Journal of Behavioral Addictions最新文献

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.

Background and aims: To analyze the bidirectional associations between smartphone multitasking and anxiety symptoms among college students.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022. Smartphone multitasking and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Assessment of Smartphone Multitasking for Adolescents and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 items, respectively. Linear regression models were used to analyze the associations between smartphone multitasking and anxiety symptoms among college students. Autoregressive cross⁃lagged models (ARCLM) were used to analyze the bidirectional associations between smartphone multitasking and anxiety symptoms among college students.

Results: A total of 953 college students were included in this study, 323 (33.9%) of whom were males. The mean age of participants at baseline was 18.89 ± 1.33 years. The rates of depressive symptoms among college students were 28.1% at baseline and 29.0% at 6-month follow-up, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between all zero-level variables (p < 0.01). Linear regression analyses showed that after adjusting for demographic characteristics and health risk behaviors, smartphone multitasking was still positively correlated to anxiety symptoms at baseline (β = 1.30, 95%CI: 0.54-2.05) and 6-month follow-up (β = 0.84, 95%CI: 0.32-1.37). The results of ARCLM showed that smartphone multitasking at baseline was positively correlated with anxiety symptoms after 6-month (β = 0.03, p < 0.01), but anxiety symptoms at baseline did not significantly correlate to smartphone multitasking after 6-month among college students (β = 0.04, p = 0.51).

Discussion and conclusions: Smartphone multitasking is associated with higher anxiety symptoms at baseline and follow-up, but no bidirectional relationship exists. Reducing smartphone use may improve mental wellbeing.

Background: Short versions of problematic internet use (PIU) questionnaires may provide a convenient and effective way of assessing internet-related problems in various contexts, ranging from research to clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate whether single yes/no question (Q-single) regarding "functional impairment due to PIU" could serve as a screening tool to indicate the potential absence of PIU, given the lack of functional impairment.

Methods: Data from two online studies (N = 524 and N = 272) assessing internet-related behaviors among students were used for the analyses. Participants completed questionnaires (the nine-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire [PIUQ-9], the Compulsive Internet Use Scale [CIUS], the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, depression module [PHQ-9], the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale [GAD-7]), questions about their internet use time, besides answering the Q-Single question. Block-wise multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the predictive effect of the Q-Single on PIU (as measured with the PIUQ-9 and the CIUS) and its association with depression and anxiety symptom scores (as measured with the PHQ-9 and the GAD-7).

Results: The Q-Single demonstrated a high negative predictive value in screening the absence of PIU, however positive predictive value was low to moderate. Q-Single proved to be a good predictor of PIU (β = 0.484, p < 0.001 [PIUQ-9] and β = 0.481, p < 0.001 [CIUS]) when controlling for age, gender, and internet use time. Adjusting for the same controlling variables, the Q-Single had a moderate association with depression symptoms (β = 0.385, p < 0.001 [PHQ-9]) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.252, p < 0.001) [GAD-7]) supporting the validity of the single-question instrument.

Conclusions: The finding that a single question could predict absence of PIU in students, implies that functional impairment is an important indicator of PIU.

Background and objectives: As problematic internet use (PIU) becomes increasingly prevalent among university students, effective preventive measures remain scarce. This study aimed to investigate how the allocation of daily activity time influences PIU and PIU risk (PIU/PIUR) and to identify specific activities that serve as risk and protective factors along with their effect strength.

Methods: Data from 2,433 university students in 33 Chinese provinces were analyzed using compositional analysis, isotemporal substitution, and instrumental variable methods to determine causal relationships between activity allocation and PIU/PIUR and to calculate the specific effects of substituting one activity for another.

Results: After compositional adjustment, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and classroom learning statistically significantly reduced PIU/PIUR (ps < 0.001, except PIUR for classroom learning: p = 0.002), whereas short videos and gaming increased PIU/PIUR (ps < 0.001). Sleep (PIU: p = 0.023, PIUR: p = 0.009) and autonomous learning (PIU: p = 0.013, PIUR: p = 0.003) were negatively correlated with PIU/PIUR but had no significant causal effect. Light physical activity was not statistically significantly correlated with PIU/PIUR (PIU: p = 0.141, PIUR: p = 0.585). Substituting 30 min of short video time with MVPA reduced PIUR by 22.9%. Conversely, replacing MVPA with short video watching increased PIUR by 68.3%.

Discussion and conclusions: Findings demonstrate the significant impact of 24-hour activity allocation on PIU/PIUR and suggest that time allocation strategies, particularly increasing MVPA while reducing short videos time, effectively reduce PIUR. These insights identify potential prevention for managing PIU via reallocation of daily activities.

Background: Public health issues arising from excessive online gaming have garnered significant research interest. Existing studies indicate that, within the framework of the dual-systems theory, the equilibrium between the goal-directed and habitual control systems is disrupted in patients with Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Nevertheless, the understanding of how this imbalance manifests within the brain is limited. This study aims to investigate real-time brain activity in individuals with IGD during the activation of both the goal-directed and habitual systems using electrophysiological techniques.

Methods: Twenty-four individuals with IGD and twenty-three matched recreational game users (RGUs) underwent electroencephalography (EEG) data collection while completing an outcome devaluation task. Differences between the two groups at the Fz, Cz, and Pz electrodes were compared using repeated measures ANOVA.

Results: The behavioral results revealed that the RGU group exhibited higher accuracy than the IGD group during the learning phase (t(45) = -3.08, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.42). During the slip-of-action test, the IGD group made more action-slip responses for devalued outcomes than the RGU group (F(1,45) = 6.22, p = 0.016, η2 = 0.12). The EEG experiment results indicated that, upon stimulus presentation during the slip-of-action test, the IGD group had significantly more negative average amplitudes at the Fz and Cz electrodes compared with the RGUs (-7.26 ± 6.28 μV; -5.18 ± 5.49 μV; F(1,40) = 5.54, p = 0.024, η2 = 0.12; F(1,40) = 4.92, p = 0.032, η2 = 0.11). Concurrently, the single-group analysis based on RGU revealed that habitual control appears to be associated with greater N2 and P3 amplitudes during the stimulus-locked phase.

Conclusions: The goal-directed system of individuals with IGD is impaired, manifesting in the increased cognitive resources required to activate the goal-directed system when they need to disrupt habitual responses. This suggests that the imbalance due to IGD within the dual systems may originate from an impaired goal-directed system rather than the overactivation of the habitual system.