Article

Pathological Internet use and psychiatric disorders: A cross-sectional study on psychiatric phenomenology and clinical relevance of Internet dependency

March 2010
The European Journal of Psychiatry 24(3):136-145

DOI:10.4321/S0213-61632010000300002

License
CC BY-NC 3.0

Authors:

Background and Objectives: With the Cyberspace´s exponential growth of influence questions arise about its mental impacts. The presented study examines the question whether the dependent use of the Internet can be understood as an impulse control disorder, an addiction or as a symptom of other psychiatric conditions. Methods: Internet dependent patients seeking for psychiatric assistance and fulfilling the criteria for pathological Internet use (PIU) were examined with the Structured Clinical Interview according to DSM-IV (SCID), and a variety of questionnaires including the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES). The patient group was compared to a matched group of healthy controls. Results: The adult patient-group consisted of 25 subjects, 76% male, with a mean age of 29.36 years. Average time spent in Cyberspace was 6.47 h/d, mostly in online-role-playing games. According to SCID I and BDI, 19 patients (76%) suffered from a depressive syndrome, with 10 cases of major depressive disorder (40%) and 8 cases of adjustment disorder with depression (32%). Six patients (24%) suffered from a comorbid anxiety disorder. Compared to controls, the patient group presented significantly higher levels of depression (BDI), impulsivity (BIS) and dissociation (DES). Conclusions: PIU shares common psychopathological features and comorbidities with substance related disorders. Therefore, it might be seen as a diagnostic entity in itself in a spectrum of behavioural and substance dependencies. Especially Internet role play may contain an addictive potential for adolescents and adults with subclinical psychopathology.

Poster

Full-text available

Mar 2016

Introduction In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet Gaming Disorder in the appendix of the 5th edition of the DSM-5, suggesting more research is necessary for the condition to be officially accepted as mental disorder. Criticisms have emerged as to the viability, validity and reliability of the proposed condition, and researchers have pointed out that the subsuming of Internet addiction under the umbrella term of Internet Gaming Disorder (as is the case in the DSM-5) is highly problematic. Objectives and aims The objective of this talk is to provide a comprehensive and inclusive analysis of clinical research of Internet-use related addictions from a holistic perspective, given the ambiguity of previous research in the field. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted using the database Web of Science, and a total of 44 empirical and clinically relevant studies were identified. Results Results indicated that the published clinical research studies can be categorized into four areas, including (i) treatment seeker characteristics, (ii) psychopharmacotherapy, (iii), psychological therapy, and (iv) combined treatment, each of which will be discussed. Conclusions At the present day, both diagnosis and research of Internet-use disorders appears rather broad. Furthermore, there appears a need for developing a gold standard of clinical assessment. This will support the establishment of efficacious and effective treatments which need to be tailored to the individual help seekers’ needs. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Internet addiction: Treatment

Conference Paper

May 2016

Daria J. Kuss

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Mar 2016

Internet Addiction: A Clinical Perspective

Chapter

Apr 2016

Daria J. Kuss

To date, around 40% of the world population is online. Internet usage has grown almost six-fold over the last decade around the globe. In Korea, 96% of Internet users make use of high-speed Internet connections, in comparison to 78% in the UK and 56% in the US (2012, 2013). Since 2000, the US has more than doubled Internet access and use, and mobile Internet use increased extensively in 2011 (The Nielsen Company, 2012a). These statistics evidence that the Internet has become an integral element in today’s society. In 2012, children and adolescents in Australia spent an average of 24 hours online per month, compared with 65 hours for individuals aged 18–24 years, and 25–34 year olds spend more than 100 hours per month online (The Nielsen Company, 2012b). Accordingly, young adults are the most active Internet users and spend roughly three hours per day on the Internet (Kuss et al., 2014a).

Problematisches Internetnutzungsverhalten (PIN) – eine Übersicht zu Messinstrumenten und Risikofaktoren

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2016

Internet is nowadays an integral part of our lives. However, excessive internet use, which is in many ways comparable to substance addictions and behavioral addictions, has become of growing interest in popular media, health policy and scientific research. Nevertheless, there is still considerable controversy with respect to diagnostic criteria and assessment questionnaires, and the diagnosis does not yet appear in any official diagnostic system such as the DSM-5 or ICD-10. Due to the lack of consistent diagnostic criteria for problematic internet use and both the use of different assessment questionnaires and classification systems, the reported prevalence rates vary significantly across studies. Thus, the comparison of study results is limited. In this review article a brief overview of the various diagnostic criteria and assessment questionnaires as well as the prevalence of problematic internet use (PIN) will be given. Furthermore, several usage-related and person-related risk factors of PIN will be discussed. With regards to the latter, the focus will be on both sociodemographic and psychiatric risk factors and on personality traits.

Internet addiction and problematic Internet use: A systematic review of clinical research

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2016

Aim: To provide a comprehensive overview of clinical studies on the clinical picture of Internet-use related addictions from a holistic perspective. A literature search was conducted using the database Web of Science. Methods: Over the last 15 years, the number of Internet users has increased by 1000%, and at the same time, research on addictive Internet use has proliferated. Internet addiction has not yet been understood very well, and research on its etiology and natural history is still in its infancy. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet Gaming Disorder in the appendix of the updated version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as condition that requires further research prior to official inclusion in the main manual, with important repercussions for research and treatment. To date, reviews have focused on clinical and treatment studies of Internet addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder. This arguably limits the analysis to a specific diagnosis of a potential disorder that has not yet been officially recognised in the Western world, rather than a comprehensive and inclusive investigation of Internet-use related addictions (including problematic Internet use) more generally. Results: The systematic literature review identified a total of 46 relevant studies. The included studies used clinical samples, and focused on characteristics of treatment seekers and online addiction treatment. Four main types of clinical research studies were identified, namely research involving (1) treatment seeker characteristics; (2) psychopharmacotherapy; (3) psychological therapy; and (4) combined treatment. Conclusion: A consensus regarding diagnostic criteria and measures is needed to improve reliability across studies and to develop effective and efficient treatment approaches for treatment seekers.

Therapists’ views of Internet addiction

Conference Paper

Nov 2015

Daria J. Kuss

Internet addiction in psychotherapy. Symposium on Internet addiction: Etiology, comorbidity and treatment.

Conference Paper

Jul 2015

Daria J. Kuss

Treating Internet Addiction – the Expert Perspective

Conference Paper

Mar 2015

Daria J. Kuss

Introduction Internet addiction is a behavioural problem that has gained increasing scientific recognition in the last decade, with some researchers claiming it is a '21st Century epidemic”, leading the APA to include Internet Gaming Disorder in the appendix of the DSM-5. Objectives/Aims Internet addiction treatment literature is scarce, particularly regarding the expert view on Internet addiction. To fill this gap in knowledge, this paper aims to explore how Internet addiction therapy experts experience the presenting problem of Internet addiction in psychotherapy. Methods A total of 20 psychotherapists from 6 different countries (i.e., Germany, UK, USA, Canada, Austria and Switzerland) were interviewed regarding their individual experience of treating clients suffering from Internet addiction. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results Two superordinate themes were identified during the analysis: 'risk” and 'addiction”. Risk factors included individual, situational and structural characteristics. Psychotherapists treating Internet addiction viewed Internet addiction as actual psychopathology, containing addiction symptoms, criteria and diagnosis, and drew on its similarities with other addictions. Conclusions Internet addiction treatment experts highlight the existence and severity of Internet addiction as psychopathology requiring professional therapy. Clients who seek help for their Internet addiction-related problems experience their condition as distressing and as significantly impairing their functioning. Internet addiction fulfils the conditions for a mental disorder classification as outlined in the DSM-5, and should be taken seriously not to marginalise those affected. Parents and significant others, researchers and clinicians, and healthcare and insurance providers may benefit from the presented insights.

AS32-01 - Internet addiction or else? A way out of conceptual crisis and a call for nosological precision

Article

Dec 2012

Daria J. Kuss

The appeal of the Internet rests on many factors, including intense intimacy, disinhibition, loss of boundaries, timelessness, being in control, experimentation with identity, interactivity and play, and the ease of forming supportive online communities, which may be transferred to real life. For all the pleasures the Internet may offer, recent studies suggest that some types of excessive usage may lead to symptoms associated with addiction. Internet addiction appears to be emerging as mental health problem for society. It is associated with psychopathology, including mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, depression, schizophrenia, OCD, and social phobia/anxiety. Thus, Internet addiction has the potential to be a severe mental health problem, suggesting that further scientific investigation is necessary. Nevertheless, a recently published meta-study suggests that the abundance of diverse terminology and measurement currently leaves the scientific community in a conceptual crisis about the factual prevalence of and negative consequences associated with Internet addiction. Specifically, scholars claim that Internet addiction is too heterogeneous as a concept, so that it necessitates a reconceptualization with regards to specific Internet applications. Recent reviews suggest that Internet gaming addiction, Internet gambling addiction, and social networking site addiction appear as valid and discrete phenomena worthy of separate investigation. The purpose of this talk is to (i)Highlight the different conceptualizations of Internet addiction currently used,(ii)And to propose a nosological framework which pays respect to the diversity of phenomena that that are presently included in the concept of Internet addiction.

Problematic Internet Use: The Effect of Comorbid Psychopathology on Treatment Outcomes

Article

Feb 2021
PSYCHIAT RES

Problematic Internet use (PIU) behaviours involve one's maladaptive Internet use and have been often described as secondary manifestations of pre-existing psychopathology. Furthermore, different profiles of PIU sufferers have been proposed. However, little is known of the impact these may be having on treatment responses. Thus, this study aims to investigate the psychopathological profiles of those who seek treatment for PIU within a specialised public outpatient unit and whether these influence treatment outcomes. This research utilised 203 treatment seekers of the Specialized Department of Problematic Internet Use (SD-PIU) of the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica, in Greece (mean age = 26.02; SD = 7.9). To assess psychopathology, the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R) was used. Treatment responses were reported either as completed, continued, or drop out. A Latent Class/Profiling-Analysis (LCA) was performed, guided by variations across the SCL-90-R psychopathologies. It indicated two naturally occurring profiles of comorbid psychological symptoms; 66% were classified as the “High Comorbidity” (HC) and 34% as the “Low Comorbidity” (LC) profile. Regarding treatment outcomes, LC patients presented with significantly lower dropout rates and higher levels of completion. The present study poses imperative clinical implications regarding the necessity of specialized treatment planning based on the different PIU treatment seekers psychopathological comorbidities.

Media use and Internet addiction in adult depression: A case-control study

Article

Mar 2017
COMPUT HUM BEHAV

The present case-control study explored tendencies of Internet addiction in a group of depressive patients compared with a control group of healthy persons. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess the extent of Internet addiction (ISS), depression symptoms (BDI), impulsivity (BIS) and global psychological stress (SCL-90R). Depressive patients with and without Internet addiction were compared regarding depression severity and psychological stress. In addition, predictors of Internet addiction in depressive patients were investigated. The results presented significantly higher tendencies for Internet addiction in the group of depressive patients. The prevalence of Internet addiction in this group was considerably high (36%). In addition, depressive patients with Internet addiction showed consistently but insignificantly higher symptom severity and psychological stress compared with patients without Internet addiction. Both groups of depressive patients were significantly higher burdened with depressive symptoms and psychological stress than the healthy controls. Low age and male sex were particularly important predictors of Internet addiction in the group of depressive patients. The results are in accordance with previously published findings in other fields of addiction disorders. Co-occurrence of depression and Internet addiction should be noted and considered in psychiatric treatment.

Tableau clinique des personnes cyberdépendantes demandant des services dans les centres publics de réadaptation en dépendance au Québec : étude exploratoire

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2014

À ce jour, il n’existe aucun consensus quant aux critères diagnostiques d’une dépendance à Internet (Hinic, 2011 ; Tonioni et al. , 2012 ; Weinstein et Lejoyeux, 2010). Pourtant, des personnes s’autodéclarent cyberdépendantes et réclament des soins dans les centres de réadaptation en dépendance (CRD) au Québec. Ces admissions ont amené l’Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal à demander la réalisation d’une étude descriptive sur la cyberdépendance. Objectifs : Décrire les caractéristiques sociodémographiques des cyberdépendants en traitement dans les CRD ; et 2) Documenter leurs problématiques associées telles les problèmes de consommation d’alcool, de drogues, pratiques de jeux, estime de soi, symptômes de dépression et d’anxiété. Méthode : L’étude a été menée dans huit CRD au Québec. Un échantillon de convenance de 57 personnes a été recruté sur une période de 24 mois de 2010 à 2012. Pour participer à cette étude, il fallait être âgé d’au moins 18 ans, s’identifier comme étant cyberdépendant, demander de l’aide pour un problème de cyberdépendance dans un CRD public. L’Internet addiction test (IAT) (Young, 1998), dans sa version française validée (Khazaal et al. , 2008), a servi à évaluer la gravité des habitudes d’utilisation d’Internet. Les problèmes associés ont été évalués à l’aide des questionnaires suivants : l’inventaire d’anxiété de Beck (Beck, Epstein, Brown et Steer, 1988) ; l’inventaire de dépression de Beck (Bourque et Beaudette, 1982) ; le DÉBA-Alcool/Drogues/Jeu (Tremblay et Blanchette-Martin, 2009) et le questionnaire de l’échelle d’estime de soi (Rosenberg, 1965). Résultats . Cinquante-sept personnes ont accepté de participer à l’étude. La très grande majorité des participants était des hommes (88 %), âgés en moyenne de 30 ans, vivant chez leurs parents et ayant un faible revenu. Ils consultaient à la suite des recommandations de leurs proches et rapportaient de nombreuses conséquences reliées à leur utilisation d’Internet. Ils passaient en moyenne 65 heures par semaine sur Internet et rapportaient avoir plusieurs applications problématiques. Les applications problématiques les plus fréquemment rapportées étaient les jeux de rôles multijoueurs (57,8 %), les sites de divertissement streaming (35,1 %) et les bavardoirs communément appelés chat rooms (29,8 %). À l’échelle d’estime de soi, 66,6 % des participants présentaient une estime de soi très faible, ou faible, alors que 21,1 % rapportaient une estime supérieure à la moyenne. L’inventaire de dépression de Beck a évalué que 3,5 % (n = 2) de l’échantillon atteignait le seuil clinique tandis que 7,5 %, (n = 4) vivait de l’anxiété atteignant le seuil clinique. Presque la moitié (45,6 %) prenait une médication psychotrope pour un problème de santé mentale et 33,3 % présentait un problème de santé physique chronique. Conclusion : Cette étude a permis de mettre en lumière les caractéristiques d’un groupe encore méconnu dans la population, soit les personnes cyberdépendantes. Ces cyberdépendants vivent des conséquences significatives à la suite de la perte de contrôle de l’utilisation d’Internet. Par ailleurs, à leur admission en traitement, bien que la détresse psychologique subjective ne soit pas toujours élevée, les participants présentent un tableau clinique complexe où la comorbidité est la règle plutôt que l’exception. Il nous semble que les données actuelles comportent suffisamment de similarités avec les autres troubles addictifs pour permettre aux cliniciens de travailler en prenant assise sur leur expérience avec d’autres dépendances.

[Internet addiction: a descriptive clinical study of people asking for help in rehabilitation treatment center in Quebec: exploratory study]

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2014

To date, there is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria for Internet addiction (Hinic, 2011; Tonioni & coll., 2012; Weinstein & Lejoyeux, 2010). Nonetheless, some people consider themselves cyberdependent and request treatment services in the addiction rehabilitation centers (ARC) of the province of Quebec. These admissions have led the Health and Social Services Agency of Montreal to ask for the realization of a descriptive study on Internet addiction. 1) Describe the socio-demographical characteristics of cyberdependent individuals receiving treatment in the ARC; 2) Document their associated problems, such as problems related to alcohol and drug abuse, gambling, self-esteem, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The study was conducted in eight ARC's of the province of Quebec. A convenience sample of 57 people was recruited over a period of 24 months, from 2010 to 2012. To participate in this study, individuals had to be 18 years or older, identify themselves as cyberdependent, and request help for an Internet addiction problem in a public ARC. The Internet Addiction Test (Young, 1998), in its validated French version (Khazaal & coll., 2008), was used to assess the severity of Internet use habits. The associated problems were assessed using the following questionnaires: the Beck Anxiety Inventory (Beck, Epstein, Brown & Steer, 1988); the Beck Depression Inventory, in its validated French version (Bourque & Beaudette, 1982); the DÉBA-Alcool/Drogues/Jeu (Dépistage-évaluation du besoin d'aide), an instrument used to screen and assess the need for help in problems related to alcohol, drugs, and gambling (Tremblay & Blanchette-Martin, 2009), and the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Fifty-seven people agreed to participate in the study. A large majority of these cyberdependent individuals were male (88%), the mean age was 30 years old, had low incomes and were living with their parents. They consulted following the pressure of their entourage and reported many consequences due to their Internet addiction problem.They spent, on average, 65.8 hours per week on the Internet and reported having several problematic applications. Amongst these problematic applications, the most frequently reported were the role playing game (MMORPG) (57.8%), the streaming on entertainment sites (35.1%), and the chat rooms (29.8%). Regarding the self-esteem scale, 66.6% of participants presented a very low or low self-esteem, while 21.1% presented an above average self-esteem. According to Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, 3.5% (n=2) of the sample reached the clinical threshold for depression, while 7.5% (n=4) reached it for anxiety. Almost half (45.6%) of the participants were taking psychotropic medication for a mental health problem, and 33.3% had a chronic physical health problem. This study highlights the characteristics of a still unknown group in the population, that of cyberdependent people. Individuals having an Internet addiction problem live significant consequences due to the loss of control on their Internet use. In addition, when they are admitted into treatment, even if the subjective psychological distress is not always high, participants present a complex clinical profile, where comorbidity is the rule rather than the exception. We believe that the current data show enough similarities with other addictive disorders, to allow clinicians to work taking into consideration their experience with other addictive behaviours.

Dissociation in Psychiatric Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Using the Dissociative Experiences Scale

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2017
AM J PSYCHIAT

Objective: Dissociation is a complex, ubiquitous construct in psychopathology. Symptoms of dissociation are present in a variety of mental disorders and have been connected to higher burden of illness and poorer treatment response, and not only in disorders with high levels of dissociation. This meta-analysis offers a systematic and evidence-based study of the prevalence and distribution of dissociation, as assessed by the Dissociative Experiences Scale, within different categories of mental disorders, and it updates an earlier meta-analysis. Method: More than 1,900 original publications were screened, and 216 were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 15,219 individuals in 19 diagnostic categories. Results: The largest mean dissociation scores were found in dissociative disorders (mean scores >35), followed by posttraumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, and conversion disorder (mean scores >25). Somatic symptom disorder, substance-related and addictive disorders, feeding and eating disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, OCD, and most affective disorders also showed mean dissociation scores >15. Bipolar disorders yielded the lowest dissociation scores (mean score, 14.8). Conclusions: The findings underline the importance of careful psychopathological assessment of dissociative symptoms in the entire range of mental disorders.

A Review and Meta-Analysis Examining Conceptual and Operational Definitions of Problematic Internet Use

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2016
HUM COMMUN RES

This study examined different conceptual and operational definitions of problematic Internet use (PIU). 3 perspectives of PIU are described along with a meta-analytic review (K = 112) conducted to explore the implications stemming from how PIU is measured. The results offer evidence to support the construct validity of measures developed from the impulse control disorder and relationship resource deficits traditions but raise questions about substance dependence measures of PIU. Additionally, there were small but noteworthy differences in the associations between PIU and key antecedents and outcomes that could be attributed to PIU measurement tradition. Suggestions for developing a more robust body of scholarship on PIU are offered.

Persönlichkeitsstörungen und Sucht: Systematische Literaturübersicht zu Epidemiologie, Verlauf und Behandlung

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2015

AIM: This paper provides a systematic overview of the comorbidity of personality and addictive disorders including behavioural addictions. METHOD: Systematic review. RESULTS: Personality disorders and substance-related addictions show high comorbidity rates. This is equally true of behavioural addictions. Most empirical research is on comorbidity with borderline personality disorder. For treatment of individuals with dual diagnoses, three psychotherapies have been demonstrated to be effective. Pharmacotherapeutic approaches have hardly been investigated. CONCLUSION: METHODologically integrative treatment represents therapy of choice for patients with dual diagnoses. Comorbidity of personality disorders and behavioural addictions needs further investigation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Abhängigkeitsphänomene, Aggressivität und Empathie bei exzessiven Nutzern von Computerspielen vom First-Person-Shooter-Typ

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2015

Die Frage inwieweit das Spielen von First-Person-Shootern (FPS) eine Wirkung auf reale aggressive Verhaltensweisen hat, ist noch nicht abschließend geklärt und weiter heftig umstritten. Inwiefern hierbei quantitative Aspekte einer exzessiven bzw. abhängigen FPS-Nutzung von Bedeutung sind, wurde bislang kaum untersucht. Die vorliegende Studie beschäftigt sich mit Abhängigkeitsaspekten einer Gruppe von Exzessivspielern und ihrem Zusammenhang mit Faktoren von Aggressivität und Empathie. 25 junge Männer mit einem FPS-Konsum von mindestens 4 h/d für die vorangegangen 2 Jahre wurden psychometrisch untersucht und mit einer im Hinblick auf Geschlecht, Alter und Schulbildung gleichsinnig verteilten Gruppe verglichen. Die durchschnittlich 23,5 Jahre alten Exzessivspieler spielen hauptsächlich Online-Spiele und weisen in der Internetsuchtskala (ISS) signifikant höhere Werte als die Vergleichsgruppe auf. Bei den Exzessivspielern korrelieren die ISS-Werte mit der Globalskala des Kurzfragebogens für Aggressionsfaktoren (K-FAF). Im Hinblick auf verschiedene erhobene Faktoren von Aggressivität und Empathiefähigkeit zeigt sich ein uneinheitliches Bild, wobei sich für die Exzessivspieler signifikant niedrigere Werte in der FAF-Subskala für Aggressionshemmung und der Eysenck Empathieskala ergeben, die mit einander signifikant positiv korrelieren. Die 8 Exzessivspieler (32%), welche die Kriterien für Internetabhängigkeit erfüllen, zeigen signifikant stärkere Ausprägungen hinsichtlich spontaner Aggressivität, Feindseligkeit und antisozialer Merkmale. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass online genutzte FPS ein Suchtpotenzial aufweisen. Nicht nur qualitative sondern auch quantitative Faktoren einer suchtartigen Nutzung gewalthaltiger Computerspiele im Hinblick auf Aggressivität fördernde Aspekte dürften in Forschung und Prävention stärker zu berücksichtigen sein.

Hi-Tech Mental Health Interventions and Internet Addiction: Managing the Risk of Harm

Thesis

Full-text available

May 2014

Tim Peterson

This study set out to examine the prospective risk of harm of the set of emerging technologically-based self-help mental health interventions, which this study termed 'Hi-Tech Mental Health Interventions' (HTMHI). In the first chapter, Bibliotherapy was reviewed as an important predecessor to HTMHI. Issues of applicability, validity and integration in clinical practice were discussed. The second half of the chapter introduced the concept of HTMHI, which were defined as: "Internet-connected programs, purposed for mental health treatment, prevention or promotion, based on sound psychological principles and used as an adjunct to therapy." A four-type classification framework was offered, comprising apps that are primarily reference, simple interaction, rich interaction and social in nature. Examples were offered to help the reader identify members of each class. The second chapter took up the subject of Internet addiction, which emerged in the literature in the mid-90's but has yet to find professional consensus. The chapter reviewed issues of: diagnosis, prevalence, subtypes, behavioral addiction, comorbidity, etiology and treatment. Areas of need for further research were identified. These two chapters set the stage for the final chapter, which uses a Venn diagram to identify a sub-population of mental health clients who are susceptible to pathological use of technology and also likely to adopt HTMHI. It is acknowledged that insufficient research exists to proclaim the risk of harm clear and undebatable. However, warning flags are identified by comparing features of HTMHI that overlap with Griffiths' theory about addiction-enabling situational and structural features of Internet-based gambling. Practical recommendations are made to psychologists interested in responsible integration of HTMHI in their clinical practice. Actionable steps are identified in the areas of psychoeducation, consultation and advocacy.

The German Version of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2): A Validation Study.

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2014

Abstract The Generalized Pathological Internet Use Scale (GPIUS2) assesses cognitive behavioral aspects of problematic Internet use. To date, the 15-item scale has only been available in English, and the aim of this study was to translate and validate a German version. An online sample (ON, n=1,041, age 24.2±7.2 years, 46.7% men) completed an Internet version of the translated GPIUS2, and a student sample (OF, n=841, age 23.5±3.0 years, 46.8% men) filled in a pencil and paper version. A third sample of 108 students (21.5±2.0 years, 25.7% men) completed the questionnaire twice to determine the 14-day retest reliability. Participants also answered questions regarding their Internet use habits (OF, ON) and depression, loneliness, and social anxiety (ON). The internal consistencies were α=0.91 (ON) and α=0.86 (OF). Item-whole correlations ranged from r=0.53 to r=0.69 (ON) and from r=0.39 to r=0.63 (OF). The 2 week retest reliability was rtt=0.85. Confirmatory factor analyses found a satisfactory fit for the factorial model proposed by Caplan for the original version. The GPIUS2 score correlated moderately with time spent on the Internet for private purposes in a typical week (ON: r=0.40; OF: r=0.36). Loneliness, depression, and social anxiety explained 46% of the variance in GPIUS2 scores. The German version of the GPIUS2 has good psychometric properties in a pencil and paper version as well as in a web-based format, and the observations regarding loneliness, depression, and social anxiety support the underlying model.

A contribution to the clinical characterization of Internet addiction in a sample of treatment seekers: Validity of assessment, severity of psychopathology and type of co-morbidity

Article

Jan 2014

Internet Addiction: A Review

Data

Full-text available

Nov 2012

Internet addiction (IA) is an increasingly prevalent clinical entity in adolescents and young adults, but can affect people of all ages. IA can lead to dysfunction in social, academic and work domains, and people affected by it usually share a comorbid psychiatric disorder. Although recognized for more than 15 years, IA continues to generate controversy on academic and clinical circles, and there has been no consensus regarding its terminology, classification and diagnosis. In the last years, considerable clinical and neurobiological research has been done on the subject, showing interesting findings. Treatment alternatives are available, although some have more evidence-based support than others. The following review attempts to describe available data on IA, thus hoping to create awareness in health professionals regarding this condition.

Futile search for a better life? Two biographical case studies on women with depression and video game dependency

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2012

Purpose Video game dependency (VGD) is a behavioural addiction on the rise with considerably higher prevalence among males, and the rates and patterns of comorbidity with other disorders seem to be comparable to that of substance‐related addictions. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the role of gaming behaviour and gaming motives in the biographical context for female addicts with this new type of dual diagnosis. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted semi‐structured biographical interviews as part of an interdisciplinary German research project on VGD conducted by the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony (KFN). Qualitative research process followed modified grounded theory. Findings For VGD women, frequent accounts of depression preceding VGD and of traumatic childhood experiences of loss and/or abuse were found. In two exemplary case studies, online gaming can be described at least in part as an unsuccessful coping attempt. For example, the MMORPGs seem to allow them to experience reliable “reward for their efforts” while experiencing feelings of worthlessness due to academic failure, to experience “social contact” in spite of a fear of closeness. Research limitations/implications Gender specific strategies in prevention and treatment of VGD need to be considered, though further research is needed to verify the findings on a larger scale. Originality/value The research on gender and VGD dual diagnosis provides qualitative pioneer work in an area where no published research results are available.

The German Version of the Internet Addiction Test: A Validation Study

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2012

Reports about excessive Internet use, possibly amounting to an addiction, have increased. Progress with research and treatment of this phenomenon requires valid standardized assessment instruments. A frequently used questionnaire is the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) by Kimberly Young. The 20-item questionnaire is well established in a number of languages, but a German validation was lacking so far. An online (ON) sample (n=1,041, age 24.2±7.2 years, 46.7 percent men) completed an Internet version of the IAT and a student sample (offline [OF] sample, n=841, age: 23.5±3.0 years, 46.8 percent men) filled in a paper/pencil version. The participants also answered questions regarding their Internet use habits. A further sample of 108 students (21.5±2.0 years, 25.7 percent men) completed the questionnaire twice to determine the 14-day retest reliability. The internal consistencies were α=0.91 (ON) and α=0.89 (OF). Item-whole correlations ranged from r=0.23 to r=0.65 (ON) and from r=0.30 to r=0.64 (OF). Two-week retest reliability was rtt=0.83. Factor analyses with Varimax rotation yielded the same two factors in both samples, which explained 46.7 percent (ON) and 42.0 percent (OF) of the variance. The IAT score correlated with the time spent in the Internet in a typical week (ON: r=0.44; OF: r=0.38). The German version of the IAT was shown to have good psychometric properties and a stable two-factorial structure. Correlations with online time were in line with those reported for the IAT in other languages.

Internet Addiction and Online Gaming: An Emerging Epidemic of the Twenty-First Century?

Chapter

Jan 2019

Tanay Maiti

Internet addiction has gradually turned a medium of gaming and other leisure activities shifting from its original intention to fasten the communication and help in the researches. The excessive usage of internet and nature of its usage has been found to be similar with psycho-addictive substance addiction with similar neurobiological basis. Inclusion of gambling disorder into DSM 5 further strengthens the emerging concept of behavioral addiction. Various worldwide researches also support the upsurge of such problem. The clinical presentation and management options are mostly based on the behavioral principles learned from the substance abuse problems. However, large-scale randomized trails and epidemiological studies are definitely needed to understand this twenty-first century problem.

Psychotherapeutische Überlegungen zur Partnervermittlung im InternetPsychotherapeutic considerations on online dating: Paarungsverhalten im Bann der AlgorithmenMating behavior under the spell of algorithms

Article

Sep 2019

Die Vermittlung von Beziehungen in Online-Kontaktbörsen und Partnervermittlungen haben im letzten Jahrzehnt rasant an Zuwachs gewonnen. Der Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit individual- und massenpsychologischen Aspekten der digitalen Beziehungsanbahnung sowie ihrer Bedeutung für die Psychotherapie. Vor dem dargestellten derzeitigen Informationshintergrund wird diskutiert, welche Risiken und Chancen das Online-Dating birgt, mit welchen Gefahren die Nutzer von entsprechenden Online-Angeboten rechnen müssen, und welche Bedingungen es braucht, um eine erfüllende partnerschaftliche Bindung oder gar Ehe online entstehen zu lassen. Der Beitrag diskutiert zudem, inwieweit die zunehmende Digitalisierung unseres Lebens analoge Beziehungen unterstützten oder auch (wieder) gefährden kann. Abschließend werden exemplarisch weitere Entwicklungen in den Bereichen der Robotik sowie des Cybersex dargestellt sowie im Hinblick auf die Zukunft des menschlichen Beziehungslebens diskutiert.

Biotality-Index

Chapter

Aug 2019

Der Biotality-Index setzt sowohl Faktoren im Privatleben als auch im Berufsleben zur Einschätzung des biologischen Alters ein. Letztere fanden in bestehenden Tests nur unzureichende Beachtung. Im Folgenden wird die Auswahl der Faktoren unter Berücksichtigung statischer Überlegungen inklusiver Fragestellungen und Antwortmöglichkeiten dargelegt.

Psychopathology and personality in problematic internet users

Article

Feb 2019
RIV PSICHIATR

Few studies have addressed the issue of psychopathology and personality of individuals with problematic use of internet. In this study we research psychopathological symptoms, personality traits and predictive variables associated with problematic internet use. The study was conducted on a total of 343 students from four Italian Universities using Pathological Internet Use Scale, Big Five Questionnaire, and Symptom Check List 90 Revised. According to this study 52.7% of the sample shows a problematic internet use while only 7.6% don't suffer from any symptom. More than half of subjects admits to have got into arguments with a significant other over being online, and to have missed social engagements because of online activities. Subjects with problematic internet use scored higher in psychopathological scales. Low levels of Friendliness and Emotional Stability could predict the problematic use of internet. Problematic internet use may be associated with higher psychopathology levels and personality traits.

Structural brain network abnormalities in subjects with internet addiction

Article

Oct 2017

Although problematic overuse of internet has increased, psychopathological characteristics and neurobiological mechanisms for internet addiction (IA) remain poorly understood. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the impact of IA on the brain. The present study included 17 subjects with IA and 20 healthy subjects. We constructed the structural brain network from diffusion tensor imaging data and investigated alteration of structural connections in subjects with IA using the network analysis on the global and local levels. The subjects with IA showed increase of regional efficiency (RE) in bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and decrease in right middle cingulate and middle temporal gyri ((Formula presented.)), whereas the global properties did not show significant changes. Young’s internet addiction test (IAT) scores and RE in left OFC showed positive correlation, and average time spent on internet per day was positively correlated with the RE in right OFC. This is the first study examining alterations of the structural brain connectivity in IA. We found that subjects with IA showed alterations of RE in some brain regions and RE was positively associated with the severity of IA and average time spent on internet per day. Therefore, RE may be a good property for IA assessment.

Psychotherapeutic Approaches to the Treatment of Internet Addicts: Scientific Evidence and Clinical Experience in Germany

Chapter

Mar 2017

Treatment of Internet addiction within the German healthcare system is performed by two main clinical disciplines, “Psychiatry and Psychotherapy” on the one hand and “Psychosomatic medicine and Psychotherapy” on the other. Acute states of addiction and withdrawal are usually treated in psychiatric hospitals, which can deal with any medical implications that arise and which offer expertise in psychopharmacology. Long-term rehabilitation treatment is traditionally offered by psychosomatic hospitals, which boast expertise in inpatient psychotherapy. However, the majority of Internet addicted patients are treated as outpatients. The chapter presents an overview of the two different psychotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of Internet addiction from a scientific and a clinical angle. As in the case of addiction medicine more generally, cognitive behavioural approaches have shown the greatest efficacy in the initial treatment of Internet addiction. A growing body of evidence supports this approach. However, far less is known about the effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy. It most likely has a place in the long-term treatment and management of Internet Addiction and in the treatment of underlying co-morbid disorders, such as depression or anxiety. We will outline the current state of play in both psychotherapeutic schools, before concluding with a more holistic, integrative view of how an ideal integrated treatment scenario could work.

Diagnostik und Therapie der Internetabhängigkeit

Article

Jan 2017

Bert Theodor te Wildt

Wirkungen gewalthaltiger Medienangebote

Chapter

Feb 2013

Katja Friedrich

Die Mediengewaltforschung kann inzwischen ein beachtliches Korpus empirischer Befunde vorweisen, so dass sich nicht mehr die Frage stellt, ob Mediengewaltdarstellungen wirken, sondern wie sie ihre Wirkung entfalten und welche relative Bedeutung ihnen im Verhältnis zu anderen Einflussfaktoren zukommt. Die Forschung ist auf negative Medieneffekte ausgerichtet – hauptsächlich Aggressionen – und nimmt vor allem Kinder und Jugendliche in den Blick. Im Forschungsfeld ist eine fortschreitende Psychologisierung zu beobachten, die sich sowohl in der Theoriebildung als auch in der methodischen Umsetzung manifestiert. In jüngerer Zeit zeichnen sich Bemühungen ab, die vielfältigen Einzelbefunde in umfassendere Erklärungsansätze zu integrieren, um das relative Gewicht von Mediengewalt für Aggressionen im Verhältnis zu anderen Einflussfaktoren des personalen und sozialen Kontexts besser zu verstehen und die individuell unterschiedliche Gefährdung für Mediengewaltwirkungen präziser einschätzen zu können.

Internet- und Computerspielsucht

Chapter

Nov 2014

Das Kapitel gibt einen umfassenden Überblick zum Konzept der Internet- und Computerspielsucht. Zunächst werden diagnostische Kriterien und Screening-Instrumente zur Diagnose in ihrer Entstehungsgeschichte vom Konzept der Internet Addiction nach Kimberley Young bis hin zur Aufnahme der Internet Gaming Disorder unter den „conditions for further study“ im DSM-5 vergleichend dargestellt. Es schließt sich ein Überblick zur Epidemiologie von Internet- und Computerspielsucht an. Dieser zeigt, dass sich bislang die Prävalenzschätzungen zwischen 3 und 15 % bewegen und demnach eine hohe Bandbreite aufweisen. Abschließend werden Befunde zur Komorbidität und zu Risikokorrelaten einer Internet- und Computerspielsucht dargestellt. Zusammengefasst bleibt für Internet- oder Computerspielabhängige neben einem hohen Leidensdruck auch eine hohe psychische Belastung festzustellen, welche sich auch in einem erhöhten Auftreten komorbider Störungen im klinischen Kontext zeigt.

Non-Substance-related Addiction - Behavioral Addiction

Article

Mar 2014

Factor structure of the Barratt impulsiveness scale

Article

Full-text available

Nov 1995
J CLIN PSYCHOL

The purpose of the present study was to revise the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 10 (BIS-10), identify the factor structure of the items among normals, and compare their scores on the revised form (BIS-11) with psychiatric inpatients and prison inmates. The scale was administered to 412 college undergraduates, 248 psychiatric inpatients, and 73 male prison inmates. Exploratory principal components analysis of the items identified six primary factors and three second-order factors. The three second-order factors were labeled Attentional Impulsiveness, Motor Impulsiveness, and Nonplanning Impulsiveness. Two of the three second-order factors identified in the BIS-11 were consistent with those proposed by Barratt (1985), but no cognitive impulsiveness component was identified per se. The results of the present study suggest that the total score of the BIS-11 is an internally consistent measure of impulsiveness and has potential clinical utility for measuring impulsiveness among selected patient and inmate populations.

Ist „Internetsucht” eine eigenständige Erkrankung?

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2008

OBJECTIVE The term "Internet Addiction” implies that by using the pathological agent "Internet” an addiction-like behavior with a negative psychosocial outcome occurs. By using the pathogenetically more neutral term "Pathological Internet Use” (PIU) it is examined how frequently such behavior occurs in isolation and thus possibly as an independent condition and how often it occurs in the context of other psychiatric diseases. In the latter case PIU might merely be the consequence or a symptom of another underlying psychiatric disease. METHODS 30 persons with PIU were compared to 31 with intensive but not pathological internet use. A structured psychiatric diagnostic interview was carried out. RESULTS The main finding is that in the group with PIU a psychiatric diagnosis was found in 27 of 30 persons (e. g. anxiety disorders: 50.0 %). In the group without PIU only 7 of 31 individuals (e. g. anxiety disorders: 12.9 %) had a psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS The finding that PIU occurs mostly in combination with other psychiatric diseases has a lot to commend against "Internet addiction” as a frequent and independent disease and gives reason for further in-depth studies to consider other psychiatric disorders in people exhibiting PIU with regard to diagnosis and therapy.

Development, Reliability, and Validity of a Dissociation Scale

Article

Full-text available

Jan 1987

Dissociation is a lack of the normal integration of thoughts, feelings, and experiences into the stream of consciousness and memory. Dissociation occurs to some degree in normal individuals and is thought to be more prevalent in persons with major mental illnesses. The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) has been developed to offer a means of reliably measuring dissociation in normal and clinical populations. Scale items were developed using clinical data and interviews, scales involving memory loss, and consultations with experts in dissociation. Pilot testing was performed to refine the wording and format of the scale. The scale is a 28-item self-report questionnaire. Subjects were asked to make slashes on 100-mm lines to indicate where they fall on a continuum for each question. In addition, demographic information (age, sex, occupation, and level of education) was collected so that the connection between these variables and scale scores could be examined. The mean of all item scores ranges from 0 to 100 and is called the DES score. The scale was administered to between 10 and 39 subjects in each of the following populations: normal adults, late adolescent college students, and persons suffering from alcoholism, agoraphobia, phobic-anxious disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and multiple personality disorder. Reliability testing of the scale showed that the scale had good test-retest and good split-half reliability. Item-scale score correlations were all significant, indicating good internal consistency and construct validity. A Kruskal-Wallis test and post hoc comparisons of the scores of the eight populations provided evidence of the scale's criterion-referenced validity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inventory of Interpersonal Problems: A Three-Dimensional Balanced and Scalable 48-Item Version

Article

Full-text available

May 2000

Interpersonal relating has been a focus of attention in psychiatry for decades. To address this domain, a self-rating scale, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP; Horowitz, Rosenberg, Baer, Ureño, & Villaseñor, 1988), was developed. Analysis of the psychometric properties of IIP presented in this article was performed by principal component analysis (PCA) for the purpose of obtaining subscales with a balanced, bipolar dimensionality. The model was validated by the resulting dimensions' ability to discriminate among different categories of personality disorders (PDs). The problem of a General Complaint factor affecting PCAs of questionnaires such as the IIP is discussed thoroughly, and ways of avoiding the problem are outlined. We present a three-dimensional structure of the IIP with both theoretically appealing and statistically robust dimensions of Assertiveness, Sociability, and Interpersonal Sensitivity based on 48 (out of 127) items. Balanced, additive indexes using the subset of 48 items appeared psychometrically sound by showing much lower correlations internally and less confounding from the General Complaint factor than extant indexes derived from the IIP. External validity seemed to be bolstered by all subscales' discriminating significantly between different PDs versus no PDs, on both cluster and single diagnosis levels. Our analysis seemed to substantiate the reliability (scalability) of three dimensions of the IIP tapping different areas of the interpersonal relational field.

Internet Addiction Disorder Among Clients of a Virtual Clinic

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2001

Television Addiction is no mere metaphor

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2002

Substance Use Disorders: Sex Differences and Psychiatric Comorbidities

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2003

This article reviews sex differences in psychiatric comorbidity among individuals with substance use disorders and, in particular, the clinical significance of these differences for treatment outcome among women. We undertook a computerized search of major health care databases. To enhance the search, we drew prior relevant articles from the reference list. Women with alcohol and other drug use disorders present higher rates of psychiatric comorbidity, particularly mood and anxiety disorders, than do men. Moreover, the comorbid diagnosis, particularly of depression, is more often primary in women, while in men the comorbidity is more often secondary to the substance abuse diagnosis. In addition, there is evidence that psychiatric comorbidity is associated with distinct, sex-specific outcomes for substance use treatment. Sex differences in the clinical presentation of substance-dependent individuals with psychiatric comorbidity present specific treatment challenges and opportunities.

Factor Structure and Validity of a German Version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2003

Impulsive traits are key characteristics in a number of psychiatric disorders and are part of the normal behavior spectrum. The BIS-5 is an instrument developed to assess impulsivity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the BIS-5 in two German psychiatric inpatient samples and healthy controls proving the originally proposed four-factor structure as well as convergent and discriminate validity. 159 alcohol-dependent subjects and 77 suicidal inpatients were recruited in an University psychiatric hospital. 182 healthy subjects were recruited from town community. BIS-5 items were translated and back-translated. Principal component analysis with oblique rotation was conducted in the whole group. Furthermore, the discriminate and convergent validity of the BIS-5 was evaluated by correlation with other instruments measuring impulsive traits and comparing sample subgroups. A two-factor solution could be identified in this German sample. Alcohol-dependent individuals showed significantly higher factor 1 values compared to suicidal patients. The group of suicidal patients had higher scores in factor 2 compared to controls. Factor 1 correlated most significantly with extraversion-related personality traits while factor 2 showed significant relationships with irritability and neuroticism. A two-factor solution may be more appropriate in using the BIS-5 scale in German samples. These two factors might reflect different aspects of impulsive behavior and might be useful to characterize impulsive behavior in psychiatric and non-psychiatric samples.

Validity of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale – a systematic review

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2005

The aim of this paper is to systematically review and analyse the validity and reliability of Antonovsky's life orientation questionnaire/sense of coherence scale (SOC). The study is descriptive and analytical with a systematic integration of the contemporary knowledge base on the salutogenic research published 1992-2003. The review includes 458 scientific publications and 13 doctoral theses. Worldwide, based on postgraduate scientific publications in eight authorized databases, doctoral theses, and available books. The SOC questionnaire has been used in at least 33 languages in 32 countries with at least 15 different versions of the questionnaire. In 124 studies using SOC-29 the Cronbach's alpha ranges from 0.70 to 0.95. The alpha values in 127 studies using SOC-13 range from 0.70 to 0.92, and in 60 studies using a modified SOC scale range from 0.35 to 0.91. Test-retest correlation show stability and range from 0.69 to 0.78 (1 year), 0.64 (3 years), 0.42 to 0.45 (4 years), 0.59 to 0.67 (5 years) to 0.54 (10 years). The means of SOC-29 range 100.50 (SD 28.50) to 164.50 (SD 17.10) points and SOC-13 from 35.39 (SD 0.10) to 77.60 (SD 13.80) points. After 10 years SOC seems to be comparatively stable, but not as stable as Antonovsky initially assumed. SOC tends to increase with age. The factorial structure of SOC seems rather to be multidimensional than unidimensional. SOC predicts a positive outcome in a long term perspective, although there are divergent findings reported. The SOC scale seems to be a reliable, valid, and cross culturally applicable instrument measuring how people manage stressful situations and stay well.

Epidemiologic and clinical updates on impulse control disorders: A critical review

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2007

The article reviews the current knowledge about the impulse control disorders (ICDs) with specific emphasis on epidemiological and pharmacological advances. In addition to the traditional ICDs present in the DSM-IV-pathological gambling, trichotillomania, kleptomania, pyromania and intermittent explosive disorder-a brief description of the new proposed ICDs-compulsive-impulsive (C-I) Internet usage disorder, C-I sexual behaviors, C-I skin picking and C-I shopping-is provided. Specifically, the article summarizes the phenomenology, epidemiology and comorbidity of the ICDs. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between ICDs and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Finally, current pharmacological options for treating ICDs are presented and discussed.

Potential Markers for Problematic Internet Use: A Telephone Survey of 2,513 Adults

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2006

The Internet has positively altered many aspects of life. However, for a subset of users, the medium may have become a consuming problem that exhibits features of impulse control disorders recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. This is the first large-scale epidemiological study of problematic Internet use through a random-digit-dial telephone survey of 2,513 adults in the United States. Given the lack of validated criteria, survey questions were extrapolated from established diagnostic criteria for impulse control disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance abuse. Four possible diagnostic criteria sets were generated. The least restrictive set required the respondent to report an unsuccessful effort to reduce Internet use or a history of remaining online longer than intended, Internet use interfering with relationships, and a preoccupation with Internet use when offline. The response rate was 56.3%. Interviews averaged 11.3 minutes in duration. From 3.7% to 13% of respondents endorsed > or =1 markers consistent with problematic Internet use. The least restrictive proposed diagnostic criteria set yielded a prevalence of problematic Internet use of 0.7%. Potential markers of problematic Internet use seem present in a sizeable proportion of adults. Future studies should delineate whether problematic Internet use constitutes a pathological behavior that meets criteria for an independent disorder, or represents a symptom of other psychopathologies.

Is “Internet Addiction” a disorder of its own?—A study on subjects with excessive internet use

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2008

The term "Internet Addiction" implies that by using the pathological agent "Internet" an addiction-like behavior with a negative psychosocial outcome occurs. By using the pathogenetically more neutral term "Pathological Internet Use" (PIU) it is examined how frequently such behavior occurs in isolation and thus possibly as an independent condition and how often it occurs in the context of other psychiatric diseases. In the latter case PIU might merely be the consequence or a symptom of another underlying psychiatric disease. 30 persons with PIU were compared to 31 with intensive but not pathological internet use. A structured psychiatric diagnostic interview was carried out. The main finding is that in the group with PIU a psychiatric diagnosis was found in 27 of 30 persons (e. g. anxiety disorders: 50.0 %). In the group without PIU only 7 of 31 individuals (e. g. anxiety disorders: 12.9 %) had a psychiatric diagnosis. The finding that PIU occurs mostly in combination with other psychiatric diseases has a lot to commend against "Internet addiction" as a frequent and independent disease and gives reason for further in-depth studies to consider other psychiatric disorders in people exhibiting PIU with regard to diagnosis and therapy.

Reliability and validity studies of the whoecomposite international diagnostic interview cidi): A critical review

Article

Jan 1994
J PSYCHIATR RES

H.U. Wittchen

Standardization of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale in the German population

Article

Jan 2000

The age and gender specific standard scores (percentile ranks) of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale in a large community-based sample of the German population (N = 1.944; aged from 18 to 92 years) are reported.

DEPENDENCE ON COMPUTER GAMES BY ADOLESCENTS

Article

Apr 1998

Mark D Griffiths

Symptom-Checkliste SCL-90-R: Testtheoretische Überprüfung und Normierung an einer bevölkerungsrepräsentativen Stichprobe

Article

Jan 2001

Die Symptom-Checkliste SCL-90-R ist ein weltweit sehr häufig eingesetztes Selbstbeurteilungsinstrument zur Erfassung der psychischen Symptombelastung. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird über die testtheoretische Überprüfung des Verfahrens und die bisher noch fehlende Normierung an einer für die deutsche Bevölkerung repräsentativen Stichprobe von 2179 Personen im Altersbereich von 16 bis 96 Jahren berichtet. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die SCL-90-R als Gesamtskala ein reliables Instrument zur Messung der globalen psychischen Symptombelastung darstellt. Die von den Autoren des Verfahrens postulierte dimensionale Struktur mit neun Skalen zur Erfassung unterschiedlicher Symptombereiche lässt sich faktorenanalytisch jedoch nicht bestätigen. Sowohl die hohen Interkorrelationen der Skalen als auch der Eigenwerteverlauf der Faktorenanalyse legt die Existenz eines varianzstarken Generalfaktors (global distress factor) nahe, der die allgemeine Symptombelastung einer Person abbildet. Eine valide Erfassung voneinander abgrenzbarer Symptombereiche mittels verschiedener Subskalen ist mit der SCL-90-R somit nicht möglich. Die mitgeteilten Normwerte beziehen sich deshalb lediglich auf die globalen Skalenkennwerte. Schlüsselwörter: SCL-90-R, testtheoretische Überprüfung, Normierung, repräsentative Bevölkerungsstichprobe Abstract.The Symptom-Checklist SCL-90-R by Derogatis (1977) is a frequently used inventory to assess psychological distress. This study presents results of the validation and standardization of the SCL-90-R based on a representative sample of the German population (2179 subjects aged 16 to 96 years). It could be demonstrated that the SCL-90-R is a reliable instrument to measure the global intensity of psychological distress. Factor analysis of the items of the questionnaire yielded a strong unrotated first factor, suggesting that a general factor (global distress factor) may be present. This, together with the fact that high intercorrelations were found between the nine original subscales, suggests that the instrument is not multidimensional. Therefore a classification of different groups of symptoms by different subscales is not possible, and the representative norms reported in this paper are limited to the global scores GSI, PST, and GSDI.

Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder

Article

Jul 1998

KIMBERLY S. YOUNG

Anecdotal reports indicated that some on-line users were becoming addicted to the Internet in much the same way that others became addicted to drugs or alcohol, which resulted in academic, social, and occupational impairment. However, research among sociologists, psychologists, or psychiatrists has not formally identified addictive use of the Internet as a problematic behavior. This study investigated the existence of Internet addiction and the extent of problems caused by such potential misuse. Of all the diagnoses referenced in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1995), Pathological Gambling was viewed as most akin to the pathological nature of Internet use. By using Pathological Gambling as a model, addictive Internet use can be defined as an impulse-control disorder that does not involve an intoxicant. Therefore, this study developed a brief eight-item questionnaire referred to as a Diagnostic Questionnaire (DQ), which modified criteria for pathological gambling to provide a screening instrument for classification of participants. On the basis of this criteria, case studies of 396 dependent Internet users (Dependents) and 100 nondependent Internet users (Nondependents) were classified. Qualitative analyses suggest significant behavioral and functional usage differences between the two groups such as the types of applications utilized, the degree of difficulty controlling weekly usage, and the severity of problems noted. Clinical and social implications of pathological Internet use and future directions for research are discussed.

Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis-II disorders

Article

Jan 1994

Confirmation of the dimensional structure of the SCL-90: a study in construct validation

Article

Jan 1977

Deutsche Normierung der Sense of Coherence Scale von Antonovsky

Article

Oct 2000

Zusammenfassung. Berichtet werden alters-und geschlechtsspezifische Normwerte (Prozentränge) für die Sense of Coherence Scale von Antonovsky , die auf der Basis der Daten einer im Jahre 1998 in Deutschland durchgeführten bevölkerungsrepräsentativen Erhebung (N = 1.944; Alter 18-92 Jahre) ermittelt wurden. Abstract. The age and gender specific standard scores (percentile ranks) of Antonovsky 's Sense of Coherence Scale in a large community-based sample of the German population (N = 1.944; aged from 18 to 92 years) are reported.

Zur Validierung des Inventars zur Erfassung Interpersonaler Probleme (IIP)—Ergebnisse einer Repräsentativbefragung in Ost- und Westdeutschland. / Validation of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP)—Results of a representative study in East and West Germany.

Article

Nov 1999

Established the corresponding standardization for the German speaking population of the IIP developed in the US in the late 1970s. 2,025 West Germans and 1,022 East Germans aged 14–92 yrs were interviewed using psychological questionnaires in a random route sampling. The representative norms are given and the psychometric dimensions of the questionnaires adjusted for this sample. For additional testing of validity the results were also related to the scores of other tests; namely: (1) the Gießen Test (GT) by D. Beckman et al, 1991; (2) the Gießener Beschwerdebogen (GBB) by E. Brähler and J. W. Scheer, 1995 (questionnaire on physical complaints); (3) the Fragebogen zur Erfassung der Belastungsverarbeitung, a version of the Angstbewältigungsinventars (ABI; H. W. Krohne et al, 1992) (questionnaire on evaluating stress management); (4) the Fragebogen zur Lebenszufriedenheit (FLZ) by J. Fahrenberg et al, 1986, modified by J. Schumacher et al (questionnaire measuring life satisfaction); and (5) the Fragebogen zum erinnerten elterlichen Erziehungsverhalten (FEE) by Schumacher et al, 1998 (questionnaire on memories of parental behavior). The relevant results are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Confirmation of the Dimensional Structure of the SCL-90: A Study in Construct Validation

Article

Oct 1977
J CLIN PSYCHOL

The dimensional structure of the SCL-90, a multidimensional self-report symptom inventory, was subjected to a confirmatory empirical test with a sample of 1,002 psychiatric outpatients. A variation of factor analytic method termed a „Procrustes procedure” was utilized to compare the hypothesized nine-dimensional clinical-rational structure with the dimensional structure developed empirically. The hypothetical vs. empirical match was judged to be very good for eight of the nine dimensions, and moderate on the ninth and thereby makes a substantive contribution to the construct validity of the instrument.

Psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with Internet addiction: Comparison with substance use

Article

Feb 2008
PSYCHIAT CLIN NEUROS

Aims: The aim of the present study was to compare psychiatric symptoms between adolescents with and without Internet addiction, as well as between analogs with and without substance use. Methods: A total of 3662 students (2328 male and 1334 female) were recruited for the study. Self-report scales were utilized to assess psychiatric symptoms, Internet addiction, and substance use. Results: It was found that Internet addiction or substance use in adolescents was associated with more severe psychiatric symptoms. Hostility and depression were associated with Internet addiction and substance use after controlling for other symptoms. Conclusions: This result partially supports the hypothesis that Internet addiction should be included in the organization of problem behavior theory, and it is suggested that prevention and intervention can best be carried out when grouped with other problem behaviors. Moreover, more attention should be devoted to hostile and depressed adolescents in the design of preventive strategies and the related therapeutic interventions for Internet addiction.

Impulsivität und Impulskontrolle Zur psychologischen und psychopathologischen Konzeptionalisierung

Article

Mar 1997

Impulsiveness and impaired impulse control are connected with an increasing number of psychic disorders. While impulsiveness presents an enduring, pervasive predisposition of personality, the DSM-IV category of “impulse control disorder not elsewhere classified” is operationalized by specific dysfunctional behaviors. So far, the construction of impulsiveness has really not been sufficiently clarified. What does it means and how can one describes it. Different means of conceptualization are presented from a psychological and psychopathological point of view. Their critical review leads to the hypothesis that impulsiveness subsumes a specific quality of drive, on the one hand, which is closely related to a person's temperament and control mechanisms on the other. Drive and impulse control represent enduring traits that act on all levels of personality function, including behavior, cognitive processing and affect regulation. Finally, a model of impulsiveness is suggested that reflects the close interactions among drive, affect and cognition in the regulation of behavior.

Emerging Conceptual Models of Excessive Behaviors

Article

May 2007

James R. Westphal

The clinical assessment of a common behavior that disrupts a person’s life only when it becomes excessive is controversial. The inclusion of pathological gambling in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Third Edition (DSM-III) in 1980 was one of the initial formal attempts to develop diagnostic criteria for this type of behavior. The diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling were based on substance dependency, but the disorder was classified as an impulse control disorder. One attempt to resolve the controversy has been the development of a general psychological model of addiction that includes both substance related behaviors and excessive behaviors. An example is the Griffiths component model that describes salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict and relapse as the central features of addiction. An addictive disorders section including excessive behaviors and substance use disorders is one of the proposals for the DSM-V, scheduled to be published in 2012.

Sensation seeking and internet dependence of Taiwanese high school adolescents

Article

Jul 2002
COMPUT HUM BEHAV

The present study examined excessive Internet use of Taiwanese adolescents and a psychological aspect of users, sensation seeking, thus to differentiate motivation of Internet dependents and non-dependents. Seven hundred and fifty three Taiwanese high school students were selected using cluster sampling and 88 of them were categorized as Internet dependent users. Results indicated that Internet dependents spent more time on-line than non-dependents. While Internet dependents perceived significantly more negative Internet influences on daily routines, school performance, and parental relation than non-dependents, both Internet dependents and non-dependents viewed Internet use as enhancing peer relations. Making friends through the Internet has become a popular activity among adolescents, potentially leading to its excessive use. Internet dependents scored significantly higher on overall sensation seeking and disinhibition than Internet non-dependents. However, both groups did not differ in the life experience seeking subscale and thrill and adventure seeking subscale. This finding contradicts that of Lavin, Marvin, McLarney, Nola, and Scott [CyberPsychol. Behav. 2 (2000) 425]. Possible reasons for this discrepancy and for the relation between Internet dependence and disinhibition in Taiwanese adolescents are also discussed.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV

Book

Jan 2000

A.P American Psychiatric Association

Reliability and Validity Studies of the WHO-Composite International Diagnostic Review (CIDI)

Article

Feb 1994
J PSYCHIATR RES

Hans-Ulrich Wittchen

This paper reviews reliability and validity studies of the WHO - Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). The CIDI is a comprehensive and fully standardized diagnostic interview designed for assessing mental disorders according to the definitions of the Diagnostic Criteria for Research of ICD-10 and DSM-III-R. The instrument contains 276 symptom questions many of which are coupled with probe questions to evaluate symptom severity, as well as questions for assessing help-seeking behavior, psychosocial impairments, and other episode-related questions. Although primarily intended for use in epidemiological studies of mental disorders, it is also being used extensively for clinical and other research purposes. The review documents the wide spread use of the instrument and discusses several test-retest and interrater reliability studies of the CIDI. Both types of studies have confirmed good to excellent Kappa coefficients for most diagnostic sections. In international multicenter studies as well as several smaller center studies the CIDI was judged to be acceptable for most subjects and was found to be appropriate for use in different kinds of settings and countries. There is however still a need for reliability studies in general population samples, the area the CIDI was primary intended for. Only a few selected aspects of validity have been examined so far, mostly in smaller selected clinical samples. The need for further procedural validity studies of the CIDI with clinical instruments such as the SCAN as well as cognitive validation studies is emphasized. The latter should focus on specific aspects, such as the use of standardized questions in the elderly, cognitive probes to improve recall of episodes and their timing, as well as the role of order effects in the presentation of diagnostic sections.

Alcoholism and psychiatric comorbidity in general hospital inpatients

Article

Aug 1996
GEN HOSP PSYCHIAT

A substantial psychiatric comorbidity has been observed in alcohol patients from specialized alcoholism and substance abuse treatment centers. However, hardly any results have yet been reported from general hospital inpatients. We report results from a survey of a representative sample of 400 general hospital inpatients (200 medical, 200 surgical) which was carried out not only to assess the prevalence of alcoholism but also the rates of additional psychiatric disorders. All patients were interviewed personally with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). A lifetime diagnosis of alcoholism was found in 18.8%, a current diagnosis in 11.3%. Of these patients, lifetime alcoholism was associated with 41.3% lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, current alcoholism with 44.4% current comorbidity. Organic brain syndromes were diagnosed predominantly, followed by depressive disorders and phobias. With the exception of the high rate of organic brain disorders, the rates of other comorbid psychiatric disorders in the general hospital seem to resemble those of the general population rather than those from alcoholism treatment facilities.

[Impulsiveness and impulse control. On the psychological and psychopathological conceptualization]

Article

Apr 1997

Impulsiveness and impaired impulse control are connected with an increasing number of psychic disorders. While impulsiveness presents an enduring, pervasive predisposition of personality, the DSM-IV category of "impulse control disorder not elsewhere classified" is operationalized by specific dysfunctional behaviors. So far, the construction of impulsiveness has really not been sufficiently clarified. What does it means and how can one describes it. Different means of conceptualization are presented from a psychological and psychopathological point of view. Their critical review leads to the hypothesis that impulsiveness subsumes a specific quality of drive, on the one hand, which is closely related to a person's temperament and control mechanisms on the other. Drive and impulse control represent enduring traits that act on all levels of personality function, including behavior, cognitive processing and affect regulation. Finally, a model of impulsiveness is suggested that reflects the close interactions among drive, affect and cognition in the regulation of behavior.

Dependence on Computer Games by Adolescents

Article

May 1998

As computer game playing is a popular activity among adolescents, a questionnaire study was undertaken with 387 adolescents (12-16 years of age) to establish their "dependence" using a scale adapted from the DSM-III-R criteria for pathological gambling. Analysis indicated that one in five adolescents were currently "dependent" upon computer games. Boys played significantly more regularly than girls and were more likely to be classified as "dependent." The earlier children began playing computer games it appeared the more likely they were to be playing at "dependent" levels. These and other results are discussed in relation to research on other gaming dependencies.

The "Fragebogen (questionnaire) zu dissoziativen Symptomen (FDS)": German adaption, reliability, and validity of the American "Dissociative Experience Scale (DES)"

Article

Jul 1998

The "Fragebogen zu dissoziativen Symptomen (FDS)" represents the authorised German translation and adaptation of the "Dissociative Experience Scale" (DES; Bernstein and Putnam 1986). The original scale comprises 28 items covering dissociative experiences with regard to memory, identity, awareness and cognition according to DSM-III-R and DSM-IV. For the German version, 16 items were added to cover dissociative phenomena according to ICD-10, mainly pseudoneurological conversion symptoms. Reliability and validity of the German version were studied in a total sample of 813 persons and were compared to the results of the original version. Test-retest reliability of the FDS was rtt = 0.88 and Cronbach's consistency coefficient was alpha = 0.93, which is comparable to the results of the DES. The instrument differentiates between different samples (healthy control subjects, students, unselected neurological and psychiatric inpatients, neurological and psychiatric patients with a dissociative disorder and schizophrenics). The FDS is an easily applicable, reliable and valid measure to quantify dissociative experiences.

[Validation of the Inventory for Interpersonal Problems (IIP). Results of a representative study in East and West Germany]

Article

Dec 1999

The Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) was developed in the USA in the late 1970s and in the mean time has become a well-established instrument applied in numerous clinical studies in German speaking countries under the name "Inventar zur Erfassung interpersonaler Probleme". The test manual was published in German in 1994, but without the corresponding standardisation for a German-speaking population. The present study fills this gap. In a representative study the IIP was completed by 2025 West Germans and 1022 East Germans aged 14-92 years. The representative norms are given and the psychometric dimensions of the questionnaire adjusted for this sample. As a contribution to testing validity the results were also related to the scores of a number of other tests completed by the same sample (Giessen Test--GT; Giessener Beschwerdebogen--GBB; Fragebogen zur Lebenszufriedenheit--FLZ; Angstbewältigungsinventar--ABI and the Fragebogen zum erinnerten elterlichen Erziehungsverhalten [FEE]). The relevant results will be reported.

Internet addiction: Genuine diagnosis or not?

Article

Mar 2000

Peter Mitchell

Modification in the Proposed Diagnostic Criteria for Internet Addiction

Article

Jul 2001

The Internet is a new technology that has impacted the world and provided many benefits to its users. At the same time the Internet has had negative ramifications. Some people are becoming preoccupied with the Internet, are unable to control their use, and are jeopardizing employment and relationships. The concept of "Internet addiction" has been proposed as an explanation for uncontrollable, damaging use of this technology. Symptoms of excessive Internet use are compared to the criteria used to diagnose other addictions. In particular, pathological gambling is compared to problematic Internet use because of overlapping criteria. This article suggests some modifications to the diagnostic criteria that has been commonly proposed for Internet addiction.

[Psychological impact of the new digital media].

Article

Nov 2004

Bert Theodor te Wildt

This review article starts from the hypothesis that the new digital media's impact on people's mental health, which in professional and private everyday life has become increasingly frequent and intense, is widely underestimated. The disturbances associated with media exposure, which have been already described and examined, are presented and discussed, while classifying them in three groups of disorders, namely dissocial, dissociative and impulse control disorders. In a second step, psychotherapeutic and psychiatric applications of the digital media are presented, especially, psychometric and neuropsychological testing, distribution of information and behavioral therapeutic tools. The positive and negative effects of the internet and cyberspace are applied to the multicausal understanding of the genesis and therapy of mental disturbances. Against this background, the opinion is held, that the paradigmatic medialization of the world has to be taken seriously and actively approached as a psycho-ecological factor with psychosocial, psychopathogenic and also neuroplastic effects. Therefore, also a psychiatric approach is needed to establish both research on media-associated disorders including their therapy and the development of quality standards in the therapeutic use of the Internet and Cyberspace.

Impulse Control Disorders in Adult Psychiatric Inpatients

Article

Dec 2005

The authors' goal was to examine the prevalence of impulse control disorders in psychiatric inpatients. They used the Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview, a semistructured clinical interview assessing pathological gambling, trichotillomania, kleptomania, pyromania, intermittent explosive disorder, compulsive buying, and compulsive sexual behavior, to screen 204 consecutively admitted psychiatric inpatients. One hundred twelve of the inpatients were women (54.9%), and the mean age of the 204 inpatients was 40.5 years (SD=13.2, range=18-83). Patients whose screen was positive for an impulse control disorder were evaluated with structured clinical interviews. Sixty-three patients (30.9%) were diagnosed with at least one current impulse control disorder. The most common impulse control disorders were compulsive buying (N=19 [9.3%]), kleptomania (N=16 [7.8%]), and pathological gambling (N=14 [6.9%]). Patients with and without co-occurring impulse control disorders did not differ significantly from each other on demographic measures or number or type of psychiatric diagnoses other than impulse control disorders. Impulse control disorders appear common among psychiatric inpatients. Additional, larger studies are needed to examine the prevalence of impulse control disorders in the general population and specific psychiatric groups.

Psychiatric Comorbidity Assessed in Korean Children and Adolescents Who Screen Positive for Internet Addiction

Article

Jun 2006

This study aimed to evaluate clinical comorbidity in children and adolescents with Internet addiction by using structured interview. The study was performed in 2 stages. We screened for the presence of Internet addiction among 455 children (mean +/- SD age = 11.0 +/- 0.9 years) and 836 adolescents (mean +/- SD age = 15.8 +/- 0.8 years) using Young's Internet Addiction Scale. These subjects also completed a measure of psychopathology for comparison between addicted and nonaddicted subjects. Sixty-three children (13.8%) and 170 adolescents (20.3%) screened positive for Internet addiction. Of these, 12 children (male, N = 9; female, N = 3) and 12 adolescents (male, N = 11; female, N = 1) were randomly selected for evaluation of current psychiatric diagnoses. Structured interviews used were K-SADS-PL-K for children and SCID-IV for adolescents. Data were collected and interviews were conducted from August 2003 through October 2004. In the child group, 7 were diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) not otherwise specified including those with subthreshold levels. Mean DuPaul's ADHD Rating Scale scores were more than 20% higher than the mean in Korean children for 6 subjects. In the adolescent group, 3 subjects had major depressive disorder, 1 had schizophrenia, and 1 had obsessive-compulsive disorder. By structured interview, we found that Internet-addicted subjects had various comorbid psychiatric disorders. The most closely related comorbidities differ with age. Though we can not conclude that Internet addiction is a cause or consequence of these disorders, clinicians must consider the possibility of age-specific comorbid psychiatric disorders in cases of Internet addiction.

Understanding and treating kleptomania: New models and new treatments

Article

Feb 2006
ISR J PSYCHIATR REL

Jon E. Grant

Kleptomania, characterized by repetitive, uncontrollable stealing of items not needed for personal use, is a disabling disorder that often goes unrecognized in clinical practice. Although originally conceptualized as an obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder, emerging evidence (clinical characteristics, familial transmission, and treatment response) suggests that kleptomania may have important similarities to both addictive and mood disorders. In particular, kleptomania frequently co-occurs with substance use disorders, and it is common for individuals with kleptomania to have first-degree relatives who suffer from a substance use disorder. Additionally, there is some suggestion that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the treatment of choice for obsessive compulsive disorder, may lack efficacy for kleptomania. Instead, other medications (lithium, anti-epileptics, and opioid antagonists) have shown early promise in treating kleptomania. Evidence suggests that there may be subtypes of kleptomania that are more like OCD, whereas others have more similarities to addictive and mood disorders. Subtyping of individuals with kleptomania may be a useful way to better understand this behavior and decide on effective treatment interventions.

Substance use disorders: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) and International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10)

Article

Oct 2006

Two major nomenclatures, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) and International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10), currently define substance use disorders for broad audiences of users with different training, experience and interests. A comparison of these definitions and their implications for DSM-V and ICD-11 has not been available. The background for the dependence concept and abuse, harmful use, withdrawal, substance-induced disorders and remission and other substance-related conditions is reviewed. Reliability evidence is presented, as is validity evidence from approaches including psychometric, genetic and animal studies. The relevance of the DSM-IV and ICD-10 compared to alternative systems (e.g. the Addiction Severity Index) is considered. Reliability and psychometric validity evidence for substance dependence is consistently strong, but more mixed for abuse and harmful use. Findings on the genetics of alcohol disorders support the validity of the dependence concept, while animal studies underscore the centrality of continued use despite negative consequences to the concept of dependence. While few studies on substance-induced disorders have been conducted, those published show good reliability and validity when elements of DSM-IV and ICD-10 are combined. Dependence in DSM-V and ICD-11 should be retained, standardizing both criteria sets and adding a severity measure. The consequences of heavy use should be measured independently of dependence; add cannabis withdrawal if further research supports existing evidence; conduct further studies of the substance-induced psychiatric categories; standardize their criteria across DSM-V and ICD-11; develop a theoretical basis for better remission criteria; consider changing substance 'abuse' to substance 'dysfunction disorder'; and conduct clinician education on the value of the diagnostic criteria.

Demographic, Habitual, and Socioeconomic Determinants of Internet Addiction Disorder: An Empirical Study of Korean Teenagers

Article

Nov 2006

Mann Hyung Hur

The objective of this study was to analyze the demographic, socioeconomic, and habitual causes of juvenile Internet addiction. All do not agree that Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is a new type of addiction, but they agree that the IAD phenomenon has widely spread over recent years. This is also true in Korea. For this study, six schools in Korea were selected to collect data: two from Seoul, two from suburban areas, and two from rural areas. Two hundred and forty copies were collected out of some 700 copies distributed. Multiple regression models were employed to explore significant predictors of IAD. This study showed that at least two out of 100 teenagers in Korea are seriously suffering from IAD and that approximately one out of two is exposed to a kind of IAD. The causes of IAD are not only associated with habitual backgrounds for use of the Internet, but also demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Therefore, it can be said that the development of IAD is an interactive process between juveniles' habits of using Internet, and their demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. As IAD progresses, a single type of intervention such as parent interventions or school interventions does not work effectively. Multimodal interventions are required to provide counseling services for individuals suffering from IAD.

Clinical Characteristics and Psychiatric Comorbidity of Pyromania

Article

Dec 2007
J CLIN PSYCHIAT

There have been few systematic studies of individuals with pyromania, and this paucity of research has hindered our understanding and treatment of this disorder. This study details the demographic and phenomenological features of individuals with DSM-IV lifetime pyromania. Twenty-one adult and adolescent subjects (recruited from inpatient and outpatient studies of impulse-control disorders) with lifetime DSM-IV pyromania were administered a semi-structured interview to elicit demographic data and information on the phenomenology, age at onset, and associated features of the disorder. Data were collected from October 2003 to September 2006. Twenty-one subjects (10 female [47.6%]) with lifetime pyromania (mean +/- SD age = 26.1 +/- 11.8 years; range, 15-49 years) were studied. The mean +/- SD age at onset for pyromania was 18.1 +/- 5.8 years. Eighteen subjects (85.7%) reported urges to set fires. Subjects reported a mean +/- SD frequency of setting 1 fire every 5.9 +/- 3.8 weeks. Much of the fire setting did not meet the legal definition of arson. Thirteen (61.9%) had a current comorbid Axis I mood disorder, and 10 (47.6%) met criteria for a current impulse-control disorder. Pyromania appears to be associated with high rates of psychiatric comorbidity. Research is needed to optimize patient care for individuals with this disorder.

What makes the Internet Addictive: Potential Explanations for Pathological Internet Use. Paper presented at the 105th annual conference of the

Ks Young

Shadow Syndromes. The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us

Jj Ratey
C Johnson

Virtual Addiction. Oakland: New Harbinger

Dn Greenfield

Evaluation der deutschen Version der Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS 5)

U Preuss
D Rujescu
I Giegling
G Koller
M Bottlender
R Engel

Validity of Antonovsky´s sense of coherence scale: a systematic review

M Eriksson
B Lindstöm

Pathological Internet use and psychiatric disorders: A cross-sectional study on psychiatric phenomenology and clinical relevance of Internet dependency

Abstract

No full-text available

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