Journal of Behavioral Addictions最新文献

Background and aims: Problematic smartphone use (PSU), characterized by excessive and compulsive engagement with smartphones, is significantly shaped by the family environment. Recent studies have shown that childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with increased PSU. Despite this growing recognition, comprehensive, quantitative evaluations of this connection remain scarce. The present meta-analysis aims to synthesize existing quantitative evidence on the relationship between PSU and CM.

Methods: We systematically searched databases including Web of Science, ProQuest, PubMed, Elsevier ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Weipu for studies published up to March 1, 2025. Eligible papers were quantitative, peer-reviewed studies that allowed statistical calculation of the relationship between PSU and CM.

Results: Across 51 studies (99 effect sizes), a moderate positive correlation was found between CM and PSU (r = 0.264, 95% CI [0.226, 0.301], p < 0.001). Notably, as age increases, the impact of physical and sexual abuse on individuals appears to diminish, whereas this age-related effect was not observed for other forms of maltreatment. No significant moderating effects were observed for maltreatment type, measurement tools, study design, gender, sample type (college vs. non-college), or publication type.

Discussion and conclusions: The findings highlight the family environment's key role in PSU. Children who experience maltreatment require special attention to their smartphone usage, along with targeted interventions to address both the harms of maltreatment and excessive smartphone use.

Background: Despite extensive research efforts aimed at unraveling the neural mechanisms underlying Internet gaming disorder (IGD), reproducibility remains a challenge, largely due to overlooking the clinical and biological diversity within individuals affected by IGD. Therefore, investigating the altered brain features associated with IGD within both individual-shared and individual-specific subspaces is crucial for understanding this complex and heterogeneous disorder.

Methods: This study included 555 participants, comprising 326 individuals with IGD and 229 recreational game users (RGUs). Firstly, we computed altered functional connectivity (AFC) matrices for individuals with IGD and compared them with those of RGUs. Subsequently, we applied the common orthogonal basis extraction algorithm to partition the AFC of individuals with IGD into individual-shared and individual-specific subspaces. Finally, we examined brain regions exhibiting generally abnormal patterns in the individual-shared subspace and employed multiple linear regression analysis to assess the predictive influence of AFC within the individual-specific subspace on clinical symptoms.

Results: Our findings revealed individual-shared altered patterns in the visual network, medial frontal network (MFN), and frontoparietal network (FPN) among individuals with IGD, which are associated with executive control and visual processing. Within the individual-specific subspace, we observed that AFC within the default mode network could predict scores related to fun-seeking behavior in the behavioral activation system (BAS), while AFC within the MFN correlated with reward responsiveness and drive scores in the BAS. Additionally, AFC within the FPN was predictive of scores in the behavioral inhibition system.

Conclusions: This study successfully decomposed the AFC of IGD into individual-shared and individual-specific subspaces. The AFC within individual-specific subspaces holds promise as potential biomarkers for elucidating clinical symptoms in IGD, thereby offering an analytical framework for investigating heterogeneity in other addictive behaviors.

Background and aims: Clinical diagnosis of gambling disorder (GD) remains challenging due to the heterogeneity in symptoms and a lack of consistency in the proposed neural mechanisms. Effective classification of GD may depend on neural representations of either risky decision-making or reward processing.

Methods: To address these challenges, we recruited more than 100 individuals with GD and matched healthy controls, utilizing event-related fMRI during a novel risky decision-making task to elicit neural representations of risky decision-making and reward processing.

Results: During the decision phase, there was no significant difference observed between the two groups even when a very liberal threshold was used. During reward processing, the GD group exhibited significantly increased activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus, right anterior insula, and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex in the risky reward condition compared with the healthy controls. A notable neural activation characteristic was the distinct response between risk-win and risk-loss conditions in reward processing, particularly in the right inferior frontal gyrus in the GD group. The classification for GD using the neural representation of reward yielded an area under the curve of 0.75 (±0.11 SD).

Discussion and conclusion: These findings integrate biological and behavioral perspectives to provide new insights into the reward processes underlying GD. These findings highlight specific neural representations associated with GD and suggest potential biomarkers for diagnostic evaluation in GD.

Background and aims: Research has shown a positive association between Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) and poor sleep quality. However, extant literature has mostly relied on cross-sectional studies and little is known about the factors involved in the maintenance of PSU and connected sleep problems. The aim of this study was to model the associations between Negative Metacognitions about the uncontrollability and danger of excessive Smartphone Use (NMSU), poor sleep quality, and PSU using a 2-wave design.

Methods: A total of 361 participants completed an online questionnaire at W1 and W2 (after six months). A cross-lagged panel model was estimated using SEM to examine the longitudinal interrelationships between poor sleep quality, two dimensions of PSU (i.e., Time spent - which covers addiction-like symptoms of PSU including withdrawal and salience, and Daily life interference - which assesses the negative effects of smartphone use on daily functioning, and NMSU.

Results: Correlation analyses showed significant positive associations among PSU, NMSU and poor sleep quality at both waves. With regards to cross-lagged effects, only poor sleep quality at W1 significantly predicted NMSU at W2 (β = 0.202, p = 0.021).

Discussion and conclusions: Contrary to previous studies, only a prospective effect of sleep quality on negative metacognitions, rather than bidirectional influence between the three variables, was observed. Sleep hygiene education and interventions based on Metacognitive therapy could be helpful to modify negative metacognitions in the context of PSU.

Background and aims: Parental mental health has been identified as a risk factor for adolescent gaming disorder (GD). However, the association of parents' affective states and emotion regulation with adolescents' gaming behaviors and susceptibility to problematic gaming remains underexplored. This pilot study examined the associations between parents' daily affect intensity and fluctuations and their adolescent children's time spent gaming, using a dyadic ecological momentary assessment (EMA) approach. The study also investigated the relationship of parental emotion regulation with adolescents' risk of GD and explored factors influencing compliance with EMA.

Methods: Data were collected from 64 parent-child dyads in Hong Kong through a pre-EMA survey, a 14-day EMA, and a post-EMA survey.

Results: The pre- and post-EMA data revealed that adolescents were at higher risk of developing GD when their parents reported greater difficulties with emotion regulation. The EMA data revealed that adolescents spent more time gaming when their parents experienced greater intensity and fluctuations in their daily negative affect but not positive affect. The study achieved an average compliance rate exceeding 85% among parents and adolescents. Parent-child dyads were more likely to respond to EMA prompts when they were physically together or when they completed the prompts at the same time. In contrast, negative affect was associated with lower compliance rates.

Discussion and conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence on the association between parents' emotional states and adolescents' gaming duration in parent-child dyads' daily contexts and offers findings that support the feasibility of using EMA in family and GD research.

Background and aims: Gambling Disorder (GD) is associated with maladaptive decision-making, possibly driven by biases in learning and confidence judgments. While prior research report abnormal learning rates and heightened overconfidence in GD, the affected cognitive mechanism producing these joint deficits has so far remained unidentified. Our study aims to fill this gap using a recently established reinforcement learning (RL) experimental and computational framework linking learning processes, outcome-valence effects and confidence judgments.

Methods: We pre-registered and tested the hypotheses that GD patients exhibit increased (over)confidence and confirmatory learning bias, and increased outcome valence effects on choice accuracy and confidence judgements in in 18 participants with GD and 19 matched controls.

Results: While our findings replicated the main behavioral patterns of choices and confidence judgments, and confirmed their computational foundations, we did not find any group differences between the controls and patients with GD.

Discussion and conclusions: The current findings speak to the inconsistent findings of abnormalities in confidence and learning in GD. Systematic research is necessary to better understand the influence of possibly mediating factors such as disorder-related idiosyncrasies (e.g. skill- vs chance-based preferences) to further clarify if, when and how confidence and learning are affected in people with GD.

Background: Problematic use of online pornography is considered a hallmark symptom of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD), but the role of other digisexual behaviors in CSBD remains largely unknown. Digisexuality encompasses a range of technologies mediating sexuality, such as online pornography and sexting (first-wave digisexualities), and simulating sexuality, such as virtual reality (VR-)pornography and highly realistic sex dolls/robots (second-wave digisexualities). The prevalence of these evolving behaviors across different generations and the relation to CSBD is still unclear.

Method: We conducted an online survey in 2023 with a sample of N = 3,564 individuals from Germany, selected to represent the German population by age, gender and regional distribution. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence and frequency of digisexual behaviors and their relationship with CSB assessed with the CSBD-19 scale.

Results: First-wave digisexualities showed prevalences ranging from 19% (sexting erotic pictures) to 66.1% (pornography consumption). Second-wave digisexualities showed lower prevalences, with 5.3% for VR-pornography use and 3.9% for the use of highly realistic sex dolls/robots. Emerging and technologically advanced digisexualities were predominantly reported by younger generations. Additionally, all surveyed digisexualities showed medium (r = 0.308; pornography use) to strong (r = 0.529; casual sex via dating apps) correlations with CSBD-19 scores.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that interventions and research for CSBD need to extend beyond online pornography and include a broader range of digisexual behaviors. As technologized sexual practices continue to evolve, new opportunities and challenges arise, underscoring the need for future research and tailored therapeutic approaches to address potential risks.

Background and aims: Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) exhibit a heightened reward responsiveness to gaming-related rewards, alongside a diminished response to natural rewards. However, the temporal dynamics and neural correlates underlying this imbalanced processing remain unclear.

Methods: This electrophysiological study investigated the neural responses associated with reward processing and their relationship to self-reported reward responsiveness. Using an Incentive Delay Task, we compared neural responses to gaming and monetary rewards between 25 IGD participants and 32 recreational game users (RGUs). Self-reported reward responsiveness was assessed with the Behavioral Approach/Inhibition System (BAS/BIS) scales.

Results: The IGD group scored higher on the BAS-responsiveness subscale. Correlation analysis indicated that enhanced BAS-responsiveness was associated with automatic attention (N1) to gaming feedback, but not with feedback monitoring (FRN) or emotional arousal (LPP). No such correlation was found in the monetary condition. Following initial automatic attention, the IGD group demonstrated selective feedback monitoring (FRN) for gaming rewards while neglecting monetary feedback.

Discussion and conclusions: Gaming stimuli automatically capture the attention of individuals with IGD, triggering less top-down monitoring of other potential positive feedback. These findings suggest that attentional bias toward game-related stimuli serves as a sensitive biological marker of heightened reward responsiveness in individuals with IGD.

Background and aims: Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder (CBSD) is linked to disordered eating behaviors (DEB) and body image (BI) concerns, sharing traits like impulsivity and low self-control. Societal pressures and idealized body standards exacerbate body dissatisfaction, which may drive individuals toward buying/shopping or DEB as coping strategies. This review aims to clarify these connections, including from a gender-sensitive perspective.

Methods: This systematic review was pre-registered (PROSPERO CRD42023489555) and followed PRISMA guidelines. A search was conducted across PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed MEDLINE, and Scopus. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Studies.

Results: CBSD is often associated with DEB regardless of gender, particularly binge-eating disorder. Women are more affected by CBSD than men, with higher rates of comorbid bulimia nervosa, and they experience greater psychological distress. Several studies found that CBSD and DEB are often linked through maladaptive coping strategies. Body dissatisfaction is consistently identified as a key predictor of CBSD, which may serve as a coping mechanism for emotional distress.

Discussion and conclusions: Gender differences were analyzed in only 14 studies, limiting the generalizability of the findings. A significant gap in research on sexual and/or gender minorities (SGM) is highlighted. This gap is crucial to address, as SGM individuals often face unique stressors (e.g., social stigma) that may influence their mental health and coping behaviors differently than cisgender/heterosexual individuals. Future research should focus on more diverse, longitudinal studies.

Background: Abnormal striatal cue reactivity is one of the neurobiological hallmarks of substance use disorders (SUDs). Cue reactivity is associated with relapse, prompting efforts to target its underlying mechanisms with therapeutic interventions. However, the neural correlates of cue reactivity in behavioral addictions, such as gambling disorder (GD), remain poorly understood. Here we investigated striatal cue reactivity and its associations with neurotransmitters in individuals with GD using multimodal neuroimaging.

Methods: Thirteen subjects with GD and 16 healthy controls (HC) underwent fMRI using a block-design consisting of three different types of visual stimuli: gambling-related, erotic, and neutral videos. The subjects also underwent brain PET imaging with three radiotracers to assess dopamine ([18F]FDOPA), opioid ([11C]carfentanil) and serotonin ([11C]MADAM) function.

Results: GD subjects showed a significantly greater BOLD response in the dorsal striatum compared to HC when viewing gambling-related versus neutral videos (pFWE<0.05). Enhanced cue-reactivity was specific to gambling, as there were no significant differences between the groups with natural reward cues (erotic vs. neutral videos). The dorsal and ventral striatum BOLD responses to gambling videos were coupled in HC (r = 0.7, p = 0.003) but not in GD (r = -0.1, p = 0.75; group difference p = 0.008). In GD, dorsal striatal BOLD response to gambling cues correlated with [11C]carfentanil, but not with [18F]FDOPA or [11C]MADAM, binding (r = 0.8, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: GD is characterized by increased gambling cue-induced activity in the dorsal striatum, which is linked to mu-opioid receptor availability. The findings highlight the potential role of the mu-opioid system in mediating cue-reactivity in behavioral addictions.