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

Exploring Gender Differences in Internet Addiction and Psychological Factors: A Study in a Spanish Sample

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Internet addiction (IA) and related behaviors, such as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and social media addiction (SMA), have gained increasing research attention. Studies show gender differences, with males more likely to develop gaming-related addictions and females more prone to social media and phubbing behaviors. This study aimed to explore gender differences in Internet addiction and related behaviors in a Spanish sample, with the goal of identifying predictors and gender-specific patterns of IA.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study with 585 participants (265 male, 320 female) aged 18 to 35 years (M = 22.11, SD = 3.08). Data were collected using standardized questionnaires to assess IA, IGD, SMA, phubbing, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), emotional dysregulation, personality traits, and prosociality. Correlation and regression analyses were used to identify gender-specific predictors of IA.

RESULTS

Males exhibited significantly higher scores for IA and IGD, while females showed higher scores for SMA and the "phone obsession" dimension of phubbing. No significant gender differences were found in the "communication disturbance" dimension of phubbing or in FoMO. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between IA and psychological as well as technological variables. Gender-specific predictors of IA included social media engagement and emotional regulation for females, while gaming behaviors and communication patterns were more relevant for males.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight gender differences in IA, suggesting that tailored interventions should address unique online behaviors and emotional regulation challenges in males and females. Future research should refine gender-specific patterns to develop more effective, targeted prevention and treatment strategies.

Understanding the relationships among adolescents' internet dependence, reward, cognitive control processing, and learning burnout: a network perspective in China

Alterations in the reward and cognitive control systems are commonly observed among adolescents with internet dependence (ID), and this impairment is often accompanied by social dysfunctions, such as academic burnout. However, the intercorrelations among ID, reward, cognitive control processing, and learning burnout remain unclear. We recruited 1074 Chinese adolescents to investigate the complex interrelationships among these variables using network analysis. The resulting network revealed patterns that connected ID to the behavioral inhibition/activation system (BIS/BAS), self-control, and learning burnout; these results exhibited reasonable stability and test-retest consistency. Throughout the network, the node of BAS-drive was the critical influencing factor, and the node of self-control was the protection factor. In addition, several symptoms of learning burnout and ID were positively associated with sensitivity to punishment. As revealed by the network comparison test, the network constructed among internet dependent (ID) group differed from the network constructed among internet nondependent (IND) group not only in the edges between BIS and learning burnout but also in terms of the edges associated with learning burnout. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the complex mechanisms underlying ID among adolescents from the perspective of the network relationships between core influencing factors and negative consequences. It validates the dual-system model of risky behavior among adolescents and offers a foundation for early warning and interventions for ID in this context.

Examining the interplay between physical activity, problematic internet use and the negative emotional state of depression, anxiety and stress: insights from a moderated mediation path model in university students

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Problematic Internet Use (PIU), emotional states of stress, anxiety and depression, and the practice of physical activity among Tunisian students.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data were collected from 976 university students aged 20.76 ± 1.63 years (46.8% female). They filled out an online survey comprised of a socio-demographic questionnaire, the depression, anxiety and stress scale- 21 items (DASS-21), the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) and the compulsive internet use scale (CIUS). Students were divided, based on their economic levels, into three groups: low (n = 256, 26.23%), medium (n = 523, 53.59%) and high (n = 197, 20.18%).

RESULTS

Mediation analysis: Indirect effects of IPAQ and gender on DASS-21 were highlighted: β= -0.18 (p < 0.01) and β= -0.04, P < 0.01) respectively. In addition, a significant and negative effect of IPAQ on CIUS was demonstrated (β = -0.45, P < 0.01). In addition, the effect of CIUS on DASS-21 was significant (β = 0.39, P < 0.01). Also, the effect of gender on CIUS was significant (β=-0.10, P < 0.01) However, its effect on DASS-21 was not significant (β = 0.05, p = 0.078). The total effect of IPAQ on DASS21 was significant (β= -0.52, p < 0.01) but the effect of Gender on DASS-21 was not significant (β = 0.01, p = 0.817). Moderation analysis: the results showed a significant moderation effect of the interaction between IPAQ and Gender on CIUS (β = 0.07, p < 0.01). However, it was not significant between Gender and CIUS on DASS-21 (β = 0.09, p = 0.390) and between IPAQ and Gender on DASS21 (β = 0.01, p = 0.736) Also, the interaction between IPAQ and CIUS did not have a significant moderation effect on DASS-21 (β = 0.15, p = 0.115).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that relationships between PIU and negative emotional state of depression, anxiety and stress are mediated via physical exercise. These results underscore the importance of the physical activity factor in the studies analyzing longitudinal effects of PIU on mental health outcomes.

Validation of the brief screening of Social Network Addiction Risk

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to develop a valid and reliable tool to evaluate social network behavior in young adults.

METHODS

To validate the Brief screening for Social Network Addiction Risk (BSNA), data from 776 Italian young adults (64.3 % of women) were collected. The suitability of the instrument was statistically assessed. Experts' opinions, item reliability, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and convergent validity were adopted to validate the BSNA items. Internal consistency coefficients were also calculated.

RESULTS

According to the statistical analyses, a 2-factor structure was confirmed. The two scales of BSNA assess behavior and motivation frame of social networks use. The second order model proved a global score of risk of social network addiction. Fit indices highlighted the high goodness of the model. Preliminary analyses of prevalence estimated that about 18 % of participants reported problematic Social Network use, which may overtime represent a marker of addictive behavior.

CONCLUSION

The final version of the BSNA, with 11 items evaluated on a 5-point Likert- scale, is a short but valid tool for measuring the risk of social network addiction. It represents a promising screening tool aimed to not overpathologize a behavior, but to furnish adequate insight into this phenomenon.

The Association Between Child Abuse and Internet Addiction: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis

Child abuse is an important factor for Internet addiction. Despite numerous researches had observed there was a positive correlation between child abuse and Internet addiction, the strength of this association differed considerably in the previous studies. This study aims to obtain reliable estimates for effect sizes and investigate the potential moderator of the association between child abuse and Internet addiction. Thirty-one studies reported the association between child abuse and Internet addiction (273 effect sizes and 55,585 participants) through a systematic literature search. Based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis approach, a three-level model was employed to conduct a three-level meta-analysis. The current meta-analysis found that child abuse was significantly positively correlated with Internet addiction. Besides, the study found that the type of child abuse and publication year had significant moderating effects on the association between child abuse and Internet addiction. This study suggested child abuse was a risk factor for Internet addiction. Moreover, child abuse is an essential factor should be considered when strengthening interventions for individuals' Internet addiction.

The Mediating Effect of Coping Strategies and Emotion Regulation in the Relationship between Impulsivity, Metacognition, and Eating Disorders

BACKGROUND

Risk factors for eating disorders are multifaceted and complex, so it is crucial to elucidate the role of executive functions, including impulsivity and metacognition, and coping strategies in the severity of eating behaviors. The study aims were threefold: (1) to analyze gender differences in impulsivity, metacognition, coping strategies, emotion regulation, and eating disorders; (2) to examine the correlation between the study variables; and (3) to test the mediating role of coping and emotion-regulation strategies in the relationship between metacognition, impulsivity, and eating disorders.

METHODS

A total of 1076 participants (Mage = 21.78, SD = 5.10; 77.7% women) completed a set of questionnaires. Two mediation analyses were conducted to test the mediating role of coping strategies, including emotion regulation, in the relationship between executive functions (i.e., impulsivity and metacognition) and eating disorders.

RESULTS

Women displayed higher coping strategies, specifically emotional expression, wishful thinking, and social support, whereas men presented greater social withdrawal. Mediational analyses showed a significant association between impulsivity, metacognition, and eating disorders, whose relationship was partially mediated by coping strategies and mainly by emotion regulation.

CONCLUSION

Interventions based on coping strategies and emotion regulation could be a feasible and effective option to deal with eating disorders among the young population.

Exercise Addiction and Intimate Partner Violence: The Role of Impulsivity, Self-Esteem, and Emotional Dependence

Given the scarcity of studies linking exercise addiction to intimate partner violence, the present study aims to analyze the relationship between these variables and examine the potential mediating roles of emotional dependence, impulsivity, and self-esteem. This is a non-experimental, cross-sectional correlational design study. The sample comprised 887 university students (86% women, mean age 20.82 years, SD = 3.63). Elevated levels of exercise addiction were associated with increased impulsivity, emotional dependence, and exerted violence, as well as decreased self-esteem and perceived violence. Mediation models were tested, explaining 7% of the variance in received violence, 13% of the variance in exerted violence, and 6% of the variance in perceived violence. Higher levels of exercise addiction were linked to increased received and exerted violence and decreased perceived violence, attributed to the positive impact of exercise addiction on emotional dependence. This study highlights the mediating roles of self-esteem and impulsivity in the relationship between exercise addiction and partner violence. Identifying risk or vulnerability factors such as emotional dependence, impulsivity, and self-esteem related to exercise addiction and interpersonal partner violence is especially relevant for designing and implementing preventive interventions in the general young population.

Depression, stress, and anxiety versus internet addiction in early and middle adolescent groups: the mediating roles of family and school environments

BACKGROUND

Family and school environment play a crucial role across the different developmental stages of adolescence. This paper investigates the potential mediating role of family and school environments in the relationship between the three psychosocial predictors of depression, anxiety, stress, and Internet addiction (IA). Specifically, it focuses on the two stages of early and middle adolescence.

METHODS

The study involved a survey of 407 adolescents from Qatar, comprising 250 early adolescents and 157 middle adolescents. Inclusion criteria for the study included adolescents between the ages of 10 to 17 years old, residents of Qatar and studying in a Qatar-based school. To assess the constructs of the three psychosocial predictors, IA, family environment, the study utilized the Depression, Stress, and Anxiety Scale (DASS), the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), and the Brief Family Relationship Scale, respectively. School environment was measured using questions from the "Health Behavior in School-aged Children: WHO Collaborative Cross-National survey/study (HBSC) 2013-2014. The study applied standard mediation analysis between the DASS components and IA with family and school environment as the mediators.

RESULTS

Results from the mediation analysis reveal insights into the relationships between psychosocial predictors and IA. The findings indicate that family and school environments partially mediated the relationship with regards to depression, stress, and anxiety in early adolescents. In middle adolescents, family environment partially mediated the relationship with depression and stress and fully mediating the relationship with anxiety. Meanwhile, school environment only exhibited partial mediation in the relationship with anxiety in middle adolescence.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight the crucial role parents and schools play in addressing problematic technology usage that develops as a response to depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents. Moreover, the study reveals nuances in the mediating role of family and school environment in early and middle adolescence. This highlights the evolving nature of these influences across the different stages of development. Notably, this study contributes to the literature by moving beyond the conventional focus on the so-called WEIRD population, and offering valuable insights from a region that is underrepresented in current research.

Does parents' perceived style of setting limits to gaming matter? The interplay between profiles of parental mediation and BIS/BAS sensitivity in problematic gaming and online gambling

INTRODUCTION

Parents try to prevent possible negative outcomes associated with gaming by setting rules on their adolescent's gaming behavior (i.e., restrictive mediation). Parents can use either more autonomy-supportive or more controlling styles to communicate those rules. Using a person-centered approach, this study aims to, first, identify profiles of parents' perceived degree of restrictive mediation in gaming and styles of communicating these rules (i.e., autonomy-supportive and controlling); second, to examine how adolescents in different profiles differ in terms of maladaptive gaming outcomes (i.e., problematic gaming, simulated, and online gambling); third, to investigate the moderating role of gaming frequency and adolescents' personality (i.e., behavioral inhibition system [BIS] sensitivity and behavioral activation system [BAS] sensitivity) in the associations between the parental profiles and the outcomes.

METHODS

The study used quantitative, cross-sectional survey data from Belgian adolescents (N = 1651, mean age = 14.00 years, 51.2% boys), collected between November 2021 and February 2022 in schools.

RESULTS

Cluster analysis yielded four profiles of perceived restrictive mediation: an exclusively controlling one, an autonomy-supportive one, one where parents used a perceived mix of both communication styles, and one where there was an overall perceived lack of restrictive mediation. Adolescents in the controlling profile displayed the most maladaptive outcomes. Some of the associations between the parental profiles and the outcomes were stronger for more frequent gamers and for adolescents scoring higher on both BIS and BAS sensitivity.

CONCLUSION

Associations between the parental profiles and gaming outcomes were theoretically meaningful, yet small in terms of effect size.

The Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations in a Sexual Minority Population

Coping strategies have been studied as protective factors against stress for individuals. However, the psychometric properties of the most widely used coping self-report questionnaires, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS-21), have not been examined in a sexual minority population (men and women that identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual or LGB). In this study, we conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) simultaneously to assess the factor structure of the CISS-21 questionnaire in LGBs. Also, we tested the measurement invariance of CISS across sex and sexual identity in the LGB sample (N = 2850, 52.00% woman, mean age = 32.46 years). The results show that a four-factor structure consisting of task-oriented coping (TOC), emotion-oriented coping (EOC), distraction-oriented coping (DOC), and social diversion-oriented coping (SOC) explained the data best. The results also show acceptable internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Subsequently, multi-group analyses established measurement invariance across sex and sexual identity. These results indicate that the CISS-21 could be used as a simple, reliable, and valid scale for measuring coping strategies in LGBs, and that it allows valid score comparisons from different sex and sexual identity groups.

Differences in Approach and Avoidance Motivation Sensitivities Predicting Participation and Performance in Strength Sport

ABSTRACT

Cusimano, K, Freeman, P, Moran, J, and Yamaguchi, M. Differences in approach and avoidance motivation sensitivities predicting participation and performance in strength sport. J Strength Cond Res 38(1): 180-184, 2024-Gray's Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory proposes that individual differences in behavior are due to the sensitivity to 2 brain systems: the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), which regulates aversive emotions to threatening stimuli, and the behavioral approach system (BAS), which regulates positive emotions toward rewarding or nonpunishing stimuli. The current study investigated whether BIS and BAS sensitivity predicts participation and performance in strength sports. A sample of 177 competitive strength athletes (male = 148; female = 29; mean age = 28.68; SD = 6.24 years) and 178 control participants (male = 89; female = 89; mean age = 29.39; SD = 7.42) completed the BIS/BAS scale, with strength athletes also providing their Wilks scores as a measure of sporting performance. Independent t tests showed significantly higher BIS (MD = 2.37, p = 0.003, 95% CI [0.79, 3.94], d = 0.31) and total BAS (MD = 11.71, p < 0.001, 95% CI [9.26, 14.15], d = 1.00) sensitivity in strength athletes than individuals in the control group. A 3-step hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the number of training years (β = 0.506, p < 0 .001), BIS (β = -203, p = 0.005) and BAS drive (β = 0.188, p = 0.012) made significant unique contributions to predicting the Wilks score, with no significant contributions of age, sex, BAS fun seeking, and BAS reward responsiveness. The findings indicate that the overall reward sensitivity (total BAS score) and reward seeking (BAS drive) are associated positively with participation and performance in strength sports, respectively. Given the association of these brain systems to addiction and other psychiatric disorders, the findings could have implications in psychiatric treatment and sporting recruitment.

Influence of childhood trauma on adolescent internet addiction: The mediating roles of loneliness and negative coping styles

BACKGROUND

In the information age, the use of the internet and multimedia tools has large effects on the life of middle school students. Improper use of the internet may result in internet addiction (IA). Thus, actively exploring the factors influencing adolescent and the mechanism of addiction as well as promoting adolescent physical and mental health and academic development are priorities that families, schools, and society urgently need to address.

AIM

To explore the effect of childhood trauma on adolescent IA and to consider the roles of loneliness and negative coping styles.

METHODS

A total of 11310 students from six junior high schools in Henan, China, completed the child trauma questionnaire, IA test, loneliness scale, and simple coping style questionnaire. In addition, data were collected from 1044 adolescents with childhood trauma for analysis with IBM SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 28.0; we examined the relationships among childhood trauma, IA, loneliness, and negative coping styles.

RESULTS

We found that childhood trauma not only directly affected adolescents' IA but also affected IA through loneliness and negative coping styles.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, this study has theoretical implications regarding adolescent mental health and may inform interventions for IA.

"Help Me Control My Impulses!": Adolescent Impulsivity and Its Negative Individual, Family, Peer, and Community Explanatory Factors

The literature shows that impulsivity, prevalent in adolescence, is negatively linked with a variety of psychosocial factors (e.g., positive interpersonal relationships, emotion regulation); however, there is limited research examining the relative contribution of multiple factors for this trait nor exploring how these factors influence the associations between impulsivity and risk-related outcomes. Drawing on multiple components of the unified theory of development (i.e., psychological variables, peers subsystem, community subsystem, family processes subsystem), this cross-sectional study aims to identify explanatory psychosocial variables (i.e., early memories of warmth and safeness, rational decision-making style, resilience, emotion regulation, coping, parental attachment, social group attachment, satisfaction with school and family-related variables) that are negatively related with impulsivity, in younger (13-15) and older (16-19 years) adolescents, and explore their moderating role in the associations between this trait and some risk-related outcomes (i.e., verbal aggression, anger, self-harm, other high-risk behaviors). A representative sample of 6894 adolescents (52.9% female) living in the Azores (Portugal), with ages ranging from 13 to 19 (M = 15.4), was used. Two stepwise multiple regressions, one for each age group, revealed that only emotion regulation, parental attachment, and social group attachment had a negative effect on impulsivity in both age groups; additionally, satisfaction with teachers also had this effect in younger adolescents. The first three variables weakened the positive associations between impulsivity and the risk-related outcomes. These results suggest that the psychological system and all subsystems of the social context measured play a relevant role in explaining adolescent impulsivity and that it may be reduced by promoting emotion regulation, positive parenting practices, healthier relationships with peers, and healthier relationships with teachers.

Problematic internet use and psychological distress among student nurses: The mediating role of coping skills

Problematic internet use has become a growing concern among student nurses, posing potential risks to their well-being and academic performance. Yet, the extent to which coping skills can help alleviate the adverse effects of problematic internet use on the psychological well-being of student nurses remains largely understudied. This study examined the mediating role of coping skills in the relationship between problematic internet use and psychological distress among student nurses. This cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from 279 student nurses enrolled in a public-funded nursing school. Mediation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS Macro with Model 4. Findings showed that student nurses reported moderate levels of problematic internet use with a mean score of 2.233 (SD = 0.765). Several factors strongly predicted problematic internet, including being on the 3rd year of education (β = -0.261, p < 0.001), having an average academic performance (β = 0.184, p = 0.006), and using the internet for <3 h per day (β = -0.304, p < 0.001). Problematic internet use was significantly associated with increased psychological distress (β = 0.1791, p < 0.01). Coping skills were found to mediate the relationship between problematic internet use and psychological distress (β = 0.0160, SE = 0.0095). Overall, this study sheds light on the determinants of problematic internet use among student nurses and its negative impact on psychological well-being. By addressing problematic internet use and promoting healthy coping mechanisms, nursing education can better prepare student nurses to maintain their well-being and academic performance in the digital age.

Social support as the mediator for the relationship between internet gaming disorder and psychological problems among university students

BACKGROUND

There has been increasing recognition of internet gaming disorder as a psychiatric problem that is linked with serious impairment and distress and correlated with psychological reactions and social consequences. Thus, this study proposed that psychological problems (stress, anxiety, and depression) and social support could be associated with IGD and social support had a mediating role between these psychological problems and IGD among university students in Jordan.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was adopted. The university students (N = 1020) were selected randomly from four universities (two public and two private) in Jordan. A self-structured questionnaire was used to collect data using the Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGD-20 Test), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), Multidimensional Social Support Scale (MSPSS), and sociodemographic data.

FINDINGS

Findings of this study found that the mean age of the participants was 21.38 (S.D ± 2.12) and 55.9% of them were males The prevalence of internet gaming disorder was 12.16% among the participants, where the cut-off point for internet gaming disorder was 71 out of 100. Internet gaming disorder was significantly correlated with stress, anxiety, social support, and depression. However, stress, anxiety, and social support had a direct effect on internet gaming disorder, while social support had the strongest effect on internet gaming disorder. It was found that social support had a mediating role between anxiety and stress (β = -0.172, T-Statistics = 3.92, p < 0.001; β = -0.268, T-Statistics = 5.45, p < 0.001, respectively) and internet gaming disorder (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study can help policymakers and instructors develop health education programs and/or health training programs that focus on using social support as a coping method when experiencing psychological problems including stress and anxiety and adopt social support in management programs for excessive use of internet gaming.

Problematic social media use is associated with depression and similar to behavioral addictions: Physiological and behavioral evidence

While many studies have examined the relationship between problematic social media use (PSMU) and mental health disorders, little is known about reward responsiveness mechanisms that might be driving this relationship and the neurophysiological characteristics of PSMU. We surveyed 96 undergraduate students at a private liberal arts college in upstate NY. PSMU was assessed using the Social Media Disorder Scale. Fourteen Individuals endorsing in five or more and three or less categories on the Social Media Disorder Scale were offered and underwent resting state QEEG. Mental health was assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale Short Form, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, and a locally developed measure of Substance Use Disorder. Reward and motivational systems were studied using the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scale, and Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale. SMDS scores were associated with poorer mental health on all measures except substance use. SMDS scores were positively associated with the behavioral inhibition scale, and the anticipatory pleasure scale. QEEG results revealed a negative association of high PSMU and right central and frontal lobeta, right central beta, and a positive association with frontal alpha asymmetry. The study replicates findings that PSMU is associated with mental health issues. Further the pattern of reward response is different compared with other addictive behaviors. QEEG results are consistent with previous work in substance use and depression.

The Role of Time Perspectives and Impulsivity Dimensions in Coping Styles

Both time perspectives and impulsivity dimensions are groups of traits that are connected to self-control abilities and might be important for coping styles. However, to date, no study has systematically investigated their utility in predicting coping styles with regard to their multidimensional nature. The current study was correlational and exploratory, aiming to discover what amount of variance in each of the three coping styles, problem-oriented, active emotion-oriented, and avoidant, is accounted for by two groups of predictors: time perspectives and impulsivity dimensions. N = 397 young adults aged 18-35 from the general population took part in the study. Results of a multiple linear regression testing both groups of predictors separately and of hierarchical regression analysis introducing the two predictor groups in subsequent steps suggested that time perspectives accounted for more variance in adaptive coping styles: problem-oriented and active emotion-oriented coping. For avoidant coping, both time perspectives and impulsivity dimensions accounted for a similar amount of variance. The results provide evidence that time perspectives should be investigated in domains related to coping (e.g., mental health issues, substance abuse, and risk-taking behaviors), for which impulsivity has been considered an important predictor. Moreover, impulsivity ought to be tested with regard to its multidimensionality.

Buying-shopping disorder, impulsivity, emotional dependence and attachment in adolescents

In recent years, several studies have shown that the incidence of buying-shopping disorder (BSD) is increasing. Impulsivity is one of the factors involved in its aetiology and is related to emotional dependence. In addition, early affective deprivation may trigger emotional dependence. The aims of the present study weresal: to compare the types of attachment, levels of emotional dependence, impulsivity and BSD according to sex; to determine whether the proposed relational model is fulfilled; and analyse possible differences in this model in terms of the sample's sex. The sample consisted of 1498 adolescents (53.8% men and 46.2% women) from Ecuador whose age ranged from 14 to 18 years (M = 15.77, SD = 1.21). The results showed that a preoccupied attachment style is indirectly related to a higher risk of BSD due to emotional dependence when impulsivity levels are medium or high because emotional dependence is moderated by impulsivity. The study variables are related in the same way in men and women but boys show higher levels of preoccupied attachment, impulsivity, emotional dependence and BSD. This study gives us a clearer picture of how these variables are related and provides information that could be of great use in assisting people with BSD. This knowledge could be applied to improve both the treatment and prevention of this problem.

Role of innate and acquired resilience in behavioral system, mental health, and internet addiction among Japanese adolescents in the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

This study examines mediation models in which behavioral inhibition and activation systems (BIS/BAS) impact internet addiction through mental health and the moderating roles of innate and acquired resilience in the models.

Methods

The data set used in this study was a cross-sectional survey among 952 adolescents in July 2021. Internet Addiction Test, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, BIS/BAS scales, and Depression Self-Rating Scale were used for analysis. After controlling for gender, the mediation and moderated mediation models were examined.

Results

The results revealed that depressive symptoms partially mediated the relationship between BIS and internet addiction and between BAS-fun-seeking (BAS-FS) and internet addiction. Innate and acquired resilience moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and internet addiction. The indirect effect of innate and acquired resilience on internet addiction via depressive symptoms was statistically significant in both low and high innate and acquired resilience. The results of conditional indirect effect analysis indicated that the depressive symptoms-internet addiction association decreased with the increase of innate or acquired resilience level.

Discussion

Our results suggested that depression symptoms played a significant mediation role in the relationships between BIS/BAS and internet addiction, and higher innate and acquired resilience was associated with a reduced risk of internet addiction. BIS/BAS may be a risk for internet dependence via mental health, and innate and acquired resilience appears to serve as a protective factor.

Problematic social media use, digital gaming addiction and excessive screen time among Turkish adolescents during remote schooling: implications on mental and academic well-being

Objective: The present study aimed to describe screen use patterns among Turkish adolescents during the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic with a special emphasis on social media and digital gaming addiction, and explore how these are linked to adolescents’ mental and academic well-being. Materials and Method: The study sample consisted of 9th to 12th grade students from three public high-schools in Istanbul, Turkey (n=201). Participants were required to complete a comprehensive questionnaire which gathered information about various domains including problematic screen use, attitudes towards online education, and mental/academic well-being during the lockdown period. Results: The overall screen time exhibited a significant increase during the lockdown, with the most common discretionary screen activities being social media use, communication, and watching movies/series (p

Personality and Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Systems in Behavioral Addiction: Analysis of Binge-Watching

Binge-watching (BW) refers to a pattern of watching TV series characterized by the consecutive viewing of three or more episodes in one sitting. Although there is some evidence about its effects on mental health, little is known about predictive variables which may affect negative occurrences of BW, such as problematic and addictive behavior. This study aimed to assess the unique contribution of personality traits (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness) to binge-watching, while also considering the role of two motivational systems: the behavioral inhibition system and the behavioral activation system. Cross-sectional data from 790 respondents were collected using standardized questionnaires evaluating: BW, personality traits, and the behavioral inhibition/activation system. The possible predictive roles of these variables were tested via hierarchical linear regression models. Our results underline a predictive high-risk role of neuroticism and the behavioral inhibition system and a protective role of conscientiousness in the continuum of BW from a leisure activity to a problematic one.

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

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

Network analysis of internet addiction and depression among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study

Background

There has been growing evidence of comorbidity between internet addiction and depression in youth during the COVID-19 period. According to the network theory, this may arise from the interplay of symptoms shared by these two mental disorders. Therefore, we examined this underlying process by measuring the changes in the central and bridge symptoms of the co-occurrence networks across time.

Methods

A total of 852 Chinese college students were recruited during two waves (T1: August 2020; T2: November 2020), and reported their internet addiction symptoms and depressive symptoms. Network analysis was utilized for the statistical analysis.

Results

The internet addiction symptoms "escape" and "irritable," and depression symptoms "energy" and "guilty" were the central symptoms for both waves. At the same time, "guilty" and "escape" were identified as bridge symptoms. Notably, the correlation between "anhedonia" and "withdrawal" significantly increased, and that between "guilty" and "escape" significantly decreased over time.

Conclusions

This study provides novel insights into the central features of internet addiction and depression during the two stages. Interestingly, "guilty" and "escape," two functions of the defense mechanism, are identified as bridge symptoms. These two symptoms are suggested to activate the negative feedback loop and further contribute to the comorbidity between internet addiction and depression. Thus, targeting interventions on these internalized symptoms may contribute to alleviating the level of comorbidity among college students.

Relationship between behavioral inhibition/activation system and Internet addiction among Chinese college students: The mediating effects of intolerance of uncertainty and self-control and gender differences

Background

Internet addiction is a global public health issue among college students that is associated with a range of negative outcomes. Especially the COVID-19 pandemic has forced them to shift most of their studies and life activities from offline to online, leading to a growing problem of Internet dependence and even Internet addiction. Although previous studies have indicated that the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation System (BIS/BAS) have important effects on college students' Internet addiction, the mechanisms underlying these associations and gender differences are still unclear.

Aims

The present study investigated the mediating roles of intolerance of uncertainty and self-control in the association between BIS/BAS and Internet addiction following the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model. Gender differences in such associations between variables were also tested.

Method

A total of 747 Chinese college students were surveyed by using Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction, BIS/BAS Scales, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale and the Brief Self-Control Scale.

Results

The results from the structural equation modeling analysis showed that BIS was positively related to Internet addiction and that BAS had a negative association with Internet addiction. Moreover, intolerance of uncertainty and self-control mediated the relationships between BIS/BAS and Internet addiction. Multi-group analysis further revealed that the associations between BAS and Internet addiction and between intolerance of uncertainty and Internet addiction were stronger among the male students than among female students. The relationship between self-control and Internet addiction was greater in the female sample than in the male sample.

Conclusions

These findings extend our understanding of how BIS/BAS influence Internet addiction among college students and suggest that not only should training approaches based on intolerance of uncertainty and self-control be fully considered, but different intervention programs should be focused on gender sensitivity to maximize the intervention effect.

The value of tourism public opinion management in social governance: A study on the impact of electronic word-of-mouth perception on people's livelihood well-being

In the process of tourism market upgrading and tourism iteration, tourism companies will face a more complex public opinion environment. Designing a socialized public opinion management method for tourism with social governance to improve people's livelihood and well-being has become the primary concern of the tourism industry. Therefore, the existing literature has extensively focused on the role and influence of public opinion word of mouth from the perspective of tourist or consumer behavior. However, moderating role of individual tourist characteristics and environmental elements has not yet been deeply explored. Therefore, integrating with the background of the social media, this study examines how electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is related to the well-being of people's livelihood, and explores the interaction between individual characteristics and eWOM perception in Study 1. Furthermore, in Study 2, we provided novel boundary conditions, namely environmental elements (i.e., physical, social and historical environment). We used mixed methods (i.e., quantitative and experimental designs) to reveal that tourists' perceptions of eWOM have a significant positive effect on tourists' well-being experience. The results show that tourists' eWOM perception has a significant positive impact on their well-being experience. In addition, individual characteristics and environmental elements showed significant moderating effects between eWOM and well-being of people's livelihood. This study discusses the theoretical and practical implications, exploring the value of tourism public opinion management in social governance centered on tourists' eWOM perception, which helps tourism companies to effectively prevent and resolve risks affecting social harmony and stability in the field of cultural tourism and create a safe and stable cultural tourism market environment.

Grit Perseverance, Not Passion, Moderates the Association Between Behavioral Inhibition/Approach System and Internet Addiction in Adolescents

Background

Research on the links between the behavioral inhibition and approach systems (BIS/BAS), and internet addiction (IA) in adolescents has been inconclusive. BIS/BAS may interact with adolescent trait characteristics, resulting in different outcomes. Grit may alter adolescents' motivations, which can even be based on biological systems such as BIS/BAS. However, the impact of BIS/BAS and potential moderating factors on adolescents' internet use remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between BIS/BAS and IA in adolescents and explore the potential moderating roles of the two facts of grit, passion and perseverance, on the association between BIS/BAS and IA.

Methods

A total of 1,881 junior and senior high school students (M_age = 14.65, standard deviation _age = 1.81, ranging from 11 to 20 years) completed a self-reported measure of BIS/BAS, IA, and grit. Independent t-tests and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the differences between adolescents with IA and those with normal internet use. Pearson correlation and regression model analyses, including moderating model analysis, were used to qualify the associations between IA and BIS/BAS, as well as the potential moderating role of grit passion and perseverance.

Results

The results showed that 19.1% of the participants met the criteria for IA. Both BIS (β = 0.085, t = 3.650, p < 0.001) and BAS (β = 0.06, t = 2.552, p < 0.05) were positively associated with IA risk, and grit-perseverance moderated the association between BIS and IA (β = -0.230, bootstrap 95% confidence interval: -0.450 to -0.012) and BAS with IA (β = -0.187, bootstrap 95% confidence interval: -0.299 to -0.076).

Conclusion

These findings extend the current knowledge on the associations between BIS/BAS and IA. Moreover, the findings suggest that enhancing grit-perseverance may improve prevention and intervention of IA risk in adolescents who are sensitive to BIS and BAS.

Rejection sensitivity mediates the interparental conflict and adolescent Internet addiction: School connectedness as a moderator

Internet addiction (IA) is a growing social problem with negative mental and social outcomes; the present study examined whether rejection sensitivity mediates the relationship between interparental conflict and adolescent IA and the moderating role of school connectedness. One thousand and seven adolescents (51.84% females; Mean_age = 13.17; SD = 0.69) anonymously completed questionnaires to assess interparental conflict, school connectedness, rejection sensitivity, IA, and demographic information. The model results showed that: (1) the positive association between interparental conflict and adolescent IA was partially mediated by rejection sensitivity; (2) this indirect link was moderated by the school connectedness and was stronger for adolescents with high school connectedness. The results provide support for the attachment theory that high interparental conflict could increase adolescents’ rejection sensitivity, and high school connectedness plays a double-edged role that adolescents show more rejection sensitivity while reporting high interparental conflict and high school connectedness.

The roles of behavioral inhibition/activation systems and impulsivity in problematic smartphone use: A network analysis

Background

Behavioral inhibition/activation systems (BIS/BAS) and impulsivity are associated with problematic smartphone use (PSU). However, no studies to date have explored how the subdomains of BIS/BAS and the dimensions of impulsivity relate to the components of PSU in a joint framework. This study aimed to examine the relationships between the three constructs at a fine-grained level and identify the central nodes and bridge nodes of their relationships using network analysis.

Methods

A regularized partial correlation network of PSU, BIS/BAS, and impulsivity communities was estimated to investigate the connections between variables and determine the expected influence and bridge expected influence for each variable based on data from 325 Chinese adults. PSU, BIS/BAS, and impulsivity were assessed using the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS), BIS/BAS scales, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Version 11 (BIS-11), respectively.

Results

In addition to connections within each community, network analysis revealed that there were connections between different communities, especially connections to PSU. I2 "motor impulsivity" was strongly associated with PSU2 "conflict" and PSU6 "relapse"; BASR "BAS-reward responsiveness" was strongly associated with PSU5 "withdrawal." Nodes BASR "BAS-reward responsiveness" and PSU6 "relapse" were the most central variables, while nodes BASR "BAS-reward responsiveness" and I2 "motor impulsivity" were the strongest bridge variables.

Conclusion

The connections between the subdomains of BIS/BAS and the components of PSU and between the dimensions of impulsivity and the components of PSU may be particularly important in the development and maintenance of PSU. The central variables identified here, along with the bridge variables, could be promising and effective targets for the prevention and intervention of PSU.

Tolerance for ambiguity, reappraisal, and suppression mediate the relationship between problematic internet use and procrastination

The current scientific literature lacks studies on the relationship between problematic internet use (PIU) and procrastination, especially regarding the mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship. The present study examined the association between procrastination and PIU, as well as determining the mediating roles of tolerance for ambiguity, reappraisal, and suppression. The conceptual model was tested using data collected from 434 Iranian college students. The participants completed a number of psychometric scales assessing procrastination, PIU, tolerance for ambiguity, reappraisal, and suppression. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model. Results showed that PIU, tolerance for ambiguity, and suppression were positively associated with procrastination, and that there was a negative association between reappraisal and procrastination. Moreover, the mediation analysis indicated that tolerance for ambiguity, reappraisal, and suppression fully mediated the association between PIU and procrastination. However, it is also possible to interpret the results as suggesting that PIU is unimportant as a predictor for procrastination once mediators are controlled for.

Prevalence and determinants of Internet Addiction among medical students and its association with depression

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction has been a topic of discussion in the academic literature for many years. As of April 2020, about 60 % of the world's population (nearly 4.6 billion people) were active internet user in their early adulthood. The prevalence among adolescent and college students ranged from 0.9 % to 33 %. The current study aimed to explore internet addiction's prevalence and correlates among undergraduate medical students at an Egyptian university. Also, to assess the relationship between internet addiction, depression symptoms, and socioeconomic status.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 321 undergraduate medical students at Assiut University using the Internet Addiction Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Family Affluence Scale.

RESULTS

About 9 % of the study participants screened positive for internet addiction. The most important determinants among medical students were sex, mother's employment status, family affluence, depressive symptoms, and unmonitored internet access.

LIMITATIONS

We did not investigate another psychiatric disease, daily time of internet usage, most frequent time of usage, type of internet usage, and cost of use.

CONCLUSIONS

Internet Addiction is an important psychological problem affecting about 9 % of Assiut university medical students during their undergraduate stage, which may interfere with their lives and studies. Students with lower Internet addiction rates were female students whose mothers were employed, lived in a low affluence family, had fewer depressive symptoms, and had unmonitored internet privacy.

Altered Resting-State Network in Adolescents with Problematic Internet Use

Problematic internet use (PIU) is increasingly recognized as a mental health concern, particularly among adolescents. The resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the triple-network model has been described inconsistently in PIU. Using resting-state fMRI (rsFMRI) and hypothesizing a lower rsFC between default mode (DMN) and central executive networks (CEN) but a higher rsFC within the salience network (SN), this study scrutinized the neural substrates of PIU adolescents. A total of 30 adolescents with PIU and 30 control subjects underwent rsFMRI. The severity of PIU was evaluated by the Internet Addiction Test. Additionally, personality traits as well as emotional and behavioral problems were evaluated by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), respectively. Focusing on the DMN, SN, and CEN, we compared rsFC values between PIU and the control. Subsequently, within the combined group of subjects, TCI and SDQ correlation and mediation effects were investigated. Higher rsFC values of the left lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC(L)) with the left anterior insula (aIns(L)) were observed for PIU than for the control, while rsFCs of the LPFC(L) with the medial PFC (MPFC), LPFC(L), as well as with the right lateral parietal cortex (LP(R)) were lower for PIU. Among these significant group differences, the rsFC between the LPFC(L) and MPFC was mediated by emotional symptoms (standardized β = −0.12, 95% CI −0.29, −0.0052). The dysfunctional attention switching and incentive salience regulated by the SN were implicated as being a neural correlate of PIU, and this relationship would in part be explained by the emotional dysregulation associated with PIU in adolescents.

Personality Traits Predict Non-Substance Related and Substance Related Addictive Behaviours

Abstract: Aims: To examine whether personality traits predict the course of addictive behaviours in general and whether predictive associations differ between non-substance related (NR) and substance related (SR) addictive behaviours. Methodology: We recruited 338 individuals (19–27 y, 59 % female) from a random community sample with NR, SR, or no DSM-5 addictive disorder. Predictors were the Big Five personality traits (NEO-FFI) and reward and punishment sensitivity (BIS/BAS questionnaire). Outcomes were the slopes of addictive behaviours (i. e., quantity, frequency, and number of DSM-5 criteria) over three years. Bayesian multiple regressions were used to analyse the probabilities for each hypothesis. Results: The evidence that higher neuroticism, lower conscientiousness, lower agreeableness, higher extraversion, lower openness, higher reward sensitivity, and lower punishment sensitivity predict increased addictive behaviours over time was, overall, moderate to high (69 % to 99 %) and varied by trait and outcome. Predictive associations were mostly higher for NR compared with SR addictive behaviours. Conclusions: Personality traits predict the course of addictive behaviours, but associations were only about half as large as expected. While some personality traits, such as lower conscientiousness, predict increases in both NR and SR addictive behaviours over time, others, such as lower punishment sensitivity, seem to specifically predict increases in NR addictive behaviours.

Sex differences in neural substrates of risk taking: Implications for sex-specific vulnerabilities to internet gaming disorder

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Sex differences in internet gaming disorder (IGD) remain unknown. Investigating sex-specific neural features that underlie the core risk factor (i.e., risk-taking) of IGD would help in understanding sex-specific vulnerabilities to IGD and advance sex-specific treatments and prevention for IGD.

METHODS

111 participants (28 IGD males, 27 IGD females, 26 recreational game user (RGU) males, 30 RGU females) completed a probability discounting task during fMRI scanning.

RESULTS

First, among RGUs, males showed a higher risk-taking tendency and greater neural activation associated with risk/value evaluation for reward (the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), left putamen) and smaller activation associated with cognitive control (the inferior frontal gyrus) than females during the contrast of risky-safe choices. Moreover, males showed a greater modulatory effect of risky choices on the connection from the vmPFC/ACC to the left putamen than females. Second, IGD males showed decreased activation in the vmPFC/ACC and left putamen compared to RGU males, whereas this decrease did not exist in IGD females.

DISCUSSION

Males show a higher risk-taking tendency than females. Altered neural substrates associated with risky decision-making exist in IGD males but not in IGD females.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings fill the gap in information on the behavioral and neural substrates underlying IGD among females and demonstrate that a high risk-taking tendency is a risk factor and core symptom only in IGD males but not in IGD females. It is necessary to design and adopt distinct treatments and prevention strategies for IGD in males and females.

Epidemiology of gaming disorder and its effect on anxiety and insomnia in Chinese ethnic minority adolescents

BACKGROUND

The growing popularity and frequency of online game use have resulted in a large number of studies reporting various mental problems associated with game abuse in adolescents. In this article, we examined the prevalence of gaming disorder (GD) and explored the associations of GD with anxiety and insomnia symptoms in minority youth in China.

METHODS

A total of 1494 students completed the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire Short-Form (POGQ-SF), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item questionnaire (GAD-7), and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were used to explore the associations between gaming disorder and anxiety/insomnia.

RESULTS

A total of 356 (23.83%) respondents reported that they had gaming disorder. Chi-square analysis showed that gender, grade, marital status of parents and exercise situation were significantly associated with GD. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that those who had GD were at significantly higher risk for anxiety and insomnia than those without GD.

CONCLUSION

We found a high incidence of GD and a positive association among anxiety, insomnia and GD. Thus, special attention should be paid to those who have suffered from GD. It is worth addressing the adverse effects of GD on anxiety and insomnia.

Impulsivity and Metacognition in a Psychiatric Population

OBJECTIVE

The main purpose of this study was to examine a possible relationship among the three constructs of impulsivity, according to Barratt's theory and metacognition subdimensions, as described in Wells and Cartwright-Hatton's theory, in various psychiatric disorders, in order to explore the potential predictive role of impulsivity on metacognition.

METHOD

The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) and the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30) were administered to a sample of 100 patients affected by psychiatric disorders. Linear regression was used first to study the relationship between impulsivity as an independent variable and metacognition as a dependent variable and then to evaluate the relationship between the three construct of impulsivity and the five subdimensions of metacognition.

RESULTS

BIS-11 total score was a valid predictor of Total MCQ-30 (p <.0001), whereas Attentive Impulsiveness was a good predictor of the factors "Negative Beliefs" (p <.0001), "Cognitive Confidence" (p =.004) and "Need to control thoughts" (p =.002).

CONCLUSIONS

since "Attentive Impulsiveness", "Negative believes", "Cognitive Confidence" and "Need to Control Thought" are psychological constructs, psychotherapy is the more effective tool to intervene on their imbalance. In particular, literature demonstrates the effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness therapies in rebalancing impulsivity and enhancing metacognitive skills.

Association of Internet gaming disorder symptoms with anxiety and depressive symptoms and substance use: an international cross-sectional study

Background

Problematic Internet gaming is an increasingly recognized global mental health problem. This multicultural cross-sectional study examined the association between Internet gaming disorder (IGD) symptoms and anxiety and depressive symptoms and substance use within a sample of young Internet users. In total, 3529 college/university students (1260 (35.7%) males; mean age 21 ± 3 years) were surveyed online. We assessed online gaming patterns using the Internet Gaming Disorder Self-report for College/University Students (ICMH-IGD), symptoms of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and symptoms of anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7.

Results

IGD symptoms were associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and substance use, independent of time spent online, psychiatric diagnosis, culture, or sociodemographic characteristics. For males, more significant IGD symptoms were associated with more extended Internet browsing per day time and higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, while for females, with more extended Internet browsing per day time, marihuana use, and higher levels of depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Our study found that more overt symptoms of IGD were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and substance use. Still, these associations differed among males and females, suggesting that gender differences should be considered when planning specific treatments.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43045-022-00180-6.

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

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

Impulsivity mediates the impact of early life adversity on high risk behaviors among Tunisian adolescents

Adverse childhood experience (ACE) has become an alarming phenomenon exposing youth at a great risk of developing mental health issues. Several studies have examined the mechanism by which ACE affects adolescent's engagement in risky behaviors. However, little is known about these associations in the Tunisian/African context. We investigated the role of impulsivity in the link between ACE and health risk behaviors among schooled adolescents in Tunisia. We performed a cross sectional study among 1940 schooled adolescents in the city of Mahdia (Tunisia) from January to February 2020. To measure ACE, we used the validated Arabic version of the World Health Organization ACE questionnaire. The Barratt Impulsivity Scale and the Internet Addiction Test were used as screening tools for impulsivity and internet addiction. A total of 2520 adolescents were recruited. Of those, 1940 returned the questionnaires with an overall response rate of 77%. The majority (97.5%) reported experiencing at least one ACE. Emotional neglect (83.2%) and witnessing community violence (73.5%) were the most reported intra-familial ACEs. Males had higher rates of exposure to social violence than females. The most common risky behavior was internet addiction (50%, 95%CI = [47.9-52.3%]). Our survey revealed that ACEs score predict problematic behaviors through impulsiveness (% mediated = 16.7%). Specifically, we found a major mediating role of impulsivity between the exposure to ACE and the risk of internet addiction (% mediated = 37.5%). Our results indicate the role of impulsivity in translating the risk associated with ACE leading to engagement in high risk behaviors.

Exploring the Influence of Parenting Style on Adolescents’ Maladaptive Game Use through Aggression and Self-Control

Adolescent aggression manifests in problematic game use and ultimately undermines life quality. This study deals with the mechanisms behind adolescents’ perception of parenting, maladaptive game use, self-control, and life satisfaction within the context of integrated supportive-positive parenting and harsh-negative parenting. Using 778 valid panel data from the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), we reached the conclusions that both supportive-positive parenting and harsh-negative parenting, mediated by self-control and maladaptive game use, are major predictors of adolescents’ life satisfaction. PLS-SEM analysis was used for the hypothesized model test. This study helped bridge the gap in existing research by finding clues to recovering parent–child relationships from the side effects of youth game use.

Coping associated with compulsive buying tendency

Research on general coping is limited within compulsive buying (CB) literature. Nevertheless, other behavioural addictions and hoarding might provide insights into coping in CB. One-hundred and ninety-nine participants (M age = 52.72, SD = 16.06; 50.3% female, 1% unknown sex) completed online questionnaires. Mental and behavioural disengagements were hypothesized to predict greater self-reported CB tendency. Whilst these relationships were found in the correlations, a regression analysis indicated that only mental disengagement significantly predicted CB tendency. Additionally, the exploration of denial and substance use identified that denial was an important predictor of CB tendency coping. The relationship between CB tendency and substance use could not be explored given the large degree of participants reporting minimal scores. CB tendency is associated with maladaptive mental disengagement, denial and lack of acceptance coping strategies, which could be useful to consider in therapy.

Gender-related differences in frontal-parietal modular segregation and altered effective connectivity in internet gaming disorder

BACKGROUND

Although previous studies have revealed gender-related differences in executive function in internet gaming disorder (IGD), neural mechanisms underlying these processes remain unclear, especially in terms of brain networks.

METHODS

Resting-state fMRI data were collected from 78 subjects with IGD (39 males, 20.8 ± 2.16 years old) and 72 with recreational game use (RGU) (39 males, 21.5 ± 2.56 years old). By utilizing graph theory, we calculated participation coefficients among brain network modules for all participants and analyzed the diagnostic-group-by-gender interactions. We further explored possible causal relationships between networks through spectral dynamic causal modeling (spDCM) to assess differences in between-network connections.

RESULTS

Compared to males with RGU, males with IGD demonstrated reduced modular segregation of the frontal-parietal network (FPN). Male IGD subjects also showed increased connections between the FPN and cingulo-opercular network (CON); however, these differences were not found in female subjects. Further spDCM analysis indicated that the causal influence from CON to FPN in male IGD subjects was enhanced relative to that of RGU males, while this influence was relatively reduced in females with IGD.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest poor modular segmentation of the FPN and abnormal FPN/CON connections in males with IGD, suggesting a mechanism for male vulnerability to IGD. An increased "bottom-up" effect from the CON to FPN in male IGD subjects could reflect dysfunction between the brain networks. Different mechanisms may underlie in IGD, suggesting that different interventions may be optimal in males and females with IGD.

Sex differences in prevalence, risk factors and clinical correlates of internet addiction among chinese college students

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction(IA) is now very common. However, few studies have explored the sex differences in risk factors for IA, especially among Chinese college students. This study aimed to investigate the sex differences in prevalence, risk factors and clinical correlates of IA among Chinese college students.

METHODS

A total of 8098 college students from Hunan province were recruited using a cross-sectional design and a convenience sampling method. Each student filled out the survey online anonymously, which collected their information on their socio-demographics, internet addiction(Revised Chinese internet addiction scale;CIAS-R), ADHD(Wender Utah Rating Scale and World Health Organization (WHO) Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale v 1.1 Symptom Checklist), depression(Self-reporting Depression Scale;SDS), insomnia(Athens Insomnia Scale;AIS), anxiety(Self-Rating Anxiety Scale;SAS) and suicidal behaviors through WeChat.

RESULTS

Overall, the prevalence of IA in males and females was 7.21%(259/3592) and 8.17%(368/4506), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that suicidal ideation[odds ratio (OR),1.557;95% confidence interval (CI),1.083-2.240], suicide attempts(OR,2.081;95%CI:1.271-3.409), ADHD(OR,6.487;95%CI,4.697-8.959) and insomnia(OR,2.596;95%CI,1.910-3.529) were independent risk factors for male IA after controlling for confounding variables. Nationality(OR,1.507;95%CI,1.058-2.145), suicidal ideation(OR,2.012;95%CI,1.532-2.641), depression(OR,1.771;95%CI:1.071-2.930), ADHD(OR,4.497; 95%CI,3.285-6.158) and insomnia(OR,2.356;95%CI,1.813-3.061) were independent risk factors for female IA.

LIMITATION

No causal relationships could be drawn due to the cross-sectional design.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows IA is common among both sexes. IA is significantly associated with ADHD, insomnia and suicidal behaviors in both male and female students, indicating the importance of screening IA and addressing ADHD, insomnia and suicidal behaviors to improve the mental health of college students and better prevent suicide in both sexes.

The Mediating Roles of Emotional Regulation on Negative Emotion and Internet Addiction Among Chinese Adolescents From a Development Perspective

Previous researches indicated that emotional regulation can be associated with depression and anxiety, which may be an important mediating factor between emotional regulation and internet addiction. However, the mechanism between these associations has received little attention and it is still unclear. This study has examined 716 Chinese adolescents, 341 were males (47.6%), aged 13 to 18(Mean = 14.58, SD = 1.50), using a cross-sectional survey involving Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction, the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the seven-item Generalized Anxiety (GAD-7) scale, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). Correlation analysis, multiple-group analysis and structural equation modeling were carried out in SPSS Statistics version 23 (IBM, Armonk, NY) and AMOS version 21. Cognitive reappraisal had a significantly negative direct effect on Internet addiction (β = -0.118, p < 0.05). Furthermore, negative emotions mediated the relationships between expression suppression and Internet addiction [β = 0.149, 95% CI = (0.099, 0.212)] and the relationship between cognitive reappraisal and Internet addiction [β = -0.101, 95% CI = (-0.147, -0.065)]. The differences in the structure path coefficients for different development stages demonstrated that recognitive reappraisal showed more protective roles for negative emotion (p < 0.01), and negative emotion also predict Internet addiction more effectively in high school students (p < 0.001). However, cognitive reappraisal directly predicted negative Internet addiction in junior high school students. Therefore, the intervention on adolescents for internet addiction should not only focus on emotional regulation and negative emotion, but also development stages of adolescents.

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

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

Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Systems and Depression Among Females With Substance Use Disorder: The Mediating Role of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Anhedonia

Previous studies have shown that the behavioral inhibition/activation systems (BIS/BAS) have substantial effects on substance use disorder and emotional disorders, and substance use disorder and emotional disorders often occur; in particular, females with substance use disorder are more likely to also have serious emotional disorders including depression than their male counterparts. However, the associations between the BIS/BAS and depression in females with substance use disorder have received little attention. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of these relations are largely unknown. The present study examines the mediating roles of intolerance of uncertainty and anhedonia in the associations between the BIS/BAS and depression among females with substance use disorder from the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework. A total of 303 females with substance use disorder from a compulsory substance abuse detention center were tested using a cross-sectional survey involving BIS/BAS Scales, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The path analysis model revealed that both the BIS and BAS had a direct effect on depression, that the BIS had an indirect effect on depression through intolerance of uncertainty, and that the BAS had an indirect effect on depression via anhedonia. These findings contribute to a more thorough understanding of how the BIS/BAS influence depression among females with substance use disorder and suggest that the utility of targeting these associations in treatments would help reduce depression in females with substance use disorder.