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Aims: It was conducted to investigate digital gaming addiction among nursing students and the associated factors of such addiction. Methods: The descriptive and relationship-seeking study's universe included 1665 nursing students in three universities' nursing faculties and departments. The sample size was determined to be 774 based on a power analysis with a type I error rate of 0.05, a power of the test of 0.80 (α = 0.05, 1-β = 0.80), and an effect size of d = 0.10. Student Information Form, The Digital Game Addiction Scale (DGAS-7), and the Digital Game Playing Motivation Scale (DGPMS) were used to collect student information. Data analysis was performed using the Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis H test, Spearman correlation, and Binary Logistic Regression Model. Results: It was found that 83.7% of the students were female, and the mean age and BMI were 20.03 ± 1.72 years and 21.98 ± 2.90 kg/m2, respectively. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the students' Digital Game Addiction Scale and Digital Game Playing Motivation Scale Achievement and Energizing (r = 0.717), Curiosity and Social Acceptance (r = 0.612), and Uncertainty in Game Desire (r = -0.110) sub-dimensions mean scores (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The relationship between nursing students' digital game addiction, game playing motivation, and several individual characteristics affecting digital games was found. The study's results call for further research to focus on developing and testing interventions that could effectively reduce gaming addiction while enhancing positive aspects of digital engagement among nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young individuals (18 to 25 years old) misuse prescription drugs at the highest rates. College or university audience may come with added risk. Previous studies indicate that personality plays a significant role in the prediction of much addictive behavior. Four characteristics of anxiety symptoms, hopelessness, sensation seeking, and impulsivity have continuously been linked. The major focus on overall prescription drug use, inconsistent operationalization of misuse, and failure to account for alcohol use restrict published studies on personality as a predictor of prescription drug misuse. Small and general sample sizes were used. We wanted to know more about how personality influenced total use, use that was approved by a doctor, and misuse of prescription sedatives/tranquilizers, opioids, and stimulants. Young adults in Karachi, Pakistan were included in the large (N = 1755) sample (mean age = 18.6 years; 68.9% female). We hypothesized that sedatives/tranquilizers would be associated to anxiety sensitivity, opioids to hopelessness, stimulants to sensation seeking, and impulsivity to all three. Except for the impulsivity to opioid use pathway, our "any use" model's predictions were entirely supported. Sensation seeking predicted stimulants for misuse, anxiety sensitivity (marginally) predicted sedatives/tranquilizers, and impulsivity predicted all three. Our models advocate for the use of interventions that are tailored to each young adults' personality. Targeting anxiety sensitivity for sedative/tranquilizer misuse, sensation seeking for stimulant misuse and impulsivity for unrestrained prescription drug misuse are specifically suggested by the studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opioid prescriptions for chronic non-cancer pain raise concerns of addiction risks. Understanding the nuanced intersection of chronic pain and opioid use is crucial in clinical settings. We present four case studies from two tertiary care hospitals illustrating the phenomenon of "pseudoaddiction" in CNCP referred to addiction specialists for management. Each case involves complex pain presentations like pancreatitis, avascular necrosis, and SLE intertwined with escalating opioid demands. Management involved psychoeducation, CBT, and opioid substitution, resulting in reduced pain and need for opioids. Differentiating between addiction and uncontrolled pain is crucial for tailored management, emphasizing individualized care for improved outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nomophobia or no-mobile-phone phobia, defined as the fear of being unable to use or being unreachable via one's mobile phone. The pervasive concern has varied bio-psychosocial and clinical implications in an individual's life. Nomophobia is currently in an exploratory phase. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to systematically map the relevant evidence and literature on nomophobia. The review of scholarly literature spanning from January 2010 to May 2023 employed a narrative synthesis methodology to succinctly encapsulate the research findings. Additionally, it encompassed a meticulous examination and visual representation of studies, detailing both the frequency of investigation into specific variables and the instances in which said variables exhibited a statistically significant association with nomophobia. Results: A thorough examination of 92 studies revealed a total of 133 variables spanning demographic, lifestyle-related, academic, smartphone-related, psychosocial, and clinical domains. Notably, 42.86% of these variables have only been investigated in a single research study, underscoring the imperative for replication to enhance the generalizability, validity, and applicability of research findings. Moreover, the review identifies Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) by Yildirim and Correia as the most widely used tool for measuring the severity of nomophobia. Conclusion: There is a crucial need for homogeneity and consistency in reporting nomophobia scores and establishing corresponding gradations indicative of functional ramifications or clinical severity of nomophobia. The findings elucidate significant research gaps in existing literature on nomophobia, hold implications for further synthesis of data, and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of nomophobia; ensuring superior diagnostic accuracy and precision, and facilitating successful delivery of targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2023 nationwide study of 386 Iranian married heterosexual men assessed compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) and its correlation with demographic, sexual, and mental health variables. Using the cut-off point ≥ 18 of CSBD Scale-7, 5.2% were CSBD+. Univariate analysis revealed that CSBD+ men had higher rates of substance abuse, pornography use, paraphilic behaviors, sexual desire, arousal, orgasm ability, and younger age at first sex. After Bonferroni correction (p < 0.005), paraphilic behaviors and orgasm ability remained significant. Regression analysis showed positive associations between CSBD and lower age, substance use, extramarital affairs, paraphilic behaviors, higher sex drive, and less orgasm satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to understand COVID-19 pandemic impacts on anxiety, depression, and addictive/excessive behaviors, with exploration of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and social connectedness as potential moderators. Participants: Adult college students participated. Method: Our online survey assessed symptoms and behaviors prior to COVID-19, during the initial outbreak (Wave 1), and during early 2021 (Wave 2). Results: Significant increases were found in anxiety, depression, binge eating, sexual behaviors, video game playing, internet/social media usage, and compulsive exercise in both waves. IU moderated the relationship between both depression/anxiety and certain excessive behaviors; social connectedness moderated the relationship between anxiety and smoking. Conclusions: This study replicated prior work and highlights new impacts on addictive/excessive behaviors, as well as moderating effects from social connectedness and IU. Future research is warranted to evaluate the efficacy of treatments targeting IU and social connectedness as the pandemic continues to unfold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of technology, such as smart devices, screens, and social media, has made parenting more complicated than it already is. The risks and harmful effects of digital media on children have forced parents to engage in several types of digital media mediation strategies. Applying the protection motivation theory and theory of planned behaviour in understanding the parental mediation strategy, this study explores parents' perception of their own responsibilities and the development of appropriate policies and legislation to curve the risk of digital media in their children's lives. An online survey of 331 parents was conducted. The data was analyzed using structured equation modeling. Findings reveal that the fundamental variables of protection motivation theory and the theory of planned behaviour are mostly held to explain the psychological and external-environmental factors that impact parents' digital media mediation strategy. This study also deduces that parents who apply restrictive and active mediation strategies prefer both governmental regulation and parent responsibility. In contrast, the parents who apply distant mediation prefer just government regulation. Policymakers can use the findings of this study to advance policies that help parents in managing their children's digital media use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary school children are in a critical period of growth, and childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) can have a tremendous negative impact, leading to smartphone addiction (SPA). Considering developmental trajectories has significant implications for understanding the relationship between CEM and SPA. This study was conducted with 208 Chinese primary school children to investigate the developmental trajectories of SPA and CEM during children's development, the relationship between the two developmental trajectories, and the influence of gender on the two developmental trajectories through a three-year, three-wave longitudinal study. The study found a linear increase with age in both SPA and CEM in primary school children. Further, the initial level of SPA was significantly higher in boys than girls. Finally, the developmental trajectory of CEM positively predicted the developmental trajectory of SPA. This study contributes to understanding the developmental trajectory of SPA and CEM in the child population. It provides theoretical support and practical guidance for preventing and intervening SPA in children from the perspective of the family environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing use of mobiles phones (MP) and other wireless devices (WD) has raised concerns about their possible effects on children and adolescents' wellbeing. Understanding whether these technologies affect children and adolescents' mental health in positive or detrimental ways has become more urgent following further increase in use since the COVID-19 outbreak. To review the empirical evidence on associations between use of MP/WD and mental health in children and adolescents. A systematic review of literature was carried out on Medline, Embase and PsycINFO for studies published prior to July 15th 2019, PROSPERO ID: CRD42019146750. 25 observational studies published between January 1st 2011 and 2019 were reviewed (ten were cohort studies, 15 were cross-sectional). Overall estimated participant mean age and proportion female were 14.6 years and 47%, respectively. Substantial between-study heterogeneity in design and measurement of MP/WD usage and mental health outcomes limited our ability to infer general conclusions. Observed effects differed depending on time and type of MP/WD usage. We found suggestive but limited evidence that greater use of MP/WD may be associated with poorer mental health in children and adolescents. Risk of bias was rated as 'high' for 16 studies, 'moderate' for five studies and 'low' for four studies. More high-quality longitudinal studies and mechanistic research are needed to clarify the role of sleep and of type of MP/WD use (e.g. social media) on mental health trajectories in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topic: Adolescence is the period when people adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors and turn them into habits. Healthy lifestyle behaviors are a significant step toward a long and healthy life. Purpose: This study investigated the effect of a training program on adolescents' stress levels and healthy lifestyle behaviors during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted between May and July 2021. The sample consisted of 100 adolescents living in a city in the south of Turkey. Participants were randomized into intervention and control groups using block randomization. The intervention group participated in an online (Zoom) training program consisting of two 45 min sessions once a week for 8 weeks. Data were collected using the adolescent stress questionnaire (ASQ) and the adolescent lifestyle profile (ALP). Results: The results showed that 73% (n: 73) of the participants had developed hygiene habits since the onset of the pandemic. However, the pandemic negatively affected participants' dietary habits (45%, n: 45), physical activity (70%, n: 70), coping mechanisms (68%, n: 68), sleep patterns (54%, n: 54), Internet/social media/video game addiction (64%, n: 64), and interpersonal relationships (57%, n: 57). The intervention group had a lower mean ASQ posttest score and a higher mean ALP posttest score than the control group. The intervention group had a lower mean ASQ posttest score than their pretest score. The intervention group also had a higher mean ALP posttest score than their pretest score. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: The training program helped adolescents feel less stress and adopt more healthy lifestyle behaviors. Pediatric nurses should identify risk factors and design and implement appropriate plans to help adolescents go through future pandemics with as little damage as possible. Parents and educators should support adolescents against the adverse impacts of events such as the COVID 19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Problematic pornography use (PPU) is a common manifestation of the newly introduced Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder diagnosis in the 11th edition of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. Although cultural, gender‐ and sexual orientation‐related differences in sexual behaviors are well documented, there is a relative absence of data on PPU outside Western countries and among women as well as gender‐ and sexually‐diverse individuals. We addressed these gaps by (a) validating the long and short versions of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS and PPCS‐6, respectively) and the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) and (b) measuring PPU risk across diverse populations. Methods: Using data from the pre‐registered International Sex Survey [n = 82 243; mean age (Mage) = 32.4 years, standard deviation = 12.5], a study across 42 countries from five continents, we evaluated the psychometric properties (i.e. factor structure, measurement invariance, and reliability) of the PPCS, PPCS‐6, and BPS and examined their associations with relevant correlates (e.g. treatment‐seeking). We also compared PPU risk among diverse groups (e.g. three genders). Results: The PPCS, PPCS‐6, and BPS demonstrated excellent psychometric properties [for example, comparative fit index = 0.985, Tucker–Lewis Index = 0.981, root mean square error of approximation = 0.060 (90% confidence interval = 0.059–0.060)] in the confirmatory factor analysis, with all PPCS' inter‐factor correlations positive and strong (rs = 0.72–0.96). A total of 3.2% of participants were at risk of experiencing PPU (PPU+) based on the PPCS, with significant country‐ and gender‐based differences (e.g. men reported the highest levels of PPU). No sexual orientation‐based differences were observed. Only 4–10% of individuals in the PPU+ group had ever sought treatment for PPU, while an additional 21–37% wanted to, but did not do so for specific reasons (e.g. unaffordability). Conclusions: This study validated three measures to assess the severity of problematic pornography use across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations in 26 languages: the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS, and PPCS‐6, respectively), and the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS). The problematic pornography use risk is estimated to be 3.2–16.6% of the population of 42 countries, and varies among different groups (e.g. genders) and based on the measure used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opioid misuse among African-Americans (AAs) has increased over the last two decades. However, there has been surprisingly little investigation into when/how AAs initiate their misuse of opioids. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to identify opioid misuse initiation patterns among AAs and assess whether these patterns differed from those of White Americans. The research goals were to identify the: (1) age at which opioid misuse initiation among AAs occurs, (2) opioids that AAs most commonly use at initiation, and (3) source of opioids used at initiation. Qualitative interview data are also presented to contextualize the circumstances surrounding initiation. Data were drawn from The Florida Minority Health Survey, a mixed-methods project that included online surveys (n = 403) and qualitative in-depth interviews (n = 30). Data collection was conducted from August 2021 to February 2022 throughout the state of Florida. The sample was approximately three-fourths male, half was age 34 or younger, and consisted of 303 AA and 100 White adults. Analyses revealed that AAs and White Americans differed somewhat in the way they begin their opioid misuse. While AAs and White Americans both tended to initiate with prescription opioids (not heroin), AAs initiated at younger ages and mostly acquired opioids through non-healthcare related sources (e.g. friends, dealer). These findings add to the limited research on opioid misuse initiation and provide important data to providers by identifying when/how AAs begin their use of opioids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there has been significant research on the relationship between alcohol consumption and demographic and psychological influences, this does not consider the effect of social influence among older drinkers and if these effects differ between men and women. One aspect of social influence is social capital. The aim of this paper is to examine whether relational and cognitive social capital are associated with higher or lower risk of alcohol use among adults aged 50 years or older and to assess the extent to which this relationship differs between men and women. To investigate this, data were collected from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of adults over the age of 50 in the United Kingdom who were recruited from general practitioners. The sample consisted of 9,984 individuals whose mean age was 63.87 years. From these data, we developed proxy measures of social capital and associate these with the respondent's level of alcohol consumption as measured on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-10) scale. In the sample, just over 20 per cent reported an increasing risk or dependency on alcohol. Using two expressions of social capital – relational (social relationships) and cognitive (knowledge acquisition and understanding) – we found that greater levels of both are associated with a reduced risk of higher drinking risk. Being female had no significant effect when combined with relational capital but did have a significant effect when combined with cognitive capital. It is argued that interventions to enhance social relations among older people and education to help understand alcohol risks would be helpful to protect older people from the damaging effects of excessive alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As behavioral addictions (BAs) significantly affect well-being, paying attention to the characteristics associated with their onset is relevant. Current studies suggest that BAs should be addressed from an adaptive–maladaptive continuum perspective to define what and how some behaviors became problematic. The multi-faceted nature of behaviors attributed to possible BA involves psychological and individual backgrounds (e.g., attachment style). Given its role in affecting personality processes, social development, and motivational drives, the attachment style would be involved in addiction-like behaviors from adolescence, defined as a critical period for BA onset. This study analyzed the association between the attachment dimensions and two possible BAs that can be included in an adaptive–maladaptive continuum (i.e., social network use and TV series watching). A sample consisting of 493 late adolescents/emerging adults (age range: 18–24) completed questionnaires assessing social network use, TV series watching, and attachment style. The results showed a positive association between problematic attachment styles and BAs. High worry and need for relationships (anxious attachment) would be risk factors for problematic social network use and relationships as secondary (avoidant attachment) would be a risk factor for problematic TV series watching. These findings suggest the importance of further analyzing the role of attachment styles and their dimensions in influencing behavioral expression early to prevent the occurrence of BA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to social media can motivate some individuals' desire to be thinner and to attain an ideal body shape. This may also motivate a minority of individuals to engage in extreme exercise. Moreover, both problematic social media use and problematic exercise can have detrimental effects on mental health. A community sample of Iranian adolescents (n = 562; mean age = 14.95 years [SD ± 1.70]; 62.5% female) and young adults (n = 745; mean age = 26.19 years [SD ± 7.42]; 60.5% female) participated in an online survey designed to evaluate the mediating role of exercise addiction in the relationship between problematic social media use and mental health consequences. Results indicated that 2.7% of adolescents and 4.4% of young adults were at risk for exercise addiction. After controlling for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and educational attainment level, the results indicated that problematic social media use significantly predicted exercise addiction. Among both adolescents and adults, exercise addiction significantly mediated the association between problematic social media use and mental health consequences including psychological distress (βs = 0.06–0.12), insomnia (βs = 0.07–0.09), body image concern (βs = 0.19–0.10), and compulsive eating (βs = 0.06–0.07). Given that exercise addiction mediated the relationship between problematic social media use and mental health consequences, it is recommended that public health campaigns are needed for Iranian adolescents and young adults to raise their awareness about the potentially detrimental health consequences in relation to problematic social media use and exercise addiction. The findings suggest a need for an additional cross-cultural study examining the effect of social media on exercise addiction, in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding to help in terms of prevention and intervention for adolescents and emerging adults both in and outside of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents show a high vulnerability for addictive gaming patterns on the one hand and immature emotion regulation (ER) abilities as a risk factor for mental disorders on the other hand. We investigated the predictive value of ER difficulties on problematic gaming (PG) considering age groups (children vs. youths) and gender cross-sectionally and prospectively in a representative sample of German adolescents via online survey with two measurement points 14 months apart. General Poisson, logistic, and multinomial regression models were estimated to predict gaming patterns by ER difficulties controlling for age group and gender. Results revealed ER difficulties to be significantly associated with PG. Moreover, subgroup analyses indicated differing ER patterns for children vs. youths and boys vs. girls: for children, higher PG values were associated with emotional awareness and emotional clarity whereas for youths it was the acceptance of emotional responses. Moreover, gender differences implicated that boys with PG had more deficits in goal-oriented behavior as well as emotional awareness while affected girls were lacking emotional clarity and had problems with the acceptance of their emotional responses. Interestingly, procrastination was a significant predictor for PG irrespective of subgroups. Furthermore, longitudinal analyses indicated that difficulties in ER promoted PG while stronger procrastination tendencies maintained it. With the inclusion of procrastination, which can be understood as a maladaptive ER strategy, a broader picture of ER difficulties as a risk factor for PG could be drawn. The findings support a better understanding of PG etiology and the development of targeted prevention and intervention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a prevalent disorder among adolescents. To date, most studies focused on the self-report assessment of individuals without assessing possible parental practices that might alleviate or exacerbate adolescents' CSB. In the present research, I adopted the family systematic approach, which considers the effects of family context on children's and adolescents' development and examined whether and how parental (fathers' and mothers') support giving, communication, and restrictive mediation relate to children's current and future severity of CSB. The sample comprised 300 Israeli families [triad of mothers, fathers, and one adolescent (39% boys, 61% girls; age 14–18)]. Results indicate that maternal support and paternal quality of communication with children significantly predicted lower severity of current and future CSB, respectively. These findings highlight an important and understudied topic in the hope of motivating additional researchers and practitioners to adopt a familial, microsystem perspective on healthy sexual development—a perspective that holds great promise in promoting normal sexual development and in decreasing risky sexual behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problematic use of technology of children and adolescents is becoming a growing problem. Research has shown that excessive technology use predicts a variety of psychological and physical health problems. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of leisure time activities (structured and unstructured) in adolescents as a predictor of problematic technology use. Participants were 7723 adolescents, of which 55% were girls, from four Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Spain, Mexico, and Peru) between the ages of 13 and 18 years. The evaluation instrument applied was the YOURLIFE project self-report questionnaire. Two executive functions were measured: goal setting and inhibitory control. Using structural equation modeling, findings indicated that structured leisure time activities predicted less PTU, whereas unstructured activities predicted more PTU, MLχ2 (69, N = 7723) = 806.60; CFI = 0.929, RMSEA = 0.042, and the model had good predictive capacity for PTU (R2 = 0.46). Structured and unstructured activities also showed indirect effects on PTU through executive functions. As adolescents spent more time in unstructured leisure activities, poorer goal setting, inhibitory control skills, and more PTU were found. The opposite was true for structured leisure time activities. Implications of structured leisure activities to develop executive functioning and to prevent PTU for adolescents are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Smartphone addiction (SA) is a growing problem among adolescents, and it may have adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyse the risk of SA according to the level of physical activity (PA), and the occurrence of overweight and obesity in a population of 460 adolescents -- students of secondary schools in Poland. Material and methods: The physical activity of adolescents was assessed using a short version of the International physical activity questionnaire. Smartphone addiction, as the independent variable, was measured by the mobile phone addiction assessment questionnaire. Overweight and obesity were identified by body mass index (BMI). Waist-to-hip ratio and body height were also measured. Results: 284 (61.7%) respondents were not addicted to the smartphone, 148 (32.2%) were at risk of addiction, and 28 (6.1%) were addicted. It was found that in all respondents (n = 460) SA was associated with PA -- low overall PA was associated with a higher level of SA (rho = --0.279; p < 0.0001). Moreover, the index of overall SA increased with sitting time (β = 0.113) and decreased with the general PA growth (β = --0.190). It was also shown that the increase of SA in overweight/obese adolescents was influenced by the reduction of general PA (rho = -0.343; p < 0.05), intense PA (rho = -0.268; p < 0.05), and walking (rho = -0.280; p < 0.05). Smartphone addicts were also students with higher BMI (24.77 kg/m² ; p < 0.0001) and higher BMI percentile (80.57; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Smartphone addiction is significantly associated with the PA of adolescents, and it is more common among those with an insufficient level of PA. Increased BMI is also an indicator of SA. Interventions for reducing SA should take into account both the context of PA and anthropometric indicators of schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to describe the psychological consequences derived from the use and abuse of the Internet and video games. A sample of 260 university students (146 Women and 114 Men) of different academic degrees (Baccalaureate 15%, Bachelor's Degree 76.5%, Postgraduate 8.5%) with an average age of 20 years (S.D. = 2.8) was evaluated, whose main activity is to study (71.6%), through the instruments: 1) Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales- DAAS-21 (Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995, 2) Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire-CUPI (Pulido-Rull, Escoto)de la Rosa, Gutiérrez-Valdovinos, 2011), and 3) Video Game Dependency Test (Choliz and Marco, 2011; Validation of Sánchez, Telumbre, Castillo and Silveira, 2020). The results were collected through the in-person application of these instruments, with prior informed consent. Extremely high levels of anxiety and depression and high levels of stress were found; These factors were related to excessive use of the Internet; specifically in aspects such as loss of control, recognition of the lack of control and evasion. In the sample studied, no serious psychological consequences were found regarding the use of video games. The implications of these results are discussed, as well as their limitations, and the importance of using appropriate intervention strategies that help people use new technologies in a healthy way to preserve their mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise dependence (EXD) is a compulsive and addictive behavior that can negatively affect physical and mental health, leading to significant impairment or distress. Exercise dependence has been associated with symptoms of eating disorders (EDs). Student-athletes are an at-risk population for EXD and EDs given the physical and psychological demands of competitive sports. To examine the EXD and ED risks in student-athletes across sex and sport category and to determine the association between EXD and ED. Cross-sectional study. Collegiate athletics. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and II student-athletes (n = 1885; age = 19.8 ± 1.4 years; females = 69.6%, n = 1312; males = 30.4%, n = 573). A web-based survey including demographics, the Exercise Dependence Scale-21, the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and questions about pathogenic behaviors. Overall, 4.9% (n = 92) of the student-athletes were categorized as at risk for EXD (females = 4.8%, n = 63/1312; males = 5.1%, n = 29/573), with differences across sex and sport categories (all: χ28,1885 = 99.1, P <.001). The ED risk in student-athletes (Eating Attitudes Test-2, pathogenic behavior use, or both) was 22.7% (n = 428; females = 25.5%, n = 334/1312; males = 16.4%, n = 94/573), with differences by sex (χ24,1885 = 10.1, P =.039). Multiple logistic regressions indicated a significant association between the risks of EXD and ED for all student-athletes; athletes at risk for EXD were also at greater risk for EDs (odds ratio = 5.104; 95% CI = 3.237, 8.046) than nondependent-asymptomatic athletes (odds ratio = 2.4068; 95% CI = 1.5618, 3.7089). Although physical activity has become a public health intervention to improve overall health in populations, EXD can be considered a problem related to physical activity. Exercise dependence can negatively affect physical and mental health, whereas EDs may be psychiatric disorders influenced by EXD, as exercise can be a compensatory behavior to achieve weight loss. To minimize the overall risk of EDs in student-athletes, additional education and awareness are needed. Special attention should be given to any student-athletes, in particular females, who display signs of EXD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite studies evaluating the insertion of technology and the use of smartphones in the mental health and learning of medical students, few have investigated these outcomes longitudinally. This study aims to investigate the association between smartphone use and digital addiction with mental health, quality of life, learning, and academic motivation of medical students. Methods: This is a longitudinal study conducted between 2016 and 2018. Socio-demographics, smartphone use, digital dependence (Internet Addiction Test), surface and deep learning approach (Biggs), motivation (Academic Motivation Scale), evaluation of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS- 21) and Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) were assessed. Adjusted regression models were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 269 students were included(51.4% of the total). In the two-year follow-up, despite an increase in the frequency of smartphone use in general and also in the classroom for non-educational activities, no increase in digital dependence was found. In the adjusted models, the frequency of smartphone use and digital dependence were predictors of lower academic motivation and greater surface learning after two years of follow up. However, only digital dependence was a predictor of worse mental health (anxiety, depression, and stress) and worse quality of life. Conclusion: Greater use of smartphones and high addiction scores were associated with worse educational outcomes. Digital dependence was another marker of outcomes in mental health and quality of life. It is important that educators are aware of these negative effects and can guide students on the proper and safe use of these devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopaminergic drugs are associated with an increased risk of gambling disorder. It is crucial that patients who are at risk of- or who have developed a gambling disorder are identified so that preventative interventions and treatment can be provided as patients with gambling disorder do not typically seek help. Modification to the dose or the type of dopaminergic drugs prescribed is recommended in cases of drug-induced gambling disorder alongside standard psychological interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the effects of nicotine concentration (0-10 mg/ml) and flavor (gummy bear vs unflavored) on the subjective experiences of vaporized nicotine in young adult low-dose nicotine (3 mg/ml) ECIG users. Eight young adult ECIG users were recruited. A single blinded crossover study was used. Participants were instructed to take ten 1.5 second puffs, each separated by 20 seconds. After self-administration, heart rate was recorded, and participants completed the Drug Effects, Direct Effects of Nicotine, and Direct Effects of ECIG questionnaires. ECIG user's standard daily nicotine dose influenced the rewarding and aversive effects of nicotine as the 10 mg/ml dose was found to be aversive in this user group. The combination of flavor and nicotine increased the subjective effects of ECIGs. Flavored e-liquids contribute to the reinforcing properties of nicotine by enhancing the subjective effects, which may lead to continued ECIG use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problematic use of pornography (PPU) is one phenotype of compulsive sexual behavior disorder. Stress has been identified as central factor involved in dysregulated behaviors, acting both as cause and consequence. Overall, 99 heterosexual males participated in an experimental study. Experience of early childhood trauma, chronic stress, acute responses toward a stressor, emotion regulation strategies, and coping were associated with symptoms of PPU. Alterations within neural stress circuits due to childhood trauma and chronic stress may interact with neural circuits of reward and executive control. Coping with acute, chronic and past stressors should be an essential component in treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article stresses the need for online-specific gambling marketing regulations in the United Kingdom (UK). It argues that current advertising codes are ill-equipped to deal with online gambling advertising techniques and cautions about the enforcement challenges brought by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). It calls for policymakers to restrict gambling marketing and establish a database where online gambling advertisements are stored.

Gambling is a problem that has dated back to early history, across the world and in most cultures. Gambling behavior has a lot of negative health, social and environmental effects. The purpose of this study is to determine the risk factors influencing the gambling behavior of husbands of married women in Turkey. This study utilized a micro dataset from "National Research on Domestic Violence against Women in Turkey" conducted by Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies in 2014. The factors affecting on the gambling behavior of the husbands of married women were determined by gompit and binary logistic regression analyses. The analysis results concluded that the best model was the gompit regression model. The findings from the application of this model suggested that variables of regional differences, household welfare level, men's alcohol and drug use influenced the gambling behavior of married women's husbands. In order to develop preventive strategies to reduce gambling behavior, individuals living in Southern Turkey and households with low-income should be primarily addressed, and men who use alcohol and drugs, should be addressed as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored how sexting (no sexting, sent only, received only, reciprocal) was associated with depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and compulsive sexual behaviors across sex and sexual identity groups. We also examined how substance use predicted sexting classifications. Data came from 2,160 college students living in the United States. Results indicated that 76.6 percent of the sample had engaged in sexting (primarily reciprocal). Participants who had engaged in sexting generally evidenced higher depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and compulsive sexual behaviors. Effect sizes were largest on compulsive sexual behavior indicators. Marijuana use was the only significant substance use predictor of reciprocal and "received only" sexting compared with no sexting. Illicit substance use (e.g., cocaine) was low base rate but descriptively was associated with sexting. Compulsive sexual behavior remained a robust positive correlate of sexting compared with non-sexting participants regardless of sex and sexual identity. Most other mental health indicators became nonsignificant correlates of sexting in nonheterosexual participants and were weak positive correlates in heterosexual participants. Marijuana use remained the only significant substance use predictor of reciprocal and "received only" sexting when adjusted for sex and sexual identity. We conclude that sexting is only weakly associated with depression, anxiety, and sleep problems but robustly associated with compulsive sexuality and marijuana use. These findings do not appear to vary meaningfully on the basis of sex or sexual identity, with the exception that the effect sizes between sexting and compulsive sexual behaviors were much stronger for females compared with males (regardless of sexual identity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Investigacion & Educacion en Enfermeria is the property of Universidad de Antioquia, Facultad de Enfermeria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Thailand and worldwide, smartphone addiction among university students is a growing concern. This study aims to investigate behaviors of smartphone use, the prevalence of smartphone addiction, the duration of smartphone use, and their associated factors among pharmacy students at a university in northern Thailand. This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire to collect data from January to February 2021. Smartphone addiction was measured using the Smartphone Addiction Scale: Thai Short Version (SAS-SV-TH). Of 281 students (70% female, average age of 21.1 (2.0), year 1 to 5), 87% used smartphones and tablets. Their average time spent on a smartphone was 7.5 (±3.1) hours daily on weekdays and 8.1 (±3.1) on weekends. The top three reasons for using smartphones were social networking (92.9%), education (90.3%) and entertainment (89.6%). Health-related problems associated with smartphone use were insomnia (51.3%), anxiety (41.3%), headache (38.8%) and stress (38.4%). The prevalence of smartphone addiction was 49% (95% CI: 44–55%); the associated factor comprised time spent on smartphones (>5 h/day). The prevalence of spending more than five hours daily on smartphones was 75% (95% CI: 70–80%) during weekdays and 81% (95% CI: 77–86%) during weekends; associated factors for during weekdays included a monthly smartphone bill of more than 500 THB (adjusted odds ratio: 4.30 (95% CI: 2.00–9.24) and for senior students (adjusted OR: 3.31 (95% CI: 1.77–6.19). The results remained the same for the weekend. In short, the results show that half of the pharmacy students were addicted to their smartphone; time spent on smartphones (>5 h/day) was associated with addiction. Therefore, university students should be encouraged to adopt healthy habits for smartphone use (such as limiting screen time and maintaining good posture while using a smartphone or tablet) and to increase their awareness of health-related problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ESTUDAM Public Health Journal is the property of ESTUDAM Public Health Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Interactions between childhood trauma (CT) and dissociation can contribute to psychiatric disturbances. We explored this phenomenon in relation to behavioral addictions (BAs) in a sample (n = 633) of young adults (age: 18–34 years). Self-report measures investigating CT, dissociation, and symptoms related to gambling disorder, internet gaming disorder, problematic social media use, exercise dependence and compulsive buying were used. Scales related to BAs were summarized into a single measure ("Total Behavioral Addiction Index" – TBAI) for inferential analyses. A model analyzing the direct and indirect effects of CT on TBAI through the mediation of pathological dissociation was performed, controlling for confounding factors. Measures on CT, dissociation, and TBAI were significantly associated with each other (all p <.001). The total effect of CT on TBAI was significant (B = 0.063; CI: 0.045; 0.081); pathological dissociation significantly mediated such association (B = 0.023; CI: 0.013; 0.036). Our findings support the possibility that the interaction between CT and dissociation contributes to increase disturbances related to BAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Although the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ-22) has been translated into numerous languages and applied in various countries, its cultural applicability in China remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To adjust the JCQ-22 for cross-cultural use and optimize the scoring method for suitability for Chinese working populations. METHODS: We first used the original JCQ-22 questionnaire to measure occupational stress. Cross-cultural adjustment involved reorganization of scale items (adjusted-I scale) and deletion of inefficient redundant items during reorganization of scale items (adjusted-II scale). Structural validity and the relationship between stress and health outcomes (insomnia and self-conscious symptoms) before and after adjustment were compared. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the two-factor cumulative variance contribution rate of job demand and control of the adjusted-II scale was 52.47%, compared with 48.44% and 48.44% in the original version and adjusted-I scale, respectively. Among the 16 fitness indicators in confirmatory factor analysis, 9 items of the adjusted-II scale met the standard, compared with 4 items of the original and adjusted-I scales. The Pearson's correlation coefficients between occupational stress and insomnia as well as self-conscious symptoms from the adjusted-II scale were 0.15 and 0.32, respectively, which were higher than those of the original scale (0.10 and 0.20). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that the adjusted-II scale exhibited a better area under the curve and Youden index values than the original scale. CONCLUSION: The adjusted-II scale exhibited superior structural validity with more reasonable health outcome predictions and fewer items, making it more suitable for measuring occupational stress in Chinese populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry includes a systematic review on the emergence of problem gambling from childhood to emerging adulthood (Richard & King, 2023). The importance of understanding the risks for problem gambling earlier in development is clear, given the increasing availability of gambling to minors, especially online gambling. Read the full article at doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13713. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet addiction is a growing behavioral health problem in modern societies. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of internet addiction (IA) and social media addiction (SMA) and their relationship with sociodemographic factors, lifestyle habits, and internet usage patterns among medical students. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 280 medical students in a medical faculty, in Istanbul. Self-report questionnaires comprised sociodemographic status, lifestyle habits, internet and social media usage behavior, the Young Internet Addiction Test-short form (s-IAT), and the Bergen Social media addiction scale. The total prevalence of IA was 16.1% (11.8–20.4%), 17.2% (12.8–21.7%) in males and 14.8% (10.7–19.0%) in females. The total prevalence of SMA was 6.1% (3.3–8.9%), 4.8% (2.3–7.3%) in males and 7.4% (4.3–10.5%) in females. No significant difference was found between the sexes in terms of IA and SMA. IA was higher in grade 3 students than in grade 6 students. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that reading books at least once per month, high life satisfaction, performing physical activity at least twice per week, and using the internet for communication purposes were independent preventive factors for IA. The current study shows that IA and SMA are common in medical school students. Moreover, IA is associated with socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle habits such as reading books, life satisfaction, and physical activity. To protect medical school students from IA and develop healthy behaviors, it is necessary to develop prevention strategies and design and implement awareness and education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: New technologies for ships affect many aspects of seafarers' lives at work. Nowadays, many shipowners provide their ships with internet access for the personal use of the crew. After all these developments, nomophobia is no longer a phenomenon far from seafarers. Nomophobia affects mental health and motivation in seafarers, like all people who can use smartphones. Until now, there has been no study investigating nomophobia in seafarers and its effects on life at sea. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nomophobia among seafarers and examine the causes and consequences of differences between groups. METHODS: A previously designed and tested questionnaire was used to determine nomophobia and its effects on seafarers. Three hundred fifty one seafarers participated in the study. ANOVA and T-tests were performed with SPSS 22 package program to find significant differences. RESULTS: Nomophobia differed significantly according to age groups, gender, and education level. Headache and fatigue increased in direct proportion to the level of nomophobia. CONCLUSION: It was found that 65.2% of the seafarers had moderate to severe nomophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out with the aim of evaluating the relationship between smartphone addiction and social and emotional loneliness in high school students. It was planned to be descriptive and cross-sectional. This study was conducted between November and December 2019. 'Student Identification Form', 'Smartphone Addiction Scale – Short Form' and Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale were used to collect data in the study. In the statistical analysis of the data, number, percentage values, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, correlation and regression were used. A statistically significant difference was found between school type, income status, daily internet usage time, the state of having a computer and smartphone, and smartphone addiction scale mean scores (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between smartphone usage and social and emotional loneliness (r = 0.216, p = 0.001). Daily internet usage, smartphone usage time, and social media engagement predicted smartphone addiction by 36% (R2 = 0.36, p < 0.001). A significant relationship was found between smartphone addiction and loneliness in high school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate on personality structure and behavioral addictions is an outstanding issue. According to some authors, behavioral addictions could arise from a premorbid personality, while for others, it could result from a pathological use of technological tools. The current study aims to investigate whether, in the latest literature, personality traits have been identified as predictors of behavioral addictions. A literature search was conducted under the PRISMA methodology, considering the most relevant studies of the five-factor model from the past 10 years. Overall, most studies on addiction, personality traits, and personality genetics proved that behavioral addiction may be an epiphenomenon of a pre-existing personality structure, and that it more easily occurs in vulnerable subjects with emotional instability, negative affects, and unsatisfactory relationships with themselves, others, and events. Such neurotic personality structure was common to any addictive behavior, and was the main risk factor for both substance and behavioral addictions. Therefore, in clinical and educational contexts, it becomes crucial to primarily focus on the vulnerability factors, at-risk personality traits, and protective and moderating traits such as extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience; meanwhile, treatment of behavioral addictions is frequently focused on overt pathological behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the zero-tolerance policy implemented in Macao affected university students' life and learning styles. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) and analyze its risk factors among university students of Macao amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-nine university students were recruited by convenience sampling. The cross-sectional investigation was conducted using the 9-item Chinese version of the IGD Scale, the Chinese Version of the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Chinese version of the Brief Resilience Scale. Results: The prevalence was 7.4%. Compared to Non-IGD gamers, the IGD gamers were more likely to be the older, male gender, with a longer gaming history, with more game hours per day in the last month, and with a lower self-compassion score and resilience. Conclusion: The prevalence of IGD increased. Students who are the older, male gender, with more gaming time, low self-compassion, and low resilience, have a high possibility of IGD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent gaming disorder is associated with aggressive tendencies and parenting styles; however, few studies have examined the reinforcing spiral patterns between aggression or intrusive parenting and long-term gaming disorder across several years. Thus, we investigated the reciprocal relationships between aggression and gaming disorder and between intrusive parenting and gaming disorder among Korean adolescents (n = 801, mean age at T1 = 13.39 years old) using an annual five-wave longitudinal study design. The results of the autoregressive cross-lagged analyses showed that gaming disorder and aggression were reinforced across 4 years (five waves) among male adolescents. However, these reinforcing spiral effects were not found in female adolescents. More intrusive parenting showed reinforcing patterns with more gaming disorder in both male and female adolescents in early-to-middle adolescence. These findings suggest that interventions for gaming disorder need to involve monitoring the ways in which gaming disorder and adolescents' aggression affect each other in addition to regulating parents' degree of control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to provide a complete and updated review on the international literature about the modern concept of needle fixation, related phenomena and important consequences of its manifestation. A search was undertaken looking at every source about needle fixation from its first complete and accepted definition. There is an important and updated scientific literature about the existence and the clinical weight of the phenomenon. This kind of behavior has gained social, scientific and clinical interest. Many researchers and clinicians have reported cases, described courses, proposed solutions and treatments. The existence of needle fixation may promote drug seeking and maintain addiction for longer, seriously hinder the treatment of drug injectors regardless of the substance involved, and increase the risk of relapse; it can complicate the clinical picture with side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns have been raised about the loneliness and well-being of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent to which the ongoing pandemic has impacted loneliness and the association between loneliness and well-being is unclear. Therefore, a systematic review of empirical studies on the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to examine the (1) prevalence of loneliness in children and adolescents, (2) associations between loneliness and indicators of well-being, and (3) moderators of these associations. Five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, ERIC) were searched from 1 January 2020 to 28 June 2022 and 41 studies met our inclusion criteria (cross-sectional: n = 30; longitudinal: n = 11; registered on PROSPERO: CRD42022337252). Cross-sectional prevalence rates of pandemic loneliness varied, with some finding that over half of children and adolescents experienced at least moderate levels of loneliness. Longitudinal results reflected significant mean increases in loneliness compared to pre-pandemic levels. Cross-sectional results indicated that higher levels of loneliness were significantly associated with poorer well-being, including higher depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, gaming addiction, and sleep problems. Longitudinal associations between loneliness and well-being were more complex than cross-sectional associations, varying by assessment timing and factors in the statistical analyses. There was limited diversity in study designs and samples, preventing a thorough examination of moderating characteristics. Findings highlight a broader challenge with child and adolescent well-being that predates the pandemic and the need for future research to examine underrepresented populations across multiple timepoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A smartphone is a mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touchscreen interface, internet access, and an operating system capable of running downloaded applications. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and predictors of problematic smartphone use (PSU) among university undergraduates. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional design. PSU was studied among the students using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short version (SAS-SV). Results: Mean age was 21.3+2.59 years, mostly female (55.2%). The prevalence of smartphone ownership was 99.4% (3305). 13.9% of students had PSU. Factors associated with PSU were female gender (p=0.001), owning more than one smartphone (p=0.001), time spent on making phone calls (<0.001), surfing social media (<0.001), engaging in overnight phone call/social media chat (p=0.001), use of Twitter (p=0.002), Instagram (p=0.001), Snapchat (p=0.001), YouTube (p=0.001), online gaming (p=0.002), presence of probable psychiatric morbidity (p=0.001) and insomnia (p<0.001). The predictors of PSU were female gender (OR 1.305, p=0.038), engaging in overnight calls or social media chats (OR 2.243, p=0.001), using a smartphone in bed when unable to sleep at night (OR 2.832, p=0.003), probable psychiatric morbidity (OR 1.671, p<0.001), and insomnia (OR 1.298, p=0.043). Conclusion: Compared with other studies the prevalence of PSU among our participants is relatively low. However, PSU is a potentially disruptive behavioural addiction in undergraduates. Knowing predictors of PSU offers an opportunity for preventive counselling early in the course of study of all undergraduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between addictive smartphone use (ASU) and depressive symptoms, anxiety and sleep quality in elderly adults. Methods: The study sample included smartphone users over the age of 65 years. The research data were obtained from social networking sites via a Google survey link. In addition to filling out a sociodemographic data form, the participants were also assessed with Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), Geriatric Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index tools. Results: The correlation analysis revealed the SAS score to be positively correlated with depression and anxiety, and negatively correlated with sleep quality. In the regression analysis, depressive symptoms, anxiety level and sleep quality were all found to have an effect on the SAS total score. Furthermore, the SAS score was found to have an effect on depressive symptoms, anxiety and sleep quality. Conclusions: Our findings reveal a bidirectional relationship between ASU and depressive, anxiety symptoms and impaired sleep quality in elderly adults. It is important to question smartphone use patterns in people with sleep problems, symptoms of depression or anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving physical, mental and cognitive health is a strategic choice to help developing countries cross the middle-income trap. This paper used data from the 2019 China Rural Children Health and Nutrition Survey (n = 826), and used the Ordered Probit (Oprobit), Logit and ordinary least squares (OLS) analytical methods to systematically analyze the implications of parental migration on multidimensional health. The results indicate that parental migration significantly harms the physical and mental health of rural children, and that mobile phone addiction has a significant moderating effect. Moreover, parental migration has a greater impact on the physical health, mental health and cognitive ability of boys and rural children with low family income, while parents with higher nutrition knowledge and education can effectively improve the physical health and cognitive ability of their children. In conclusion, in order to improve the multidimensional health of rural children, the government should strengthen the policy of care and support for children whose parents migrate. Schools and families should pay attention to the supervision of rural children's mobile phone addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Problematic Internet use (PIU) remains a significant social concern in Japan and across the globe. Numerous studies have been conducted to examine the prevalence of PIU, and its association with lifestyle habits and mental health status. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have examined the association between parental attachment and PIU in Japan. Furthermore, preventive measures in Japan have primarily targeted adolescents via education. Therefore, in this study we explored the association between PIU and attachment styles among adolescents to seek a new approach for the development of appropriate, effective measures. Methods: A self‐administered survey was conducted at one private (in 2018) and two public junior high schools (in 2020) in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan. We used the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Experiences in Close Relationships–Relationship Structures (ECR–RS) questionnaire, and the Birleson Depression Self‐Rating Scale for Children (DSRS‐C). Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the association between IAT scores and attachment styles. Results: Of 1,413 participants (grades 7–9; 700 boys and 713 girls), 39% of the students showed possible PIU and 3% showed PIU. Students with PIU tended to sleep for shorter durations, access the Internet for long hours, and have a poor mental health status (p < 0.01). PIU was significantly associated with insecure attachment (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The findings of our study imply that improving attachment styles and developing secure attachment between the child and parent might help mitigate and/or prevent PIU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: College students appear more vulnerable in developing a dependence on the internet. Individuals with hikikomori are frequently reported to have social contact predominantly via the internet. Objectives: To find the prevalence of internet addiction, gaming addiction, hikikomori trait and insomnia amongst medical undergraduates and to study their association with various determinants. Methodology: The present cross-sectional study was conducted among first to final-year medical students studying at various medical colleges in Indian city from February to May 2021. Data collection was done after obtaining the ethical permission of the Institute. A total of 400 students who gave consent were sent an electronic questionnaire. Results: The mean age of study participants was 20 ± 1.58 years. Internet addiction was present in 189(47.2%) participants, gaming addiction in 128 (32%) students and hikikomori trait was found in 98(24.5%) students. There was a statistically significant association between different grades of insomnia and internet, gaming addiction, and hikikomori trait (< 0.0001) in the present study. Conclusion: Internet addiction was present in almost half of the medical students while gaming addiction was seen in nearly one third of the students. Male gender and hostel stay had a statistically significant association with internet addiction, gaming addiction, insomnia and hikikomori trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents are vulnerable for problematic smartphone use (PSU), which is associated with adverse psychological and physical health outcomes. Prior studies have debated whether the association between parental monitoring of smartphones and PSU is positive, negative, or nonsignificant. The present study investigated the relationship between parental monitoring of smartphones and PSU and the potential mediation mechanism involving self-efficacy and self-control. Eight hundred ninety-nine middle- and high-school students from a metropolitan city in China completed a questionnaire containing measurements of demographic information, perceived parental monitoring of smartphones, self-control, self-efficacy, and PSU. The results showed that (a) perceived parental monitoring of smartphones was negatively related to adolescent PSU; (b) self-control partially mediated the link between perceived parental monitoring of smartphones and adolescent PSU; and (c) self-efficacy and self-control sequentially mediated the link between parental monitoring of smartphones and PSU. The current study highlights the mediating mechanisms linking perceived parental monitoring of smartphones and adolescent PSU, and this may contribute to the development of family-based prevention and intervention strategies for adolescent PSU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]