Problematic Social Networking Site use-effects on mental health and the brain

The nature and characteristics of problem gaming, with a focus on ICD-11 diagnoses

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review describes the diagnoses related to problem gaming that are included in ICD-11, published by the WHO in 2022. It summarizes the recent literature on the prevalence of Gaming Disorder, its structure, antecedents and comorbidities, and explores whether the range of diagnoses currently available adequately covers the range of experiences seen with problem gaming.

RECENT FINDINGS

Overall, between 3 and 6% of the population worldwide are reported to have a gaming disorder as defined by ICD-11 or DSM-5. However, most studies are constrained by methodological issues such as nonrepresentative samples and the use of brief questionnaires to determine prevalence. ICD-11 Gaming Disorder is a psychometrically sound diagnosis. There is no diagnosis that currently captures the experience of harm from gaming, where the requirements for the diagnosis of Gaming Disorder are not reached.

SUMMARY

There is evidence in support of the proposed new entity of 'Harmful Gaming', which encompasses mental and physical harm/impairment due to a repeated pattern of gaming, but where requirements for the diagnosis of Gaming Disorder are not met. Such a diagnosis would complete the spectrum of diagnoses available for problem or unhealthy gaming, similar to those for unhealthy substance use, and would provide a framework for a public health approach to reducing the overall harm from unhealthy gaming.

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

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

Moderation Effects of Positive Core Belief and Social-Emotional Responsiveness on the Relationship Between Cyberbullying Victimization and Affective Symptoms

Introduction

Medical students are a vulnerable population. Exposure to cyberbullying can aggravate stress and lead to affective disorders. Features that moderate the influence of this stressor have been under-studied in Thai context.

Materials and Methods

An annual survey on the mental health and stressors of medical students from 2021 was analyzed. Measures on cyberbullying victimization, psychosocial stressors, self-reported resilience measures ("problem solving", "positive core belief", "social emotional responsiveness", and "perseverance"), and other covariates were assessed for their effects on affective symptoms using linear regression. Interaction analyses were then performed.

Results

A total of 303 cyberbullied respondents were included. In a linear regression model controlled for cyberbullying victimization score, perceived psychosocial difficulties, age, and academic year, positive core belief significantly predicted lower affective symptoms, while social-emotional responsiveness showed a trend toward predicting lower affective symptoms. Trend toward negative interaction was found for positive core belief, whereas an opposite trend was found for social-emotional responsiveness. Implications in the context of medical schools are also discussed.

Discussion

Positive core belief appears to be a resilience feature toward cyberbullying victimization in the studied population. Its effects were discussed from the perspective of cognitive-behavioral therapy. In the context of medical school, the belief could be fostered by creating a safe learning environment with readily available guidance. Social-emotional responsiveness is a protective factor toward cyberbullying victimization, although its trend toward negative interaction with cyberbullying victimization implies that this feature's protective effect declines as intensity of the bullying increases.

Conclusion

Positive core belief is a potential resilience feature of cyberbullying victimization. On the other hand, the protective effect of social-emotional responsiveness appeared to decline with greater intensity of cyberbullying.