless devices (WD) has raised concerns about their possible effects on children and adolescents' wellbeing. Understanding whether these technologies affect children and adolescents' mental health in positive or detrimental ways has become more urgent following further increase in use since the COVID-19 outbreak. To review the empirical evidence on associations between use of MP/WD and mental health in children and adolescents. A systematic review of literature was carried out on Medline, Embase and PsycINFO for studies published prior to July 15th 2019, PROSPERO ID: CRD42019146750. 25 observational studies published between January 1st 2011 and 2019 were reviewed (ten were cohort studies, 15 were cross-sectional). Overall estimated participant mean age and proportion female were 14.6 years and 47%, respectively. Substantial between-study heterogeneity in design and measurement of MP/WD usage and mental health outcomes limited our ability to infer general conclusions. Observed effects differed depending on time and type of MP/WD usage. We found suggestive but limited evidence that greater use of MP/WD may be associated with poorer mental health in children and adolescents. Risk of bias was rated as 'high' for 16 studies, 'moderate' for five studies and 'low' for four studies. More high-quality longitudinal studies and mechanistic research are needed to clarify the role of sleep and of type of MP/WD use (e.g. social media) on mental health trajectories in children and adolescents.

Network analysis of DSM-5 criteria for gambling disorder: considering sex differences in a large clinical sample

BACKGROUND

The fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and its revised version (DSM-5-TR) propose severity levels for gambling disorder (GD) based on the number of criteria met. However, this taxonomy has some limitations. We aimed to assess the centrality of each criterion and its relationship by conducting a network analysis while considering sex differences.

METHODS

We performed a network analysis with the DSM-5 criteria for GD with data from 4,203 treatment-seeking patients (3,836 men and 367 women) diagnosed with GD who sought for treatment in a general tertiary hospital which has a unit specialized in behavioral addictions.

RESULTS

The withdrawal criterion ("Restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling") showed the highest centrality values in both sexes. In men, the second most central criterion was the tolerance criterion ("Needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement"); while among women, the second was the chasing losses criterion ("After losing money gambling, often returns another day to get even").

CONCLUSIONS

The most central criteria identified are associated with compulsivity-driven behaviors of the addictive process. Taking into account the high relevance and transitive capacity of withdrawal in both men and women, as well as tolerance in men, and chasing losses in women, the recognition and understanding of these symptoms are fundamental for the accurate diagnosis and severity assessment of GD.

Addicted to socialising and still lonely: A comparative, corpus-driven analysis of problematic social networking site use

Background and Aims

Problematic Social Networking Site Use (PSNSU) is not a formally recognised addiction, but it is increasingly discussed as such in academic research and online. Taking a quantitative, exploratory approach, this study aims to (1) determine whether PSNSU is presented like clinically defined addictions by the affected community and (2) address how well measurements of PSNSU fit with the thematic content found within the associated discourse.

Methods

Four corpora were created for this study: a corpus concerning PSNSU and three control corpora concerning established addictions, including Alcohol Use Disorder, Tobacco Use Disorder and Gaming Disorder. Keywords were identified, collocates and concordances were explored, and shared themes were compared.

Results

Findings show broad thematic similarities between PSNSU and the three control addictions as well as prominent interdiscursive references, which indicate possible confirmation bias among speakers.

Conclusions

Scales based upon the components model of addiction are suggested as the most appropriate measure of this emerging disorder.

Investigating the interplay between gaming disorder and functional impairments in professional esports gaming

The relationship between Gaming Disorder (GD) and the experience of functional impairments has received considerable theoretical attention in the recent past and current diagnostic approaches underscore the centrality of functional impairments as a requirement for GD diagnosis. However, there is limited empirical evidence illuminating the interplay between GD and functional impairments, particularly among specific vulnerable groups. The present study seeks to bridge this gap by investigating an English-speaking sample (N = 5198) comprising an age- and gender-matched group of Professional Gamers (PG, n = 2599) and Non-Professional Gamers (NPG, n = 2599) sub-sampled from a larger sample of 192,260 individuals. The results revealed that PG were at a greater risk for GD compared to NPG as the prevalence rate of GD among PG (3.31%) was significantly higher and almost doubled that of NPG (1.73%), with PG further exhibiting higher overall GD symptom-load and weekly time spent gaming compared to NPG. Furthermore, PG reported experiencing significantly higher frequency of gaming-related functional impairments compared to NPG, with the in particular affected areas for both PG and NPG being 'school and/or work', 'physical health', and 'family', with other key differences emerging in relation to other outcomes. Overall, the present findings show that not only GD symptom-load but also some functional impairment is higher in PG compared to NPG which highlights the need to develop and support prevention and intervention strategies for this at-risk population.

The social diagnoses of digital addictions: Technophobic ambivalences, the limits of the natural and imperatives of self-governance in the information age

The contemporary visibility of 'digital addictions' to online gaming, watching pornography, social media and so on suggests the discovery of some new form of technologically facilitated disease. Yet, what we actually see in the symptoms of these various behaviours when described as 'addictions' are a series of social problems that range from the interpersonal to the sociocultural. In the current article, I work to step outside of the individualising tendency of an addiction taxonomy to instead view digital addictions as a process of social diagnosis. In this way, digital addictions are understood as a reaction to historically and socioculturally informed forces. Specifically, I contend that a social diagnosis of the digital addiction concept tells us a great deal about contemporary cultural anxiety towards the ubiquity of digital media in our social worlds as it rubs up against concerns for productivity, socially lauded ideas of ostensibly 'natural' behaviours and worries about self-governance and self-control. I conclude with a series of pertinent questions about digital technologies, which are elided-if not actively foreclosed-within an addiction framework and which can better be made sense of by understanding digital addictions as a process of social diagnosis rather than the expression of a new kind of Internet borne illness.

New Addictions in Late Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: How Attachment Style May Predict Problematic Use of Social Networks and Binge-Watching

As behavioral addictions (BAs) significantly affect well-being, paying attention to the characteristics associated with their onset is relevant. Current studies suggest that BAs should be addressed from an adaptive-maladaptive continuum perspective to define what and how some behaviors became problematic. The multi-faceted nature of behaviors attributed to possible BA involves psychological and individual backgrounds (e.g., attachment style). Given its role in affecting personality processes, social development, and motivational drives, the attachment style would be involved in addiction-like behaviors from adolescence, defined as a critical period for BA onset. This study analyzed the association between the attachment dimensions and two possible BAs that can be included in an adaptive-maladaptive continuum (i.e., social network use and TV series watching). A sample consisting of 493 late adolescents/emerging adults (age range: 18-24) completed questionnaires assessing social network use, TV series watching, and attachment style. The results showed a positive association between problematic attachment styles and BAs. High worry and need for relationships (anxious attachment) would be risk factors for problematic social network use and relationships as secondary (avoidant attachment) would be a risk factor for problematic TV series watching. These findings suggest the importance of further analyzing the role of attachment styles and their dimensions in influencing behavioral expression early to prevent the occurrence of BA.

Depressive inclinations mediate the association between personality (neuroticism/conscientiousness) and TikTok Use Disorder tendencies

BACKGROUND

We introduce a novel measure for assessing TikTok overuse, called the TikTok Use Disorder-Questionnaire (TTUD-Q). As part of ongoing investigations into the suitability of the World Health Organization's (WHO) framework for diagnosing Gaming Disorder in the context of social media overuse, we developed this questionnaire by adapting the WHO framework, replacing the term "gaming" with "TikTok use".

METHODS

In order to address this question, we investigated the psychometric properties of the newly designed TTUD-Q and assessed its associations with the BFI-10 (assessing the Big Five of Personality) and the PHQ-8 (assessing depressive tendencies).

RESULTS

In this study, involving a final sample of 378 participants, we observed that higher levels of neuroticism were linked to greater tendencies toward TikTok Use Disorder (TTUD). Furthermore, we identified that this association was mediated by depressive tendencies. Similar trends emerged when investigating the relationship between lower levels of conscientiousness and higher TTUD tendencies, with depressive tendencies once again serving as a mediator.

DISCUSSION

Our research sets the foundation for future studies that should delve deeper into examining individual differences in TTUD using the WHO framework originally designed for Gaming Disorder.

Internet Use and Effects on Mental Well-being During the Lockdown Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Younger Versus Older Adults: Observational Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Majority of individuals, including both younger and older adults, had to adapt to digital means to cope with lockdown measures and pandemic-induced lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. While internet accessibility was beneficial during the pandemic, existing literature suggests that excessive use could lead to the rise of problematic internet use in adolescents and younger adults. However, the effects on older adults remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine differences in internet use during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and explore how age differences in mental health could be explained by time spent on the internet.

METHODS

A door-to-door survey of a nationally representative sample of 602 adults in Singapore was carried out using computer-assisted personal interviewing during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (October to November 2020). Participants were categorized into younger (21-59 years old) and older (60 years or above) age groups. We assessed self-reported measures of depression, anxiety, and stress; psychosocial adaptability; ability to perform essential activities; social support; health status; digital media use patterns, and time spent on the internet. Procedures complied with existing safe distancing measures.

RESULTS

Older adults reported being less able to use digital platforms to meet needs and acquire information updates compared with younger adults during the lockdown period of the pandemic. Older adults spent significantly less time on the internet for both work and personal uses per day (mean 146.00 min, SD 9.18 min) compared with younger adults (mean 433.27 min, SD 14.32 min). Significant age differences in depression, anxiety, and stress were found, with younger adults showing poorer mental health. Mediation analysis showed that age differences in depression, anxiety, and stress were partially explained by time spent on the internet. These variables together explained 43%, 40%, and 40% of the variances in depression, anxiety, and stress scores, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings showed that younger adults spent significantly more time on the internet compared with older adults during the lockdown phase of the pandemic. They were also ahead in their ability to use digital resources to meet needs and engage socially compared with older adults. Despite this, the mental health of younger adults was poor, and this was partially accounted for by the amount of time spent on the internet. Since past research suggests that excessive time spent on the internet could lead to disordered use, the benefits brought by digital technologies could have been attenuated during the lockdown phase of the pandemic. Considering this potential negative effect, it is imperative to educate both young and old adults in the appropriate use of information and communication technology.

Is Problematic Physical Activity (PPA) a Uni- or Multi-Dimensional Concept? A Bifactor Analysis of the Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R)

The study of exercise dependence, or as we prefer, problematic physical activity (PPA), faces both theoretical and methodological challenges. Different factorial solutions were obtained for the widely used Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R), leading us to question both its latent underlying construct and the interpretation of its factor solutions. Through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the use of a bifactor model (BCFA), we assessed the dimensionality of a French version of the EDS-R. We recruited 745 students from Paris Nanterre University, but we removed 88 responses (16.8%) to retain only those who (a) engaged in a moderate to high levels of physical activity, according to the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ; N = 494; 9.5%), and (b) completed the EDS-R. We used a final sample of 435 students (58.4% of the total population) for a factorial analysis of the EDS-R. We conducted a three-step CFA in Mplus, producing three models: (a) unidimensional, (b) second-order, and (c) bi-factor (BCFA). The results of the BCFA indicated that most EDS-R items were better indicators of a general factor than their respective group factors, except for the second factor measuring a withdrawal construct. These results add to an ongoing debate in the field of behavioral addiction as to how to better conceptualize and measure exercise dependence or PPA. Withdrawal appears to have a special position in this debate, since our BCFA suggested that it is the only specific sub-dimension of the EDS-R scale.

The Relationships between Effortful Control, Mind Wandering, and Mobile Phone Addiction Based on Network Analysis

BACKGROUND

The prevailing mobile phone use brought the problem of addiction, which might cause negative consequences. Effortful control and mind wandering were associated with addictive behavior. The present study aimed to investigate the dimension-level relationships between effortful control, mind wandering, and mobile phone addiction.

METHODS

A total of 1684 participants participated this study. The mobile phone addiction, effortful control, and mind wandering were measured through self-report scales, respectively. Dimension-level network of these psychological variables was estimated and bridge expected influence (BEI) values for each node was calculated.

RESULTS

Dimensions of mobile phone addiction, effortful control, and mind wandering exhibited distinct and complex links to each other. The node "activation control" exhibited the highest negative BEI value (BEI = -0.32), whereas "spontaneous thinking" showed the highest positive BEI value (BEI = 0.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Different dimensions of effortful control and mind wandering had varied yet significant connections with distinct dimensions of mobile phone addiction, facilitating understanding of the specific pathways underlying the three constructs. The identified dominant bridge nodes can provide potential targets for the intervention of mobile phone addiction.

The landscape of open science in behavioral addiction research: Current practices and future directions

Open science refers to a set of practices that aim to make scientific research more transparent, accessible, and reproducible, including pre-registration of study protocols, sharing of data and materials, the use of transparent research methods, and open access publishing. In this commentary, we describe and evaluate the current state of open science practices in behavioral addiction research. We highlight the specific value of open science practices for the field; discuss recent field-specific meta-scientific reviews that show the adoption of such practices remains in its infancy; address the challenges to engaging with open science; and make recommendations for how researchers, journals, and scientific institutions can work to overcome these challenges and promote high-quality, transparently reported behavioral addiction research. By collaboratively promoting open science practices, the field can create a more sustainable and productive research environment that benefits both the scientific community and society as a whole.

Longitudinal relationship between internet self-control and problematic internet use among Chinese adolescents: mediating role of meaning in life

Introduction

While studies indicate that high self-control may serve as a safeguard against problematic internet use, there's evidence suggesting that problematic internet use can, in turn, diminish self-control. This study aimed to elucidate the longitudinal interplay between internet self-control and problematic internet use in adolescents, employing cross-lagged panel modeling. Furthermore, drawing from a positive psychology perspective, we examined the potential role of 'meaning in life' as a protective mediator within this longitudinal relationship. We then constructed a mediation model to explore protective factors against problematic internet use.

Methods

Through a questionnaire, we tracked 659 adolescents (331 males and 328 females; mean age=13.61) in a longitudinal design across two time points, spaced at five-month intervals, to assess their internet self-control, problematic internet use, and meaning in life.

Results

Results of the cross-lagged panel models showed that: Internet self-control had a significant negative impact on problematic internet use after five months (β = -0.094, p < 0.01). Conversely, problematic internet use had a significant negative impact on internet self-control after five months (β = -0.099, p < 0.05). Results from the longitudinal mediation model showed that: Meaning in life mediated the effect of internet self-control on problematic internet use after five months (βinternet self-control(T1)-meaning in life(T2) = 0.142, p < 0.01; βmeaning in life(T1)-problematic internet use (T2) = -0.075, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our study uncovers a reciprocal predictive relationship between internet self-control and problematic internet use, while highlighting the mediating role of meaning in life within this relationship. These findings suggest that fostering internet self-control and cultivating a sense of meaning in life among adolescents can serve as effective prevention and intervention strategies for addressing the issue of problematic internet use.

The emerging evidence on the association between symptoms of ADHD and gaming disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The co-existence of gaming disorder (GD) with other mental health problems has been widely reported. Despite the growing research interest in the comorbidity of GD with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to date, no quantitative synthesis has been performed. The present study comprised a systematic literature search using Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. Three types of studies were included in the analyses: studies reporting (i) correlation coefficients between the symptoms of GD and ADHD, (ii) means, and standard deviations for comparison of GD severity between ADHD/non-ADHD individuals, and (iii) comparison of ADHD severity between GD/non-GD individuals. The results indicated a moderate relationship between GD and ADHD symptom severity when both subdomains of ADHD were combined (r = 0.296), and also when only inattention (r = 0.306) or hyperactivity (r = 0.266) symptoms were analyzed, which was also confirmed in a structural equation model meta-analysis. Studies showed a large average difference comparing the GD symptom severity of ADHD and non-ADHD individuals (g = 0.693), or ADHD symptom severity of GD and non-GD individuals (g = 0.854). In some cases, higher estimates of association were reported among studies that (i) had a higher proportion of males, (ii) assessed problematic internet use among predominantly videogame player samples rather than assessing only GD, and (iii) had been more recently published. The present review shows that this is an emerging field demonstrating significant results in cross-sectional correlational studies. However, future research should apply more rigorous methodologies to investigate the relationship further (e.g., longitudinal studies and studies using professional/clinical ratings and diagnosis). These results suggest that screening and treatment for ADHD among individuals with gaming disorder is necessary, and individuals with ADHD should be made aware of their higher susceptibility to gaming disorder.

Gaming passion contributes to the definition and identification of problematic gaming

Even if for most people playing video games is a healthy leisure activity, a minority of vulnerable users present an excessive use associated to negative consequences (e.g., psychosocial maladjustment, sleep interference) and functional impairment. The current study first aims to identify psychological factors that contribute to discriminate highly involved (but healthy) gamers from problematic gamers. For that purpose, we used a cluster analysis approach to identify different groups of gamers based on their profiles of passion towards gaming (using the Dualistic Model of Passion). Another objective of the present study is to explore, using supervised machine-learning, how gaming disorder symptoms, assessed within the substance use disorder framework (e.g., tolerance, withdrawal), might be linked to harmonious and/or an obsessive passion for gaming. Three distinct clusters of gamers were identified based on their passion profiles, including risky gamers, engaged gamers, and casual gamers. Supervised machine-learning algorithms identified that specific gaming disorder symptoms (salience, mood modification, tolerance, low level of conflict) were predominantly related to harmonious passion, whereas others (withdrawal, high level of conflict, relapse) were more directly related to obsessive passion. Our results support the relevance of person-centered approaches to the treatment of problematic gaming.

Has the prevalence of problematic social media use increased over the past seven years and since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic? A meta-analysis of the studies published since the development of the Bergen social media addiction scale

Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) has been defined as the lack of regulation of one's use of social media associated with negative outcomes in everyday functioning. Previous meta-analyses reported PSMU prevalence before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and based the estimates on the cut-off scores, which are debatable in the current fields. The present meta-analysis aims to explore whether PSMU, as assessed by the most used self-report scale (i.e., the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale; BSMAS), increased across the world (i) since the first published study on this topic (i.e., in the last seven years), (ii) since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (iii) depending on age, gender and the income level of the countries. The meta-analysis involved 139 independent samples with 133,955 respondents from 32 countries spanning seven world regions. The results show that PSMU: (i) is significantly higher in low-income countries (LIC); (ii) did not increase in the last 7 years overall and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, except for LIC; (iii) did not vary depending on age and gender. The higher prevalence of PSMU reported during the COVID-19 pandemic by some single studies may have been a transient phenomenon to cope with physical distances in some countries, whilst, in others, an overall increase of PSMU occurred. High levels of PSMU in LIC might be explained based on socio-cultural differences between countries, but also with the higher prevalence of mental disorders in LIC since PSMU might be a symptom of other, more primary psychiatric disorders.

Social media use and everyday cognitive failure: investigating the fear of missing out and social networks use disorder relationship

BACKGROUND

Nearly five billion individuals worldwide are using social media platforms. While the benefits of using social media, such as fostering social connections, are clear, ongoing discussions are focused on whether excessive use of these platforms might have adverse effects on cognitive functioning. Excessive social media use shares similarities with addictive behaviors and is believed to result from a complex interplay of individual characteristics, emotions, thoughts, and actions. Among these contributing factors, one of particular interest is the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), a state where an individual apprehends that others are experiencing rewarding moments in their absence (but see more information on the FoMO trait/state debate in this article).

METHODS

In this study, we aimed to explore the intricate relationships between FoMO, tendencies towards Social Networks Use Disorder (SNUD), and everyday cognitive failures. To achieve this, we gathered a large sample of N = 5314 participants and administered a comprehensive set of questionnaires. These included a Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) scale, which assessed both trait and state aspects of FoMO, the Social Networking Sites-Addiction Test (SNS-AT), designed to gauge tendencies towards SNUD, and the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ), which measured everyday cognitive lapses.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that among non-users of social media, both FoMO and everyday cognitive failures were at their lowest levels. Further, in the group of social media users, we observed a significant relationship between FoMO and cognitive failures, which was mediated by SNUD tendencies. This mediation was particularly pronounced for the state component of FoMO, which encompasses maladaptive thoughts related to online behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

While our study is cross-sectional and thus cannot establish causality, one plausible interpretation of our findings is that higher FoMO tendencies may trigger excessive social media use, which in turn could lead to cognitive failures, possibly due to distraction and reduced attention to everyday tasks.

Operationalization and measurement of compulsivity across video gaming and gambling behavioral domains

BACKGROUND

Compulsivity is the hallmark of addiction progression and, as a construct, has played an important role in unveiling the etiological pathways from learning mechanisms underlying addictive behavior to harms resulting from it. However, a sound use of the compulsivity construct in the field of behavioral addictions has been hindered to date by the lack of consensus regarding its definition and measurement. Here we capitalize on a previous systematic review and expert appraisal to develop a compulsivity scale for candidate behavioral addictions (the Granada Assessment for Cross-domain Compulsivity, GRACC).

METHODS

The initial scale (GRACC90) consisted of 90 items comprising previously proposed operationalizations of compulsivity, and was validated in two panel samples of individuals regularly engaging in gambling and video gaming, using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and convergence analyses.

RESULTS

The GRACC90 scale is unidimensional and structurally invariant across samples, and predicted severity of symptoms, lower quality of life, and negative affect, to similar degrees in the two samples. Additionally, poorer quality of life and negative affect were comparably predicted by compulsivity and by severity of symptoms. A shorter version of the scale (GRACC18) is proposed, based on selecting the 18 items with highest factor loadings.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support the proposal that core symptoms of behavioral addictions strongly overlap with compulsivity, and peripheral symptoms are not essential for their conceptualization. Further research should clarify the etiology of compulsive behavior, and whether pathways to compulsivity in behavioral addictions could be common or different across domains.

The latent profile analysis of Chinese adolescents' gaming disorder: examination and validation

BACKGROUND

Gaming disorder is a new disease, which is included in the disease unit of disorder caused by addiction in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases. This study examined the symptom characteristics of gaming disorders in Chinese adolescents using the latent profile analysis.

METHODS

Totally, 5988 students (including 3285 boys and 2703 girls; aged 12-18 years) from junior high schools and senior high schools were enrolled. The Gaming Disorder Symptom Questionnaire-21 (GDSQ-21) was used to screen gaming disorder. A latent profile analysis was used for classifying the subgroups based on the extent of gaming usage. The relationship between adolescent gamers and demographic variables was analyzed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

The results of latent profile analysis supported the models of four latent profiles, which were defined as healthy gamers (Profile 1, 56.83%), impaired control gamers (Profile 2, 26.09%), impaired control-game priority gamers (Profile 3, 9.72%) and gamers with disorder (Profile 4, 7.36%), respectively. Logistic regression analysis found that, compared with girls, boys were more likely to be classified into the group dominated by the impaired gamers, the impaired control-game priority gamers, and the gamers with disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlighted that the latent profile analysis identified four different groups of adolescent gamers, showing a clearer conceptualization of heterogeneous gamers. Gender and average weekly gaming time can predict the latent profile of adolescents. Our findings may facilitate the design of individualized assessment and early intervention programs for adolescent gamer users based on different gaming usage symptoms.

Restricting social networking site use for one week produces varied effects on mood but does not increase explicit or implicit desires to use SNSs: Findings from an ecological momentary assessment study

Recent research on the addictive potential of modern technologies such as the internet, smartphones, or social networking sites (SNSs) has suggested that emotional and motivational changes associated with the sudden discontinuation of engagement with the technology mirror the aversive consequences seen when drug use is ceased abruptly. This has been observed even in moderate users and interpreted as a manifestation of withdrawal, an important marker of physical dependence in substance use disorders. On the other hand, a growing literature emphasises the positive effects of "digital detox" on mental health and well-being. Using a battery of affective and motivational measures, both explicit and implicit, the present study tracked the effects of a week of significantly reduced SNS use in moderate to heavy SNS users (N = 51). Our pre-registered analyses showed that the intervention elicited affective changes neither consistent with a general withdrawal syndrome (i.e., increased negative affect and cravings) nor with a general beneficial effect on well-being: While our data indicated some abstinence-related decreases of negative affect and boredom, they also showed a reduction of positive affect. These changes occurred regardless of problematic/addictive use behaviours. Importantly, restricting SNS use for one week had no effect on implicit measures of SNS use motivation (i.e., approach biases, time distortion and effort expenditure for SNS access) nor did it influence explicit cravings and SNS cue-reactivity. Together our findings suggest that restricting SNS use has nuanced and potentially offsetting effects on well-being. These could arise because use reduction may concurrently remove experiences that trigger negative emotions (e.g., upward social comparisons or Fear of Missing Out) but also those that elicit positive emotions (e.g., social approval). The hypothesised lack of a net effect on well-being would be consistent with our finding that voluntary reduction of SNS use does not mitigate or exacerbate SNS-related urges.

Development of a Novel Method of Assessing Potential Loss of Control in Internet Gaming Disorder

As video game play has increased in popularity, so too have reports that a subset of individuals play games in a way that causes negative consequences to their lives, which has resulted in the proposed inclusion of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a formal mental health diagnosis. Given the mass popularity of video games, it is critical that screening materials for this proposed disorder are sufficiently sensitive to ensure that individuals who suffer harm are identified, while those who do not are not mislabeled as such. Here we examined the extent to which participants' responses to a typical IGD questionnaire predicted academic behaviors that could be associated with harm. We recruited 42 college students and tracked their gaming and studying habits weekly over the course of one semester, taking particular note of weeks in which participants did or did not have exams. We predicted that college students overall would spend less time engaging with video games and more time with academics when they had exams, but such modulations would be smaller among individuals with more initial IGD symptoms (i.e., the "more IGD symptoms" group, as compared to the "fewer IGD symptoms" group, would show loss of control). We did not find that college students overall spent less time engaging with video games and more time with academics when they had exams, but post-hoc effect size analyses indicated that our study was underpowered. Implications of potential results using this methodology are discussed and estimates of powerful sample sizes are provided.

What Adolescents Have to Say about Problematic Internet Use: A Qualitative Study Based on Focus Groups

In this paper, the study presented is designed to gain a deeper insight into how adolescents describe, understand, and suggest dealing with Problematic Internet Use (PIU). Eight focus groups were activated with a total of 70 students from the 9th and 11th grades (Mean Age = 15.53 ± 1.202; Female = 44.4%) in four different schools in Southern Italy. A Thematic Analysis was applied to the verbatim transcripts, and seven macro-categories were identified throughout the discourses collected: definition of PIU, symptomatology, impact, determinants, intervention strategy, opportunities and limits of the digital world, and needs that adolescents try to satisfy by surfing the net and which the offline world does not fulfill. Participants converge in seeing PIU in terms of addiction but adopt heterogeneous viewpoints in talking about the reasons for problematic engagement and possible preventive intervention strategies. In the overall picture emerging from the responses, PIU appeared to be the outcome of a psychological dynamic emerging from the interaction of individual, interpersonal, and sociocultural dimensions.

On fear of missing out, social networks use disorder tendencies and meaning in life

Much research has been conducted on the association between social networks use disorder tendencies (SNUD; i.e. problematic social media use) and well-being. In more detail, a meta-analysis and further research suggest an inverse association between higher SNUD tendencies and lower well-being. In existing studies on social media use and well-being, this association has often been investigated by asking participants about their life satisfaction and/or emotional well-being. A path that has only recently been used to shed further light on SNUD tendencies is the assessment of meaning in life. Against this background, the present study aimed to investigate both the search for and presence of meaning in life in the context of SNUD tendencies in 955 participants. To the best of our knowledge and beyond what has been mentioned, this study is the first to investigate the links between meaning in life variables and state/trait fear of missing out (FoMO), with FoMO being a critical variable known to be linked to the overuse of digital technologies. In a structural equation model, we observed that associations between FoMO and meaning in life variables was mediated by SNUD tendencies. Although the present study is of cross-cultural nature and cannot establish causality, it might be the case that proneness to FoMO might trigger SNUD tendencies and as a consequence, results in more search for meaning in life, while hindering presence of meaning in life.

Investigating mental representations of psychoactive substance use and other potentially addictive behaviors using a data driven network-based clustering method

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aim of the present study was to examine the mental representations of the use of different substances and other potentially addictive behaviors in order to explore meaningful similarities and differences that may contribute to a better understanding of behavioral addictions' representations and diagnostic criteria.

METHODS

The authors mapped the mental and emotional representations of 661 participants (70.5% women; Mage = 35.2 years, SD = 11.7) to the concept "your most disturbing excessive activity" using free-word associations combined with a network-based clustering method.

RESULTS

The network analyses identified four distinct mental representations, three implicating dominantly negative (Guilt/Shame/Relief, Addiction/Health, and Procrastination/Boredom) and one dominantly positive emotion (Stress/Relaxation). The distribution of Addiction/Health and Procrastination/Boredom representations were different across substance use and problem behaviors, indicating meaningful differences in the underlying cognitive evaluation processes. The Addiction/Health representation was more frequent for substances, while for other addictive behaviors, the Procrastination/Boredom representation was more frequent, and its frequency increased with the self-reported intensity of the behavior. Guilt/Shame/Relief was equally common for both substances and behaviors, but importantly, for substances its' likelihood increased with the intensity of use.

CONCLUSION

The common part of representations for substance use and other potentially addictive behaviors supports the scientific viewpoint, that real addictions can exist even in the absence of psychoactive drugs. Based on the results, a novel proposition is posited, that a more appropriate indicator of tolerance for problem behaviors might be the perceived amount of time wasted on the activity rather than the actual time spent.

The association between depression and addictive social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of sense of control

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 precipitated a plethora of mental health difficulties, particularly for those with pre-existing mental health concerns such as depression or addictive tendencies. For some, the distress that emanated from the experience of the pandemic prompted excessive engagement in the safety of online interactions on social media. The present study examined whether variation in individuals' sense of control explained the association between depression and addictive social media use.

METHOD

A sample of 1322 participants from two Middle Eastern nations provided data collected during the peak of the pandemic from February to May 2021. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling were used to recruit and collect data from college-aged students enrolled at two universities in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, respectively. This study adopted a cross-sectional design in which participants completed a self-administered survey that consisted of measures that assessed depressive affect, sense of control, and addictive social media use.

RESULTS

Depression was significantly and positively associated with addictive SMU. Sense of control was negatively related to both depression and SMU and significantly mediated the association between these two variables (β = .62, SE = .03, 95%CI .56, .68).

CONCLUSION

This study identified a potential protective variable that could be targeted by psychological treatment to ameliorate the potential onset of addictive SMU in individuals with depressive symptoms under conditions of immense psychological distress such as a worldwide pandemic.

Mapping the links between sexual addiction and gambling disorder: A Bayesian network approach

Contemporary literature and recent classification systems have expanded the field of addictions to include problematic behaviours such as gambling and sexual addiction. However, conceptualisation of behavioural addictions is poorly understood and gender-based differences have emerged in relation to how these behaviours are expressed. The current research conducted partial-correlation and Bayesian network analyses to assess the symptomatic structure of gambling disorder and sexual addiction. Convenience community sampling recruited 937 adults aged 18 to 64 years (315 females, Mage = 30.02; 622 males, Mage = 29.46). Symptoms of problematic behaviours were measured using the Online Gambling Disorder Questionnaire (OGDQ) and the Bergen Yale Sex Addiction Scale (BYSAS). Results indicate distinct gender-based differences in the symptom networks of sexual addiction and gambling disorder, with a more complex network observed amongst men for both conditions. Addiction salience, withdrawal and dishonesty/deception were important components of the addictive network. Interpersonal conflict was more central for women while intrapsychic conflict a more prominent issue for men. Differences in the two symptom networks indicate separate disorders as opposed to a single underlying construct. Treating practitioners and community initiatives aimed at addressing sexual addiction and disordered gambling should consider gender, when designing educational or therapeutic interventions.

Correlation Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Internet Gaming Disorder or Gaming Disorder

OBJECTIVE

Individuals with internet gaming disorder (IGD) or gaming disorder (GD) had a higher prevalence of ADHD than individuals without IGD or GD. The overpathologizing of excessive gaming behaviors may be associated with the functional impairment due to ADHD in individuals with GD.

METHODS

The present study was designed to compare the gaming patterns, accompanying psychopathology, and co-occurring psychiatric disorders, especially ADHD, between clinical and general gamer samples (17-29 years old).

RESULTS

Out of the nine IGD criteria, the item "functional impairment" had low diagnostic accuracy in participants with IGD or GD. The IGD (GD) group had a higher prevalence of ADHD compared to the general gamer group. Conversely, there was a higher prevalence of IGD (GD) in the ADHD group compared to the non-ADHD group.

DISCUSSION

The possibility of ADHD should be considered when IGD or GD is diagnosed in patients with problematic Internet gaming.

I feel addicted to watching TV series: association between binge-watching and mental health

Background

Binge-watching (BW) is the consecutive viewing of three or more episodes of the same series in one sitting. Although some negative effects on mental health were evidenced, the continuum of BW from leisure activity to problematic behavior is still unclear. This study aimed to analyze mental health (depression, trait anxiety, social anxiety, impulsivity, alexithymia) of people involved in different expressions of BW.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey collected data from 482 respondents. According to a validated BW questionnaire, participants were divided into Problematic BW, Moderate BW, Non-BW, and No-viewer, and differences between groups were tested on psychological dimensions assessed via standardized questionnaires evaluating: trait and social anxiety, depression, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation.

Results

An association between problematic BW and worse mental health conditions was evidenced, and a positive effect of non-problematic BW was supported. A negative linear trend from the BW as a leisure activity to problematic BW was marked, indicating how a possible maladaptive behavior orientation of BW in specific mental health conditions could be figured out as a behavioral addiction.