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Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder (SPD) is a disabling, under-recognized condition in which individuals repeatedly pick at their skin, leading to noticeable tissue damage. There has been no examination as to whether individuals with SPD have different pain thresholds or pain tolerances compared to healthy counterparts. Adults with SPD were examined on a variety of clinical measures including symptom severity and functioning. All participants underwent the cold pressor test. Heart rate, blood pressure, and self-reported pain were compared between SPD participants (n=14) and healthy controls (n=14). Adults with SPD demonstrated significantly dampened autonomic response to cold pressor pain as exhibited by reduced heart rate compared to controls (group x time interaction using repeated ANOVA F=3.258, p

The purpose of this analysis was to assess the potential association between body mass index (BMI) and change in gambling symptom severity in a sample of non-treatment-seeking problem gamblers over a one year period. One-hundred sixty problem gamblers age 18-29 were recruited from the surrounding community and completed assessments of gambling behavior and related variables at baseline and one-year visits. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the association between BMI and symptom change, while accounting for nicotine use, gender, age, and baseline gambling severity. The sample included 102 normal weight, 35 overweight, and 23 obese gamblers. Groups differed in sex, age, gambling risk level, and current nicotine use. There was a significant obesity x baseline gambling risk level interaction for the model predicting changes in GD-YBOCS scores over the 1-year follow-up. Obese participants with gambling disorder showed significantly smaller improvements in symptoms over one year than normal weight participants. Results suggest that obesity predicts smaller improvements in gambling symptoms over time in those meeting criteria for gambling disorder. Future research should clarify the possible influence of impulsivity on this association, and assess the clinical utility of weight management programs in treatments for gambling disorder.

A notable number of young adults struggle to control impulsive behavior, resulting in impairment and distress. Assessments of problematic sexual behavior (PSB) have noted clinical differences relative to other populations, but neurocognitive findings have varied. This analysis assesses the clinical presentation and neurocognitive profile of patients with PSB relative to participants without PSB symptoms. A total of 492 participants (18–29) were recruited for a study on impulsivity in young adults. Participants completed diagnostic, self-report, and neurocognitive measures which assessed several cognitive domains. PSB was defined as endorsing fantasies, urges, or sexual behavior that felt out of control or was causing distress. In the sample, 54 (11%) participants reported current PSB. This group was older, reported earlier sexual experiences and alcohol use, and lower quality of life and self-esteem. Comorbidity was greater in the PSB group, particularly for depression and alcohol dependence. The PSB group also showed differences in impulsivity, decision making, spatial working memory, problem solving, and emotional dysregulation. Results suggest associations between PSB psychosocial dysfunction, greater comorbidity, and neurocognitive differences. These associations suggest a more salient impact than typical sexual behavior. Furthermore, this study demonstrated several neurocognitive deficits in the PSB group which have found more mixed support previously.

Diverse monetary measures have been utilized across different studies in gambling disorder (GD). However, there are limited evidence-based proposals regarding the best way to assess financial losses. We investigated how different variables of monetary losses correlate with validated assessments of gambling severity and overall functioning in a large sample of subjects with GD (n = 436). We found that relative monetary variables (i.e. when financial losses were evaluated in relation to personal income) showed the most robust correlations with gambling severity and overall psychosocial functioning. Percentage of monthly income lost from gambling was the variable with the best performance.

$\textbf{OBJECTIVE}$: There is an ongoing debate regarding how self-harm should be classified. The aim of this study was to characterize associations between self-harm and impulsivity. $\textbf{METHOD}$: Total 333 adults (mean [SD] age 22.6 (3.6) years, 61% male) were recruited from the general community. History of self-harm was quantified using the Self-Harm Inventory (SHI), which asks about 22 self-harm behaviors. Principal components analysis was used to identify latent dimensions of self-harming behaviors. Relationships between self-harm dimensions and other measures were characterized using ordinary least squares regression. $\textbf{RESULTS}$: Principal Components Analysis yielded a three factor solution, corresponding to self-injurious self-harm (e.g. cutting, overdoses, burning), interpersonal related self-harm (e.g. engaging in emotionally or sexually abusive relationships), and reckless self-harm (e.g. losing one's job deliberately, driving recklessly, abusing alcohol). Regression modelling showed that all three dimensions of self-harm were associated with lower quality of life. $\textbf{CONCLUSIONS}$: This study suggests the existence of three distinct subtypes or 'latent factors' of self-harm: all three appear clinically important in that they are linked with worse quality of life. Clinicians should screen for impulse control disorders in people with self-harm, especially when it is self-injurious or involves interpersonal harm.

Recent epidemiological data suggest that the lifetime prevalence of gambling problems differs depending on race-ethnicity. Understanding variations in disease presentation in blacks and whites, and relationships with biological and sociocultural factors, may have implications for selecting appropriate prevention strategies. 62 non-treatment seeking volunteers (18–29 years, n=18 [29.0%] female) with gambling disorder were recruited from the general community. Black (n=36) and White (n=26) participants were compared on demographic, clinical and cognitive measures. Young black adults with gambling disorder reported more symptoms of gambling disorder and greater scores on a measure of compulsivity. In addition they exhibited significantly higher total errors on a set-shifting task, less risk adjustment on a gambling task, greater delay aversion on a gambling task, and more total errors on a working memory task. These findings suggest that the clinical and neurocognitive presentation of gambling disorder different between racial-ethnic groups.