Journal of Behavioral Addictions最新文献

Background: Online addictive behaviors are common among adolescents and may reflect efforts to cope with inner emptiness, loneliness, or emotional pain. These behaviors suggest a deeper form of emotional disconnection that existing constructs do not fully capture. To address this gap, the present study developed the Sense of Absence Scale (SoAS), a measure designed to assess adolescents' experiences of inner void, relational invisibility, and reduced engagement in daily life.

Method: Participants included 1,555 non-clinical adolescents aged 14-18 years. Psychometric analyses included Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Item Response Theory (IRT). Additionally, we examined correlations between the SoAS and several external self-report measures assessing loneliness, hope, suicidal ideation, and online addictive behaviors to consider convergent and nomological validity.

Results: EGA indicated a stable item structure, which was confirmed by the CFA (χ2(77) = 588.35, p < .01, CFI = .96, TLI = .95, RMSEA = .050). IRT analyses showed strong discrimination and high reliability (α ≈ .97). The seven point response format provided the best fit. Convergent validity was high within SoAS items and moderately strong with emptiness. Higher SoAS scores were strongly related to emptiness and mental pain, moderately associated with suicidal ideation, loneliness, and online addictive behaviors, and negatively related to hope and self-compassion.

Conclusions: The SoAS has psychometric support among a general population of adolescents. Future studies should examine its functioning in clinical populations and its potential in intervention development.

Background and aims: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has emerged as a significant mental health concern. However, a substantial number of young people exhibit excessive gaming behavior (EGB) without meeting the full criteria for IGD. Compared to IGD, studies on EGB are limited. On the basis of innovative design acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) online self-help course, this study explored the mechanism of ACT self-help course improving inhibitory control ability and alleviating EGB.

Methods: This study focused on college students with Internet Gaming Disorder-20 Test (IGD-20) scores between 55 and 70 and more than 21 h of weekly gaming time, representing individuals in the EGB stage who had not yet reached IGD. A total of 58 individuals with EGB (mean age = 20.5 ± 1.2 years) underwent an ACT self-help course (n = 30) or a routine education intervention (n = 28). The IGD-20, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) were used to assess participants before and after the intervention. GO/NOGO tasks and electroencephalogram activities (N200, P300) were also recorded.

Results: Compared to the control group, the ACT group exhibited significantly lower game addictive behaviors (IGD-20 score), reduced game time, and improved executive function (BRIEF-A) and cognitive flexibility (AAQ-II). Additionally, the ACT group demonstrated significantly improved NOGO task accuracy, increased N200 amplitude, and shortened P300 latency. Furthermore, correlation analyses and regression model identified that reduced gaming time, alongside improvements in executive function, psychological flexibility, and N200 amplitude, were significant predictors of treatment success.

Conclusions: The online ACT self-help course effectively reduced excessive gaming (EGB) and enhanced Inhibitory control. Its efficacy appears driven by simultaneous improvements in psychological and neurocognitive processes, highlighting its clinical potential for treating EGB and IGD.

Background and aims: Exercise is recognized as essential for health, but exercise addiction remains a lesser-known phenomenon. Unlike substance addictions, excessive exercise is often celebrated, making it difficult to distinguish between dedication and compulsion. To understand what exercisers perceive as problematic within their exercise context, a qualitative study was conducted investigating personal experiences.

Methods: Through a reflexive thematic analysis, the present study analyzed 153 narratives from individuals who experienced physical, psychological, or emotional problems due to exercise.

Results: Four main themes emerged: (i) The social pressure of a performativity-oriented culture; (ii) Everything seemed to be going well until the injuries appeared; (iii) Time is money: Interpersonal conflicts; and (iv) It is my responsibility: Intrapersonal conflict. The results suggest that a culture of performance provides an interpretive framework that shapes and sustains problematic exercise experiences. Participants internalized performative values, leading to strict demands and fear of failure, resulting in severe injuries in over 70% of cases. In participants' narratives, the forced interruption of activity was associated with the reported emergence of withdrawal symptoms, with health and morality discourses providing the framework for rationalizing their excessive dedication.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that problematic exercise is not an individual issue, but an expression of a broader culture prioritizing performance. These results underscore the importance of shifting toward biopsychosocial interventions that foster identity flexibility and prioritize holistic well-being and enjoyment over performance metrics.

Background: This article aims to examine the relationship between gambling participation and risk of gambling-related harms (GRHs) in Finland using four nationally representative cross-sectional datasets from 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. This study is linked with developing Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGGs).

Methods: Data consisted of 14,163 adults (51.8% men; median age = 52) who reported gambling during the past year. Lower-risk limits of gambling participation (gambling frequency, number of gambling types, gambling expenditure as percentage of personal net income [GEPI]) were calculated using GRH indicators. The data from years 2011 and 2015 were analysed together, and analyses were replicated with the 2019 and 2023 data. Gambling participation was measured with categorical variables and GRH indicators were derived from 7 items of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI).

Results: The lower-risk limits were similar between datasets for gambling frequency (6 gambling days per month). For number of gambling types, the limit was lower in 2023 compared to other datasets (2 gambling types vs. 3 gambling types). For GEPI, the lower-risk limit was stricter in 2019 and 2023 (2.0%) compared to 2011-2015 (3.0%).

Conclusions: Finnish 2019 and 2023 data revealed somewhat stringent risk limits for number of gambling types and GEPI compared to Finnish 2011-2015 data. However, according to the study testing the feasibility and acceptability of LRGGs in Finland, original LRGGs were considered suitable. These results can be considered when implementing LRGGs in Finland.

The concept of 'internet addiction' was introduced in the 1990s and has increasingly been recognized as a clinical and public health issue. Although umbrella terms can be useful for screening, theoretical considerations, and intervention planning, the term itself has received criticism because of its conceptual heterogeneity, implying an addiction to a medium and not including a wide range of problematic behavioral patterns that are below the diagnostic threshold of a clinical disorder. To address this criticism, we propose adopting the term 'problematic use' instead of 'addiction'. Furthermore, we argue that while 'problematic usage of the internet' is currently a useful umbrella term, recent technological advancements and increasing online presence may in the future require a conceptual and methodological shift in terminology from 'internet' to the more specific 'screen-based devices' or 'screens' that would enable more accurate assessment and intervention strategies. Terms focusing on specific devices, such as 'smartphone addiction,' should also be used with caution, as problematic use relates to applications rather than the hardware itself and may extend to various devices.

Background and aims: Gambling disorder (GD) presents significant psychological, financial, and social consequences. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as promising adjunctive treatments. However, the evidence base remains heterogeneous. The present systematic review evaluated the current empirical literature on MBIs for GD, focusing on their efficacy, methodological quality, and limitations.

Methods: Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and PsycINFO were searched for English-language studies published between 2012 and April 2025. The final sample comprised 12 studies: five randomized controlled trials, one controlled pilot study, two repeated-measures studies, one mixed-methods study, and three single-group pretest-posttest studies. A narrative synthesis evaluated MBI impacts.

Results: MBIs consistently reduced gambling frequency and cravings while enhancing psychological outcomes. Studies combining mindfulness with cognitive behavioral therapy showed significant declines in problem gambling behavior. Psychological distress and cravings also decreased notably across interventions. The mindfulness components employed varied in focus and application, adding nuance to outcome interpretation. However, it remains unclear to what extent the observed effects can be attributed to mindfulness-specific mechanisms.

Discussion and conclusions: MBIs show promise as a complementary treatment for gambling disorders, although small sample sizes and methodological limitations suggest a need for more robust research.

Since the recognition of internet gaming disorder (IGD) in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and gaming disorder (GD) in the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases, significant progress has been made toward standardizing assessment practices. However, the present paper argues that three key lessons can be derived when considering the advancements in the field over the past decade. Firstly, rather than developing additional instruments, the field would greatly benefit from unifying existing assessment frameworks and establishing a clinical 'gold standard' based on current diagnostic criteria. Secondly, continued development of psychometric assessment alone is insufficient because the field urgently needs a robust theoretical framework that is able to distinguish between excessive and disordered gaming effectively. Without sound a theory, assessment and treatment practices risk ongoing conceptual drift and fragmentation. Finally, despite recent criticisms regarding the use of psychometric instruments and self-report measures, these methodologies remain necessary. While more objective gaming data can be valuable, they also present with important limitations that need to be fully considered. A potential way forward for an effective assessment approach may involve combining both psychometrically robust self-report data with objective data. However, future research must still ensure that assessment instruments undergo rigorous psychometric validation beyond reliability and validity alone. The paper concludes that instead of prioritizing the development of new assessment tools, the field would benefit more from strengthening its theoretical foundation and rigorously evaluating existing diagnostic frameworks and psychometric instruments.

Behavioral addictions, including problematic internet use, gaming, and gambling, are emerging as significant public health concerns in Africa, driven by rapid digitalization and socioeconomic shifts. This commentary provides a critical overview of the current state of behavioral addictions in Africa, examining prevalence, cultural influences, and systemic barriers to research and intervention. Despite growing evidence of harm, particularly among youth, the continent faces significant challenges, including limited epidemiological data, cultural biases in assessment tools, and an underdeveloped mental health infrastructure. Drawing on regional studies and global frameworks, the need for culturally sensitive research, evidence-based interventions, and robust policy frameworks is highlighted. The paradoxical coexistence of rising addiction risks and minimal regulatory oversight underscores the urgency of addressing behavioral addictions in African contexts.

Background and aims: Service use data among patients with gambling disorder (GD) remains scarce. This exploratory study aimed to identify the service use profiles associated with social and health conditions, gambling games or chronicity (≥ 5 years), and subsequent adverse outcomes.

Methods: In 2012-2013, 2,311 patients (72% men, 45 years [SD: 13.60]) were recruited from addiction treatment centers in Quebec (Canada); their administrative data were merged with provincial health and education data (1979-2022). Latent class analysis identified profiles related to GD treatment received (2009-2021) and other service use in the 12 months before index date (last GD records). Multiple multinomial logistic and Cox regressions examined associations with patient conditions and subsequent outcomes over 12 months (acute care, suicidal behaviors, death).

Results: Profile 2 patients (35% of sample) exhibited the most chronic GD, and high use of GD and other services. Profile 4 (20%) reported the worst social and health conditions, received no GD treatment, and showed moderate use of other services. Profile 1 (15%) included patients with the best conditions, but moderate GD treatment and low use of other services. Mostly composed of patients aged 35+ years, Profile 3 (30%) received low GD treatment but high general practitioner care. Patients in Profiles 4 and 2 reported the worst conditions and highest rates of adverse outcomes - although Profile 2 received the best care overall.

Conclusion: GD treatment and other care may be strengthened and better coordinated. Screening, motivational interventions, and referrals to care could be consolidated. Profiles 4 and 2 may benefit from more long-term care.

Background and aims: Problematic gaming has been linked to increased levels of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in youth, but the role of environmental factors remains unclear. We aimed to examine the association of problematic gaming with PLEs and, using affordance theory, to evaluate whether environmental factors could help enhance the identification of this risk.

Methods: Participants were 6,467 youth (39.2% female) who reported playing digital games, from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study in the U.S. Measures included problematic gaming, peer environment (number of close friends), school environment (teachers, activities, etc.), family environment (parental monitoring), and PLEs. We examined whether the peer, school, and family environments at age 12 were associated with problematic gaming and moderated its association with PLEs at age 13.

Results: Higher levels of problematic gaming at age 12 were associated with higher levels of PLEs at age 13, independently of sociodemographic variables and previous PLEs. The strength of the association between problematic gaming and PLEs did not significantly vary as a function of the peer, school, or family environment variables (i.e., there was no significant interaction effect). However, more protective school and family environments at age 12 were associated with lower levels of problematic gaming at age 13, independently of previous levels of problematic gaming.

Discussion and conclusions: Positive school and family environments may be protective against problematic gaming in adolescence but do not appear to attenuate the putative effect of problematic gaming on PLEs. The results provide partial support to an affordance-based conceptualization of problematic gaming.