June 2025
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4 Reads
Addictive Behaviors Reports
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June 2025
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4 Reads
Addictive Behaviors Reports
January 2025
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8 Reads
Journal of Behavioral Addictions
Background and aims There is a lack of research on the impact of acute stress on the interaction of affective and cognitive processes in online compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD). Therefore, this project addressed stress response, cue reactivity, attentional bias, and implicit associations in individuals with online CBSD. Methods Women with CBSD ( n = 63) and women with non-problematic online buying-shopping ( n = 64) were randomly assigned to the Trier Social Stress Test or a non-stress condition. After the stress/non-stress induction, participants performed a cue-reactivity paradigm, a dot-probe paradigm, and an implicit association task, each with addiction-related (online buying-shopping) and control (social networks) cues. Results Individuals with CBSD showed stronger affective responses towards the addiction-related and control cues than the control group and rated the addiction-related pictures with higher ‘arousal’ and ‘urge’ than the control images. No group differences emerged in the dot-probe paradigm and implicit association task. Acute stress showed no effect on performance in the behavioural tasks. Regression models investigating the impact of craving on the relationship between stress response and implicit cognitions within the group with CBSD were not significant. Discussion The findings demonstrate the involvement and generalization of cue reactivity in online CBSD, but do not provide support for effects of acute stress on cue reactivity, attentional bias and implicit associations. Conclusions Future studies should not be restricted to women and combine laboratory and naturalistic study designs to investigate the complex psychological mechanisms in online CBSD.
January 2025
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19 Reads
Sexual Medicine
Background Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder is a new category in the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases and is showing neuropsychological similarities to substance dependencies and behavioral addictions. Aims This experimental study aims to further our knowledge on implicit associations in Compulsive Sexual Behavior (CSB) with a clinical sample. Methods Participants completed an Implicit Association Test modified with pornographic pictures. In addition, problematic sexual behavior and sensitivity toward sexual excitation were assessed. Outcomes We collected data on implicit associations from 47 heterosexual men with CSB (age, M = 36.51, SD = 11.47) and a control group of 38 men without the condition (age: M = 37.92, SD = 12.33). Results Results show significantly more positive relationships between implicit associations of pornographic pictures with positive emotions, as well as with problematic sexual behavior and sensitivity toward sexual excitation, in men with CSB vs. men without CSB. Furthermore, implicit associations, sexual excitation, and sexual inhibition due to threat of performance consequences differentiated significantly between groups using a binary stepwise logistic regression analysis. The findings are in line with those of previous subclinical investigations and support the assumption of pronounced positive implicit associations in CSB. Moreover, as suggested by the I-PACE model of addictive behaviors, implicit associations may be crucial to the maintenance of behavioral addictions. Clinical implications Implicit associations could be addressed in therapy to illustrate cognitive processes of those affected and as an outcome measure in research on treatment efficiency. Strengths & limitations The present study is the first to investigate implicit associations in CSB in a clinical sample. Findings are limited to heterosexual men. Conclusion Findings can be seen in accordance with a proposed classification of CSB as a behavioral addiction.
January 2025
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51 Reads
Journal of Behavioral Addictions
Background During the development of addictive behaviors, theoretical models assume a shift from experience of gratification being a driver in early stages to experience of compensation which dominates at later stages of addiction development. Initial studies show a trend in this direction; however, this shift has not yet been investigated in clinical samples. We assume experienced gratification to be highest in individuals with risky use (indicating the beginning of the addiction process), and compensation to be highest in individuals with pathological use. Methods Data from 834 participants from a multi-center study (FOR2974) investigating specific Internet-use disorders (IUDs) including gaming, buying-shopping, pornography use, and social-network use disorders were analyzed about Experience of Gratification (EGS) and Experience of Compensation (ECS), symptom severity, use expectancies, and usage motives. A diagnostic interview based on DSM-5 criteria for gaming disorder was used to classify individuals into either non-problematic, risky, or pathological use group. Results The groups (non-problematic, risky, pathological) differed significantly regarding EGS and ECS. Individuals with pathological use reported highest experiences of compensation but equally high experienced gratification as individuals with risky use. Effects vary with respect to the specific behavior. All measures correlated significantly. Symptom severity was most strongly associated with facets of compensation. Conclusion The experience of gratification and compensation appear to be crucial for addiction-like Internet use. Experienced gratification is already high in individuals experiencing first negative consequences and appear to be stable in individuals with pathological use indicating the relevance of both positive and negative reinforcement during the addiction processes.
January 2025
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311 Reads
How the Internet is used and any negative outcomes of engagement with it—especially with regards to children—is a topic of great interest, bearing legitimate investigation. Proposed identifiers of problematic internet use(PIU) include aspects of use in correlation with distress or impairment across biological, psychological, sociological, and/or occupational/academic functioning. Adolescents and those with vulnerabilities across developmental or sociological domains are particularly susceptible. Although validated instruments have been utilized to assess PIU, concerns surrounding the methodology, currency, and some validation measures of existing and cross-sectional screening tools and a lack of those with true external validity and variance, combined with some disagreement surrounding PIU, have impeded its diagnostic acceptance. Current investigative approaches to PIU include clarifying problematic gambling and gaming criteria, psychotherapeutic therapy, pharmacological interventions, and non-invasive neurostimulation therapies targeting cortical brain regions. As child screen time appears to be increasing, further research, ethical health/social policy changes, and digital literacy programs are strongly endorsed. To avoid online engagement dysregulating or harming children, digital policy youth user protection standards, pragmatic key player dialogues, transparent reassessments of digital-centric business models without compromising less resourced countries, and even globally agreed child online safety regulations are also recommended.
January 2025
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1 Read
December 2024
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250 Reads
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1 Citation
American Journal of Psychiatry
Gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction recognized as a clinical disorder in DSM-5, and Internet gaming disorder is included as a condition requiring further research. ICD-11 categorizes gambling and gaming disorders as disorders due to addictive behaviors. Additional behavioral addictions may include compulsive sexual behavior disorder, compulsive buying-shopping disorder, and problematic use of social media. This narrative review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding these five (potential) disorders due to addictive behaviors. All five (potential) disorders are clinically relevant and prevalent. Behavioral addictions frequently co-occur with other mental and behavioral problems, such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Validated diagnostic instruments exist, with empirical support varying across conditions. No medications have approved indications from regulatory bodies for behavioral addictions, and cognitive-behavioral therapy has the most empirical support for efficacious treatment. Given that behavioral addictions are prevalent, frequently co-occur with psychiatric disorders, may often go undiagnosed and untreated, and have been linked to poorer treatment outcomes, active screening and treatment are indicated. Public health considerations should be expanded, and impacts of modern technologies should be investigated more intensively. Treatment optimization involving pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, neuromodulation, and their combination warrants additional investigation.
December 2024
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128 Reads
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4 Citations
American Journal of Psychiatry
Gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction recognized as a clinical disorder in DSM-5, and Internet gaming disorder is included as a condition requiring further research. ICD-11 categorizes gambling and gaming disorders as disorders due to addictive behaviors. Additional behavioral addictions may include compulsive sexual behavior disorder, compulsive buying-shopping disorder, and problematic use of social media. This narrative review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding these five (potential) disorders due to addictive behaviors. All five (potential) disorders are clinically relevant and prevalent. Behavioral addictions frequently co-occur with other mental and behavioral problems, such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Validated diagnostic instruments exist, with empirical support varying across conditions. No medications have approved indications from regulatory bodies for behavioral addictions, and cognitive-behavioral therapy has the most empirical support for efficacious treatment. Given that behavioral addictions are prevalent, frequently co-occur with psychiatric disorders, may often go undiagnosed and untreated, and have been linked to poorer treatment outcomes, active screening and treatment are indicated. Public health considerations should be expanded, and impacts of modern technologies should be investigated more intensively. Treatment optimization involving pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, neuromodulation, and their combination warrants additional investigation.
October 2024
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46 Reads
Habitual responses towards addiction-related cues play a relevant role in the development and maintenance of addictions. Such automatic responses may be more likely under stress, as stress has been shown to induce a shift from goal-directed to habitual behavior. The current study investigated these mechanisms in risky gaming behavior. Individuals with risky gaming behavior (n = 68), as established by a structured clinical interview, and a matched control group (n = 67) completed a Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm with gaming-related cues and rewards. After the Pavlovian training, participants underwent a stress (Trier Social Stress Test) or control condition before performing the instrumental training and the transfer phase of the PIT paradigm. To assess habitual behavior, the gaming-related rewards were devalued after half of the transfer phase. In both groups, gaming-related cues enhanced the choice of the gaming-related reward and this gaming PIT effect was reduced, however, not eliminated by the devaluation. Unexpectedly, stress did not significantly increase responding for the gaming-related reward in participants aware of the stimulus-outcome associations, however seemed to enhance habitual responding in unaware participants. Our findings underline the relevance of gaming-related cues in triggering habitual responses, which may undermine attempts to change a problematic gaming behavior.
October 2024
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9 Reads
Primary mobility is one of the most important factors in maintaining the quality of life and independence of older people. Due to the increasing complexity of road traffic, higher demands are being placed on the attention, concentration, and information processing of all road users. These increasing demands on cognitive abilities are contrasted with an age-related decline in cognitive performance.
... Individuals with CBSD suffer from many adverse consequences (e.g., financial constraints, indebtedness, anxiety, shame, guilt, feelings of inferiority, depression) and impairments in important areas of functioning (e.g., familial discord, job loss) (Black, 2022;Brand et al., 2024;Granero et al., 2016). Some persons with CBSD engage in rulebreaking, fraudulent activities in order to mitigate the negative consequences associated with excessive purchasing (Benson, 2013;Meyer, Laskowski, de Zwaan, & Müller, 2019;Müller, Georgiadou, et al., 2022;Park, Cho, & Seo, 2006). ...
December 2024
American Journal of Psychiatry
... For this purpose, the CS Gaming and the CS Shopping were each presented twice, in a random order, and participants had to decide whether a gaming-or shopping-related picture had followed this stimulus in the previous blocks. Detailed results concerning the Pavlovian training phase of our study including the eye-tracking data is published elsewhere 21 . ...
September 2024
Behavioural Brain Research
... Another important variable to consider in relation to CBSD is stress, which may act as a trans-diagnostic vulnerability factor or as a trigger for excessive shopping and purchasing Lawrence & Elphinstone, 2021;Thomas et al., 2024). Stress induces a neuroendocrine response aimed at restoring homeostasis, resulting in changes in mood and behaviour (McEwen, 2008). ...
April 2024
Comprehensive Psychiatry
... This limitation led to tools such as the Assessment of Criteria for Specific Internet-use Disorders-11, which follows the DSM-5 or ICD-11 criteria to assess specific disorders like gaming or social media addiction, offering new assessments and interventions. [43][44][45][46][47] Relatedly, the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF), a short-form scale based on the DSM-5 criteria for Internet gaming disorder, is widely recognized for its psychometric properties, including crosscultural validity and internal consistency. 48 In summary, progressing the knowledge in the field of GPIU necessitates robust theoretical models and validated instruments. ...
March 2024
Comprehensive Psychiatry
... Currently, there is a growing body of research focusing on the use of mindfulness as an intervention for deficits in executive functions and it is recommended to develop proposals to determine which components of executive functions enhance mindfulness-based programs and which one provides the greatest benefit (Geronimi et al., 2020;Liebherr et al., 2024;Martin, 2024). Therefore, it is desirable to develop neuroeducational programs that help primary school students to optimize these processes. ...
January 2024
... Thus, it appears that stronger experiences of gratification and compensation are associated with higher habitualized behavior. This is in line with the idea that gratification and compensation contribute to instrumental learning mechanisms and habits (Antons et al., 2023). Regarding usage motives, we found significant correlations with behaviorspecific usage motives and both, experienced gratification and compensation indicating in general usage motives are related with the experiences of satisfying motives and needs or of compensating unsatisfied desires even if we assume that motives reflect a basic interest in using a specific application and are less strongly associated with the addiction process Only motives that address the need to deal with negative emotions, which is also found in the conceptualization of compensation, seem to be an exception. ...
November 2023
Addictive Behaviors Reports
... For example, an individual might initially turn to social media as a way to cope with rejection (increased fear-driven process) but may also find pleasure and a sense of popularity after using social media (increased rewarddriven process). In this scenario, these two processes coexist, each manifesting salience at different times (Brandtner et al., 2023). However, it is also plausible that following rejection, an individual primarily turns to social media for compensation due to heightened negative affect (increased fear-driven process) and might forego the enjoyable aspects of social media use (decreased reward-driven process) due to low positive affect. ...
October 2023
Journal of Behavioral Addictions
... The frequency of gaming has been identified as a partial mediator in the relationship between impulsivity and GD in the research conducted by Blinka et al. 27 . Müller et al. 49 indicate that gamers characterized by high levels of general motor impulsivity tend to experience difficulties in inhibiting behavioral responses when confronted with stimuli related to gaming, potentially including behaviors indirectly related to gaming involvement (IGI). Furthermore, Li et al. ...
October 2023
Current Addiction Reports
... The official recognition of behavioural addictions in diagnostic literature has sparked longstanding debate (Brand & Potenza, 2023). Although gambling and gaming disorders have garnered widespread recognition, ongoing research continues to explore other potential behavioural addictions, often linked to media use (Brand & Potenza, 2023 individuals (see Gomez et al., 2023;Lian et al., 2019). ...
September 2023
Journal of Behavioral Addictions
... Preadolescents may engage in maladaptive coping mechanisms when faced with daily stressors or difficulties (Erath & Tu, 2014;Laceulle et al., 2019). PSMU may serve as a maladaptive coping strategy for preadolescents experiencing stress, social challenges, or emotional discomfort, as an attempt to escape negative feelings, seek social validation, or mask personal insecurities (Wegmann et al., 2023). Rather than addressing the root cause, excessive social media use may serve as a distraction, providing temporary relief while perpetuating a cycle of dependence and exacerbating individuals' concerns. ...
July 2023