Search

Background and aimsThe precise roles of screen media activity (SMA) and sleep problems in relation to child/adolescent psychopathology remain ambiguous. We investigated temporal relationships among sleep problems, SMA, and psychopathology and potential involvement of thalamus-prefrontal-cortex (PFC)-brainstem structural covariation.MethodsThis study utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (n = 4,641 ages 9-12) at baseline, Year1, and Year2 follow-up. Cross-Lagged Panel Models (CLPMs) investigated reciprocal predictive relationships between sleep duration/problems, SMA, and psychopathology symptoms. A potential mediating role of baseline Thalamus-PFC-brainstem covariation on SMA-externalizing relationships was examined.ResultsParticipants were divided into discovery (n = 2,359, 1,054 girls) and replication (n = 2,282, 997 girls) sets. CLPMs showed 1) bidirectional associations between sleep duration and SMA in late childhood, with higher frequency SMA predicting shorter sleep duration (β = -0.10 [95%CI: -0.16, -0.03], p = 0.004) and vice versa (β = -0.11 [95%CI: -0.18, -0.05], p < 0.001); 2) externalizing symptoms at age 10-11 predicting sleep problems (β = 0.11 [95%CI: 0.04, 0.19], p = 0.002), SMA (β = 0.07 [95%CI: 0.01, 0.13], p = 0.014), and internalizing symptoms (β = 0.09 [95%CI: 0.05, 0.13], p < 0.001) at age 11-12; and 3) externalizing behavior at age 10-11 partially mediating the relationship between baseline thalamus-PFC-brainstem covariation and SMA at age 11-12 (indirect effect = 0.032 [95%CI: 0.003, 0.067], p-value = 0.030). Findings were replicable.ConclusionWe found bi-directional SMA-sleep-duration associations in late childhood. Externalizing symptoms preceded future SMA and sleep disturbances and partially mediated relationships between structural brain covariation and SMA. The findings emphasize the need for understanding individual differences and developing and implementing integrated strategies addressing both sleep concerns and screen time to mitigate potential impacts on psychopathology.

Co-occurrence between gambling disorder (GD) and other mental disorders is common, but its association with problematic pornography use (PPU) remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate relationships between sociodemographic variables, personality measures, psychopathology, emotional regulation, and impulsivity and the co-occurrence of GD and PPU using structural equation modeling (SEM). The sample consisted of 359 adults seeking treatment for GD. The short version of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS-6) identified patients with GD + PPU. Psychopathology, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and personality were also assessed. Higher impulsivity levels statistically predicted co-occurrence between GD and PPU. Impulsivity mediated the relationship between younger age, maladaptive personality features, and emotional dysregulation and co-occurrence. Psychopathological distress did not directly associate with GD + PPU co-occurrence. Impulsivity relates importantly to the co-occurrence of GD and PPU. Younger age, maladaptive personality, and emotional dysregulation contribute to increased impulsivity levels and co-occurrence. The findings highlight the importance of addressing impulsivity in understanding and treating co-occurring GD and PPU. • The sample consisted of 359 adults seeking treatment for GD. • Impulsivity relates importantly to the co-occurrence of GD and PPU. • Psychopathological distress did not directly associate with GD + PPU co-occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Internet addiction causes a variety of social, interpersonal, psychological, and physical issues. We are confronting a worldwide crisis about internet addiction and its effects. Objectives: Utilizing five questionnaires to survey university students during the COVID‐19 epidemic, the current study sought to evaluate internet addiction and associated risk variables. Methods: At the University of Medical Sciences in North Iran, a cross‐sectional analytical investigation was carried out. The sample was done among 318 students, selected through the random cluster sampling method. Data collection was done during August and September 2021. Results: Based on our findings, the prevalence of internet addiction was 28.9% (92/318). Our results revealed that women are at twice the twice the risk of internet addiction as men (p = 0.028). Students in the medicinal field (p = 0.043; students with a positive history of mental illness in the family) p = 0.001 (and students with a fear of COVID‐19) p = 0.002 (recognized in the risk of Internet addiction, thus depression) p < 0.001 (anxiety) p < 0.001 (somatization) p = 0.001 (and psychological distress) p < 0.001 are risk factors for internet addiction. Age, marital status, place of living, total social support, and use of Alcohol/cigarettes are not risk factors for internet addiction. Conclusions: The findings suggest that university students with a fear of COVID‐19, depression, anxiety, somatization, psychological distress and a positive history of mental illness in the family, particularly medicinal field students, are at significant risk for Internet addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-occurrence between gambling disorder (GD) and problematic pornography use (PPU) has not yet been explored. Therefore, the present study compared (a) sociodemographic variables, (b) GD-related factors, (c) substance use, (d) psychopathology, (e) personality features, (f) impulsivity, and (g) emotion regulation between individuals with GD (GD group) and those with co-occurring GD and PPU (GD+PPU group). The sample consisted of 359 treatment-seeking individuals with GD: n = 332 individuals had GD only (GD group) and n = 37 individuals had GD and co-occurring PPU (GD+PPU group). GD severity, impulsivity, psychopathology, personality, emotion regulation, and other sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed. No between-group differences in sociodemographic measures were observed. The GD+PPU group demonstrated greater GD severity and a higher likelihood of substance use compared to those without PPU. Furthermore, the presence of PPU was associated with worse psychopathology, higher impulsivity (except for lack of premeditation and positive urgency), more difficulties in emotion regulation (except for non-acceptance of emotions and limited access to emotions), and a personality profile characterized by lower levels of self-directedness and cooperativeness. The co-occurrence of GD and PPU seems associated with a more dysfunctional clinical profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited research examining latent profiles of gamers based on emotional variables, which has implications for prevention efforts. The study sought to identify young adult gamer profiles based on depression, anxiety, and stress, and to examine differences between the latent profiles in other addictive behaviors (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, illegal substance use, gaming, and gambling). A total of 1209 young adults (M age = 19.37, SD = 1.62; 55.3%males) reported past-year gaming. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed to identify distinct profiles, and a set of ANOVA and chi-square analyses characterized the profiles in terms of sociodemographic, addictive behaviors, and emotional variables. LPA suggested a three-profile solution: profile 1 (n = 660, 'low emotional distress'), profile 2 (n = 377, 'moderate emotional distress'), and profile 3 (n = 172, 'high emotional distress'). Participants with 'moderate' and 'high emotional distress' were mostly women, showed greater gaming severity, higher prevalence of past-month substance use (i.e., tobacco and illegal drugs), and greater consequences of alcohol use. The cross-sectional nature of the study and sample being university students. Findings revealed three distinct profiles of gamers, which differed in emotional, gaming, and substance use severity. Transdiagnostic prevention programs have the potential to provide significant benefits to college students by addressing the core processes (e.g., emotion regulation) that underlie substance use and gaming. • Three latent profiles were identified, characterized by low, moderate, and high depression, anxiety, and stress. • Increased depression, anxiety, and stress were related to higher gaming severity. • Emotional symptoms were associated with substance use. • No significant association was found between gambling and gamers' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shih-Ching Chin,1,&ast; Yun-Hsuan Chang,2– 6,&ast; Chih-Chun Huang,6,7 Ting-Hsi Chou,1 Chieh-Liang Huang,8 Hsiu-Man Lin,9 Marc N Potenza10 1Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan; 2Institute of Gerontology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 4Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 5Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan; 6Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Douliou Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan; 7Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 8Department of Psychiatry, Tsaotun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nantou, Taiwan; 9Department of Child and Adolescent Development and Mental Health, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 10Psychiatry, Child Study and Neuroscience, Center of Excellence in Gambling Research, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yun-Hsuan Chang, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Institute of Gerontology, College of Medicine; Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1., University Road, Tainan, Taiwan, Email z11108051@ncku.edu.tw; yh.chang.snoopy@gmail.comIntroduction: The surge in mobile gaming, fueled by smartphone and internet accessibility, lacks a comprehensive understanding of physiological changes during gameplay.Methods: This study, involving 93 participants (average age 21.75 years), categorized them into Problematic Mobile Gaming (PMG) and non-problematic Mobile Gaming (nPMG) groups based on Problematic Mobile Gaming Questionnaire (PMGQ) scores. The PMGQ is a 12-item scale developed in Taiwan to assess symptoms of problematic mobile gaming. The research delved into heart rate variability (HRV) alterations during real-time mobile gaming and self-gaming video viewing.Results: Results showed that the PMG group significantly presents a lower root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and High Frequency (lnHF) than does the nPMG group (F=4.73, p=0.03; F=10.65, p=0.002, respectively) at the baseline. In addition, the PMG group significantly displayed elevated HF and low-frequency to high-frequency (LF/HF) in the mobile-gaming (F=7.59, p=0.007; F=9.31, p=0.003) condition as well as in the watching self-gaming videos (F=9.75, p=0.002; F=9.02, p=0.003) than did the nPMG.Conclusion: The study suggests targeted interventions to mitigate autonomic arousal, offering a potential avenue to address adverse effects associated with problematic mobile gaming behavior. The PMG group displayed increased craving scores after real-time mobile gaming and watching self-gaming video excerpts, unlike the nPMG group. Elevated LF/HF ratios in frequent gaming cases heightened autonomic arousal, presenting challenges in relaxation after mobile gaming. These findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between mobile gaming activities, physiological responses, and potential intervention strategies.Keywords: addictive behaviors, video games, internet addiction, autonomic nervous system, craving, heart rate variability, self-regulation

* Background Digital addictions are a major problem worldwide, which has increased considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, two important impact factors to explain this problem are stress and anxiety because of COVID-19. The objective of this research was to determine the impact of distress and anxiety due to COVID-19 on digital addictions. Methods cross-sectional, explanatory study. A total of 802 students from public and private universities residing in the city of Lima and Callao (Peru), with a mean age of 21.68 (SD = 3.11), selected by convenience sampling, participated in the study. The MULTICAGE CAD-4 questionnaire, the distress scale, and the COVID-19 worry scale were applied. Results two models examined with structural equation modeling showed good fit indices (CFI and TLI > .95, RMSEA and SRMR < .06). The first model shows that the latent variables distress and anxiety due to COVID-19 have direct effects on digital addictions as a general construct (R 2 = 22%). The second model shows that the exogenous latent variables (stress and anxiety) have direct effects of different magnitudes on each digital technology, so the variance explained on smartphone addiction was higher (R 2 = 25%) with respect to internet (R 2 = 19%) and video game addiction (R 2 = 6%). It was also found that for every male, there are two females with high levels of distress and anxiety. Regarding the problematic use of smartphones and internet, there is a prevalence of 40% regardless of sex; but as for the problematic use of video games, there is a marked difference between males (18.8%) and females (2.7%). Conclusion the distress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 have a direct impact in aggravating digital addictions.

Forgetting is often viewed as a human frailty. However, over the years, it has been considered an adaptive process that allows people to avoid retrieval of undesirable memories, preventing them from suffering and discomfort. Evidence shows that the ability to suppress memories is affected by several psychopathological conditions characterized by persistent unwanted thoughts, including anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders. Nevertheless, memory suppression (MS) mechanisms in addiction—a clinical condition characterized by recurrent drug‐related thoughts that contribute to repeated drug use—have received little attention so far. Addiction theories reveal that drugs change behavior by working on memory systems, particularly on declarative memory, which is related to the retrieval and encoding of drug‐related memories. In this review, the main behavioral and neurofunctional findings concerning the Think/No‐Think task—an adaptation of the classical Go/No‐Go tasks typically used to evaluate the suppression of motor response—are presented. We then show how the memory system can be involved in the craving or anticipation/preoccupation stage of the addiction cycle. Subsequently, the study of MS in the context of addictive behaviors is highlighted as a promising approach for gaining knowledge about the mechanisms contributing to the continuation of addiction. Finally, we discuss how interventions aiming to strengthen this ability could impact the anticipation/preoccupation stage by (i) reducing the accessibility of drug‐related memories, (ii) decreasing craving and attention toward drug‐related stimuli, and (iii) improving overall inhibition abilities. In conclusion, this review aims to illustrate how the study of MS may be a valuable approach to enhance our understanding of substance use disorders by unveiling the underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms involved, which could have important implications for addiction treatment. [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]

This study examined associations between recreational gambling (RG) and at-risk/problem gambling (ARPG), and clinical measures of mental illness and substance use, functionality, homelessness, in a nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans. Data were analyzed from 781 veterans who participated National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences (NV-HOPE) study conducted in 2021. Chi-square tests, analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and logistic regressions analyses were conducted to examine unadjusted and adjusted associations between gambling group status and sociodemographic, psychiatric, substance use, functioning, and homelessness measures. A significant minority of low-income U.S. veterans reported gambling, with 24.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 95% CI 21.12–28.76%) exhibiting RG and 6.7% (95% CI 3.88–9.42%) screening positive for ARPG. The prevalence of ARPG was higher among younger, non-White veterans. ARPG was associated with greater symptoms of substance use and anxiety; poorer physical functioning; history of any mental illness; lifetime history of homelessness; and having any student or car loans relative to NG. Veterans who had RG were more likely to screen positive for drug use disorders relative to NG. Results of the current study provide an up-to-date estimate of the current prevalence of RG and ARPG among low-income U.S. veterans and underscore the importance of routine screening, monitoring, and development of interventions for problematic gambling severity, as well as interventions for ARPG in this population. These findings may inform targeted intervention strategies for this vulnerable subpopulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postpartum substance use can have lasting impacts on caregiving and child development. Prior work examining maternal substance use and neural responses to infant cues has employed unknown infant face and cry stimuli, categorizing mothers as either substance-using or not, potentially overlooking the complexity and dynamic nature of current substance use. Here, 106 postpartum women were presented with own and unknown infant cues while electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. Current substance use was assessed through an inclusive continuous approach. The central finding was that higher levels of current substance use were associated with longer delays in the N170 response to infant faces regardless of familiarity, replicating previous work using categorical substance use assessments (i.e., present or absent). Findings highlight the feasibility of continuous measures of substance use and suggest that salience of own infant cues may not be sufficient to override substance use effects on maternal processing of infant cues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Internet addiction causes a variety of social, interpersonal, psychological, and physical issues. We are confronting a worldwide crisis about internet addiction and its effects. Objectives Utilizing five questionnaires to survey university students during the COVID‐19 epidemic, the current study sought to evaluate internet addiction and associated risk variables. Methods At the University of Medical Sciences in North Iran, a cross‐sectional analytical investigation was carried out. The sample was done among 318 students, selected through the random cluster sampling method. Data collection was done during August and September 2021. Results Based on our findings, the prevalence of internet addiction was 28.9% (92/318). Our results revealed that women are at twice the twice the risk of internet addiction as men (p = 0.028). Students in the medicinal field (p = 0.043; students with a positive history of mental illness in the family) p = 0.001 (and students with a fear of COVID‐19) p = 0.002 (recognized in the risk of Internet addiction, thus depression) p

Background: Problematic use of the internet (PUI) is prevalent, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Given the limited measures to assess specific types of PUI, which encompasses a broad spectrum of activities such as online gaming, social media use, pornography use, shopping, gambling, and web-streaming, Muller et al. (2022) developed the Assessment of Criteria for Specific Internet-use Disorders (ACSID-11) to comprehensively assess different types of PUI (i.e., gaming, shopping, social media use, gambling, and pornography use). The present study aimed to validate the Chinese ACSID-11 among adolescents incorporating cross-cultural adaptations. Methods: Using forward-backward translation method, a culturally adapted version of the ACSID-11 was prepared. Then, a cross-sectional online survey was administered between September 8 and September 26, 2023. Adolescents, using a convenience sample (N = 11,492; mean age = 16.42 years [SD ± 0.91]; 59.1% male), were recruited from six schools to complete the translated ACSID-11, Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and Smartphone Application Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) via an online platform. Pearson correlation coefficients assessed convergent/discriminant validity. Factor structure and measurement invariance were examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multi-group CFA. Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega tested internal consistency. Results: Associations between the ACSID-11 components and other scales supported convergent validity (i.e., ACSID-11 gaming scale with IGDS9-SF [0.37 ≤ r ≤ 0.41]; social networks use scale with BSMAS [0.24 ≤ r ≤ 0.31]) and discriminant validity (i.e., online gambling scale with BSMAS [0.16 ≤ r ≤ 0.19] and with SABAS [0.11 ≤ r ≤ 0.13]). A four-factor solution indicated good fit with comparative fit index (CFI) ranging from 0.982 to 0.958. The ACSID-11 was measurement invariant across sexes (∆CFI = -0.001 to 0.000) and different levels of related addictive behaviors (∆CFI = -0.001 to 0.000). Both Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega (0.63 to 0.97) were acceptable for both frequency and intensity of responses. Conclusions: The ACSID-11 is an appropriate scale to assess different kinds of PUI among Chinese adolescents and students. Psychometric assessment of the measure in other cultures and among clinical samples is recommended.

Background: The activation of permissive beliefs is a cognitive mechanism through which individuals permit themselves to engage in pleasurable, yet potentially unregulated activities. Existing measures are heterogenous, focusing either on specific behaviors or on particular licensing mechanisms. The new Permissive Beliefs Questionnaire (PBQ) seeks to integrate self-licensing mechanisms from various research domains and to be applicable to different behaviors. Methods: Study 1 aimed at exploring the factor structure and reduce the number of items. In study 2, we used confirmatory factor analysis and tested convergent and discriminant validity in three subsamples of individuals playing videogames (n = 489), shopping online (n = 506), and drinking alcohol (n = 511). We tested the hypothesis whether individuals who experience a self-regulatory conflict show a greater expression of permissive beliefs. Results: The final version of the PBQ consists of 12 items which represent two factors: Deserving Reward and Defensive Optimism. The PBQ exhibited robust model fit indices and internal consistencies in the three samples. Permissive beliefs were heightened among individuals intending to downregulate their gaming, shopping, or drinking behaviors as compared to individuals without this intention. Conclusion: The PBQ is a valid measure of permissive beliefs for gaming, online shopping, and drinking alcohol. It serves an ecologic and psychometrically valid tool to address empirical research questions regarding the functioning of permissive beliefs. Additionally, it may be used in clinical settings to measure and raise an understanding for permissive beliefs in clients.

Background and aimsAbout 1/3 of youth spend more than four hours/day engaged in screen media activity (SMA). This investigation utilized longitudinal brain imaging and mediation analyses to examine relationships among SMA, brain patterns, and internalizing problems.MethodsData from Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) participants with baseline and two-year follow-up structural imaging data that passed quality control (N = 5,166; 2,385 girls) were analyzed. Joint and Individual Variation Explained (JIVE) identified a brain co-development pattern among 221 brain features (i.e., differences in surface area, thickness, or cortical and subcortical gray-matter volume between baseline and two-year-follow-up data). Generalized linear mixed-effect models investigated associations between baseline SMA, structural co-development and internalizing and externalizing psychopathology at two-year follow-up.ResultsSMA at baseline was related to internalizing psychopathology at year 2 (β=0.020,SE=0.008,P=0.014) and a structural co-development pattern (β=0.015,SE=0.007,P=0.029), where the co-development pattern suggested that rates of change in gray-matter volumes of the brainstem, gray-matter volumes and/or cortical thickness measures of bilateral superior frontal, rostral middle frontal, inferior parietal, and inferior temporal regions were more similar than those in other regions. This component partially mediated the relationship between baseline SMA and future internalizing problems (indirect effect = 0.020, P-value = 0.043, proportion mediated: 2.24%).Discussion and conclusionsGreater youth engagement in SMA at ages 9-10 years statistically predicted higher levels of internalizing two years later. This association was mediated by cortical-brainstem circuitry, albeit with relatively small effect sizes. The findings may help delineate processes contributing to internalizing behaviors and assist in identifying individuals at greater risk for such problems.

Introduction: We all experience occasional self-control failures (SCFs) in our daily lives, where we enact behaviors that stand in conflict with our superordinate or long-term goals. Based on the assumption that SCFs share common underlying mechanisms with addictive disorders, we tested the hypothesis that a generally higher susceptibility to daily SCFs predicts more addictive behavior, or vice versa. Methods: At baseline, 338 individuals (19-27 years, 59% female) from a community sample participated in multi-component assessments. These included among others (1) a clinical interview on addictive behaviors (quantity of use, frequency of use, DSM-5 criteria; n = 338) and (2) ecological momentary assessment of SCFs (n = 329, 97%). At the 3-year and 6 year follow-up, participation rates for both assessment parts were 71% (n = 240) and 50% (n = 170), respectively. Results: Controlling for age, gender, IQ, and baseline addiction level, randomintercept cross-lagged panel models revealed that participants who reported more SCFs also showed pronounced addictive behavior at the between-person level, but we found no evidence of a predictive relationship at the within-person level over time. Discussion: A higher rate of SCFs is associated with more addictive behavior, while there is no evidence of an intraindividual predictive relationship. Novel hypotheses suggested by additional exploratory results are that (1) only addiction-related SCFs in daily life are early markers of an escalation of use and thus for addictive disorders and that (2) an explicit monitoring of SCFs increases self-reflection and thereby promotes the mobilization of cognitive control in response to goal-desire conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying, traditional or cyber, among adolescents, is a public health concern. In this study, we explored frequencies and correlates of different forms of bullying among Connecticut high-school students. Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 2019 from Connecticut adolescents (N = 1814) were used. χ2 tests and survey-weighted logistic regressions examined relationships between bullying subgroups (in-school traditional bullying (ISTB) only, cyberbullying only, and both) and mental concerns, risk behaviors, academic performance, physical health, and receipt of social support, with the logistic regressions adjusted for demographics. The past-12-month frequency of having experienced only cyberbullying was 5.6%, only ISTB was 9.1%, and both forms was 8.7%. Between-group differences were observed by bullying status in terms of sex and race/ethnicity. In adjusted models, bullying status was associated with suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, self-harm, depression/dysphoria, mental health, use of alcohol, marijuana, injection drugs, tobacco, and e-vapor, gambling, driving under influence of alcohol, high-risk sexual behavior, physical fights, weapon-carrying, injuries/threats at school, feeling unsafe at school, dating violence, obesity, poor general health, insecure housing, less perceived family support, and poor academic performance. People experiencing both types of bullying were typically more likely to report adverse measures. High-school students commonly report bullying. The findings that both forms (traditional and cyber) were more robustly linked to negative experiences highlight the need for examining further relationships between types and patterns of bullying and mental health and functioning. Better understanding may help improve preventive anti-bullying interventions. • Bullying (cyber, in school traditional, and both) was associated with poor health. • Rates of in-school traditional bullying-only were highest, followed by both forms. • Experiencing both forms of bullying was associated with more severe correlates. • The patterns of correlates differed among those with both or either form of bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individual differences in gray-matter morphometry in the limbic system and frontal cortex have been linked to clinical features of cocaine use disorder (CUD). Self-administration paradigms can provide more direct measurements of the relationship between the regulation of cocaine use and gray-matter morphometry when compared to self-report assessments. Objectives: Our goal was to investigate associations with self-administration behavior in subcortical and cortical brain regions. We hypothesized the number of cocaine infusions self-administered would be correlated with gray-matter volumes (GMVs) in the striatum, amygdala, and hippocampus. Due to scarcity in human studies, we did not hypothesize subcortical directionality. In the frontal cortex, we hypothesized thickness would be negatively correlated with self-administered cocaine. Methods: We conducted an analysis of cocaine self-administration and structural MRI data from 33 (nFemales = 10) individuals with moderate-to-severe CUD. Self-administration lasted 60-minutes and cocaine (8, 16, or 32 mg/70 kg) was delivered on an FR1 schedule (5-minute lockout). Subcortical and cortical regression analyses were performed that included combined bilateral regions and age, experimental variables and use history as confounders. Results: Self-administered cocaine infusions were positively associated with caudal GMV (b = 0.18, p = 0.030) and negatively with putamenal GMV (b = −0.10, p = 0.041). In the cortical model, infusions were positively associated with insular thickness (b = 0.39, p = 0.008) and women appeared to self-administer cocaine more frequently (b = 0.23, p = 0.019). Conclusions: Brain morphometry features in the striatum and insula may contribute to cocaine consumption in CUD. These differences in morphometry may reflect consequences of prolonged use, predisposed vulnerability, or other possibilities. Clinical Trial Numbers: NCT01978431; NCT03471182 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract:Aims: Opioid misuse is an epidemic in the United States and globally, with adolescents affected by negative consequences including overdoses and deaths. Understanding how mental health and substance use relate to specific types of opioid use is thus important. Methods: Data from the 2019 Connecticut Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed. Chi squares and adjusted odds ratios were computed to relate demographic variables, mental health, and substance use measures to misuse of prescription pain medications with and without heroin use, as compared to neither. Results: Among 1,931 high-school respondents, 8.8 % (n=180) reported prescription pain medication misuse (PPMM+), and 1.4 % (n=28) also reported using heroin (PPMM/HU+). PPMM+ was associated with being female while PPMM/HU+ was associated with being non-White and male. Poorer mental health was associated with PPMM+, and suicidality measures were strongly related to PPMM/HU+. Use of other substances was reported with PPMM+ and PPMM/HU+, with use of vapor products, including on school grounds, particularly linked to the latter. Conclusions: PPMM+ and PPMM/HU+ are associated with suicidality and substance use among adolescents, with suicidality particularly related to PPMM/HU+. Having access to and using substances on school property suggests the need for school-based and other interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is increasing in the United States, yet, specific neural mechanisms of CUD are not well understood. Disordered substance use is characterized by heightened drug cue incentive salience, which can be measured using the late positive potential (LPP), an event‐related potential (ERP) evoked by motivationally significant stimuli. The drug cue LPP is typically quantified by averaging the slow wave's scalp‐recorded amplitude across its entire time course, which may obscure distinct underlying factors with differential predictive validity; however, no study to date has examined this possibility. In a sample of 105 cannabis users, temporo‐spatial Principal Component Analysis was used to decompose cannabis cue modulation of the LPP into its underlying factors. Acute stress was also inducted to allow for identification of specific cannabis LPP factors sensitive to stress. Factor associations with CUD severity were also explored. Eight factors showed significantly increased amplitudes to cannabis images relative to neutral images. These factors spanned early (~372 ms), middle (~824 ms), and late (>1000 ms) windows across frontal, central, and parietal‐occipital sites. CUD phenotype individual differences were primarily associated with frontal, middle/late latency factor amplitudes. Acute stress effects were limited to one early central and one late frontal factor. Taken together, results suggest that the cannabis LPP can be decomposed into distinct, temporal‐spatial factors with differential responsivity to acute stress and CUD phenotype variability. Future individual difference studies examining drug cue modulation of the LPP should consider (1) frontalcentral poolings in addition to conventional central‐parietal sites, and (2) later LPP time windows. The current study is the first to utilize temporo‐spatial principal component analysis (PCA) to decompose the cannabis cue modulation of the late positive potential (LPP) before and after an acute laboratory stressor. Findings provide insight into potential neurophysiological markers relevant for substance use outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gambling disorder (GD) is a mental health condition characterized by persistent and problematic betting behavior. GD generates distress and impairment, and treatment options include psychological and pharmacological interventions. This narrative review explores existing pharmacological treatments for GD. The following classes of medications were considered: opioid-receptor antagonists (e.g. naltrexone and nalmefene), serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g. fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, escitalopram, and citalopram), glutamatergic agents (e.g. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), acamprosate, and memantine), mood stabilizers (e.g. topiramate, carbamazepine, lithium), and other medications (e.g. modafinil, nefazodone, olanzapine, haloperidol, tolcapone, and bupropion). Due to the limitations of the studies reviewed, solid conclusions regarding the optimal choice of pharmacotherapy for individuals with GD are challenging to draw at this time. Despite some medications, such as naltrexone and nalmefene, showing promising results, efficacy has varied across studies. The review highlights current gaps/limitations, including small sample sizes, limited diversity in participant demographics, the need for exploring different gambling subtypes and treatment responses, high placebo response rates, lack of longer-term longitudinal information, limited investigation of neurobiological correlates and co-occurring disorders, and the importance of implementation research. Further research is needed to address these gaps and explore additional medications, as well as interventions like neuromodulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothers who use substances during pregnancy and postpartum may have altered maternal behavior towards their infants, which can have negative consequences on infant social-emotional development. Since maternal substance use has been associated with difficulties in recognizing and responding to infant emotional expressions, investigating mothers' subjective responses to emotional infant stimuli may provide insight into the neural and psychological processes underlying these differences in maternal behavior. In this study, 39 mothers who used substances during the perinatal period and 42 mothers who did not underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while viewing infant faces and hearing infant cries. Afterwards, they rated the emotional intensity they thought each infant felt ('think'-rating), and how intensely they felt in response to each infant stimulus ('feel'-rating). Mothers who used substances had lower 'feel'-ratings of infant stimuli compared to mothers who did not. Brain regions implicated in affective processing (e.g., insula, inferior frontal gyrus) were less active in response to infant stimuli, and activity in these brain regions statistically predicted maternal substance-use status. Interestingly, 'think'-ratings and activation in brain regions related to cognitive processing (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex) were comparable between the two groups of mothers. Taken together, these results suggest specific neural and psychological processes related to emotional responsivity to infant stimuli may reflect differences in maternal affective processing and may contribute to differences in maternal behavior in mothers who use substances compared to mothers who do not. The findings suggest potential neural targets for increasing maternal emotional responsivity and improving child outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies on the main twelve-step mutual-help (TSMH) groups (excluding Alcoholics Anonymous) and four meta-analyses exploring the correlation between (i) duration or involvement in TSMH groups and; (ii) severity of symptoms or quality of life. Systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Searches of databases (MEDLINE, PsychInfo), a register (ClinicalTrials) and citations were conducted, from inception through November 01 2022. Fifty five articles were included (24 quantitative, 27 qualitative, 4 mixed-methods), corresponding to 47 distinctive studies. 68% of these studies were conducted in North America, 17% in Middle East, 11% in the European Union and 4% in Australia. The most studied TSMH group were Gamblers Anonymous (28% of the 47 studies), Narcotics Anonymous (26%), Double Trouble in Recovery (15%), Overeaters Anonymous (19%) and TSMH groups for compulsive sexual behaviors (11%). The four meta-analyses pooled data from 9 studies. Pooled mean age ranged from 36.5 to 40.5. 80–81% of participants were male. TSMH attendance and involvement were negatively correlated with severity of symptoms (high and medium levels of evidence) and positively correlated with quality of life (low levels of evidence). Twenty-one qualitative papers reported factors influencing recovery: Social (n = 15), emotional (n = 9), spiritual (n = 8), self-identification or psychological (n = 6) factors. Review provides characteristics of TSMH groups others than Alcoholics Anonymous, with implications for both research and healthcare practice. The perspective to implement TSMH groups targeting ontological addiction, at the root of all addiction, is discussed. Protocol registration: Prospero registration number: CRD42022342605. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: In this scoping review, we examined sex as a substitute addiction for other substance or behavioral addictions, with a particular emphasis on how it has been defined, has presented clinically, the samples and contexts studied, and the methods used. Various types of sexual behaviors were included (e.g., voyeurism, and pornography use). Recent Findings: Overall, 18 peer-reviewed articles, published between 1954 and 2023, were retained. Across studies, and pathways to recovery, the most salient lines of inquiry appear to concern sex as a substitute among substance use service users, 13th stepping/sexual activity among recovery support group attendees, multi-addictions, pornography as a replacement for substance use (including during the COVID-19 pandemic), and hypersexual disorder in the context of bariatric surgery. Summary: Further focused research is needed, including the use of qualitative and mixed methods studies, larger representative samples, and more robust study designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attentional biases towards reward stimuli have been implicated in substance use-related problems. The value-modulated attentional capture (VMAC) task assesses such reward-related biases. The VMAC task widely used in lab studies tends to be monotonous and susceptible to low effort. We therefore tested a gamified online version of the VMAC that aimed to increase participant engagement. Our goal was to examine how VMAC is associated with substance use-related problems and addictive behaviors, and whether this association is moderated by cognitive control. Methods: We recruited 285 participants from an online community, including heavy alcohol users. All participants completed a novel gamified version of the VMAC task, measures of substance use and addictive behaviors (addictive-like eating behavior, problematic smartphone use), the WebExec measure of problems with executive functions, and the Stroop Adaptive Deadline Task (SDL) as a measure of cognitive control. Results: The gamified VMAC task successfully identified value-modulated attentional capture effects towards high-reward stimuli. We found no significant associations between VMAC scores, problematic alcohol or cannabis use, addictive behaviors, or any moderation by a behavioral measure of cognitive control. Exploratory analyses revealed that self-reported cognitive problems were associated with more alcohol-, and cannabis-related problems, and addictive behaviors. Greater attentional capture (VMAC) was associated with more cannabis use-related problems among individuals with higher levels of self-reported cognitive problems. Conclusions: Our study is one of the first to demonstrate the utility of the gamified version of the VMAC task in capturing attentional reward biases. Self-reported problems with cognitive functions represent a key dimension associated with substance use-related problems and addictive behaviors.

Background: Few studies have investigated changes in brain structure and function associated with recovery from cocaine use disorder (CUD), and fewer still have identified brain changes associated with specific CUD treatments, which could inform treatment development and optimization. Methods: In this longitudinal study, T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 41 methadone-maintained individuals with CUD (15 women) at the beginning of and after 12 weeks of outpatient treatment. As part of a larger randomized controlled trial, these participants were randomly assigned to receive (or not) computer-based training for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT4CBT), and galantamine (or placebo). Results: Irrespective of treatment condition, whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analyses revealed a significant decrease in right caudate body, bilateral cerebellum, and right middle temporal gyrus gray matter volume (GMV) at post-treatment relative to the start of treatment. Subsequent region of interest analyses found that greater reductions in right caudate and bilateral cerebellar GMV were associated with higher relative and absolute levels of cocaine use during treatment, respectively. Participants who completed more CBT4CBT modules had a greater reduction in right middle temporal gyrus GMV. Conclusions: These results extend previous findings regarding changes in caudate and cerebellar GMV as a function of cocaine use and provide the first evidence of a change in brain structure as a function of engagement in digital CBT for addiction. These data suggest a novel potential mechanism underlying how CBT4CBT and CBT more broadly may exert therapeutic effects on substance-use-related behaviors through brain regions implicated in semantic knowledge.

Abstract Background Although habit-forming risk behaviors frequently co-occur, determinants of concurrent risk behaviors have rarely been investigated. The aim of the present study was to investigate socio-demographic, health status, and lifestyle determinants of single versus concurrent risk behaviors in general-population adults. Methods We analyzed data from 32,622 participants (74.5% female; mean age = 57.9 ± 14.2 years) of the NutriNet-Santé cohort who completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the 12-item Cigarette Dependence Scale, the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, and the Internet Addiction Test in 2021–2022. Using established cutoffs, participants were first split into 2 groups (presence versus absence) for each risk variable (alcohol use disorders, nicotine dependence, food addiction, Internet addiction) and were then divided into 3 groups (no risk behavior, 1 risk behavior (reference), and ≥ 2 risk behaviors). The association between socio-demographic, health status, and lifestyle exposures and individual/concurrent risk behaviors were investigated with polytomous logistic regression. Results Younger age (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.04; 95% Confidence Interval (CI: 1.62–2.56), current financial difficulties (OR = 1.29; CI: 1.08–1.54), self-perceived poor health (OR = 1.70; CI: 1.32–2.20), overall poor dietary quality (OR = 2.88; CI: 2.06–4.02), being underweight (OR = 1.46; CI: 1.05–2.04), having obesity (OR = 1.62; CI: 1.31–1.99), lack of affection during childhood (OR = 1.41; CI: 1.18–1.69), and a lifetime prevalence or medication use for a mental disorder (OR = 1.46; CI: 1.24–1.73) were positively associated with having ≥ 2 versus 1 risk behavior (all p

Background: Although habit-forming risk behaviors frequently co-occur, determinants of concurrent risk behaviors have rarely been investigated. The aim of the present study was to investigate socio-demographic, health status, and lifestyle determinants of single versus concurrent risk behaviors in general-population adults. Methods: We analyzed data from 32,622 participants (74.5% female; mean age = 57.9 ± 14.2 years) of the NutriNet-Santé cohort who completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the 12-item Cigarette Dependence Scale, the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, and the Internet Addiction Test in 2021–2022. Using established cutoffs, participants were first split into 2 groups (presence versus absence) for each risk variable (alcohol use disorders, nicotine dependence, food addiction, Internet addiction) and were then divided into 3 groups (no risk behavior, 1 risk behavior (reference), and ≥ 2 risk behaviors). The association between socio-demographic, health status, and lifestyle exposures and individual/concurrent risk behaviors were investigated with polytomous logistic regression. Results: Younger age (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.04; 95% Confidence Interval (CI: 1.62–2.56), current financial difficulties (OR = 1.29; CI: 1.08–1.54), self-perceived poor health (OR = 1.70; CI: 1.32–2.20), overall poor dietary quality (OR = 2.88; CI: 2.06–4.02), being underweight (OR = 1.46; CI: 1.05–2.04), having obesity (OR = 1.62; CI: 1.31–1.99), lack of affection during childhood (OR = 1.41; CI: 1.18–1.69), and a lifetime prevalence or medication use for a mental disorder (OR = 1.46; CI: 1.24–1.73) were positively associated with having ≥ 2 versus 1 risk behavior (all p < 0.05). The comparison of none versus 1 risk behavior revealed the same determinants in addition to having a higher education, being physically active at work, and being overweight. Conclusions: We investigated determinants of concurrent habit-forming risk behaviors among adults in a large, population-based study. The findings could serve as impetus for future research in this domain and ultimately help guide addiction prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homelessness is associated with multiple risk factors for neurocognitive impairment. Past research with people experiencing homelessness has described “frontal lobe” dysfunction including behavioral disorders and executive cognitive impairments. In the current study, 72 adults experiencing homelessness were assessed with a standardized assessment of executive function, and interviewed regarding neurological and psychiatric history. When compared to a control sample of 25 never-homeless participants, and controlling for level of education, there was little evidence for executive dysfunction in the sample of people experiencing homelessness. Levels of substance abuse, past head injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder were notably high. However, there were no statistically significant associations between cognitive task performance and clinical or substance abuse variables. Gambling was surprisingly infrequent, but risk-taking behavior among intravenous drug users was common. Though in neither case was it linked to executive function. Overall, there was little evidence for executive impairment in this sample of people experiencing homelessness. I suggest that past research has often used inappropriate criteria for “normal” performance, particularly comparing people experiencing homelessness to control data of relatively high education level. This has led to elements of “frontal lobology,” that is, clinical neuroscience research that tends to overly link non-typical or pathological behavior to frontal lobe impairment. When appropriate comparisons are made, controlling for education level, as in this study, associations between executive function impairments and adult homelessness may be weaker than previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a widely-used measure of emotion regulation, the short version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-short), in the Persian language (CERQ-P-short) among Iranian populations. The CERQ-P-short was administered to 1825 participants (female = 974) including 436 adolescents, 834 adults from the general population, 45 patients each with generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, an additional 30 patients each with generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders receiving treatment, 45 patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) and an additional 360 adult psychiatric patients. We tested reliability, factor structure, measurement invariance, convergent and discriminant validity, and treatment sensitivity (i.e., intervention response) by age, sex, and diagnostic group. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 was also administered. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and test-retest coefficients suggested good reliability. Fit indices suggested that the 9-factor CERQ-P-Short model was good across groups. The CERQ-P-Short showed good measurement invariance in all four models (configural, metric, scalar, and strict) in all groups. Both adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion-regulation strategies demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity. Finally, treatment sensitivity of the CERQ-P-Short scale before and after the completion of treatment sessions was suggested for patients with generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. While the present study has some limitations, it represents a significant contribution because it supports CERQ-P-Short scales usefulness, validity, and reliability in the general population and among psychiatric patients. The results of the current study can be beneficial to the both clinicians and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although 1–14% of adolescents may experience problematic pornography use (PPU), psychometrically sound instruments for assessing PPU in Spanish-speaking adolescents are scarce. Given the advantages of the different forms of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS), the aim of the present study was to assess the psychometric properties of the PPCS and PPCS-6, and to examine associations between PPU and age among boys and girls. Two school-based adolescent samples were recruited in Spain (n = 650; Mage = 16.0 [SD = 1.1]; 50% girls and 50% boys) and Mexico (n1, 160; Mage = 15.8 [SD = 1.1]; 68% girls) to assess the psychometric properties of the PPCS and PPCS-6. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied and convergent and discriminant validity with other measures related to PPU was also tested. The results provided empirical support for the six-factor structure of the PPCS and the one-factor structure of the PPCS-6. Boys with older age showed higher levels of tolerance than girls on the PPCS in both countries. Both the PPCS and the PPCS-6 may be considered valid psychometric instruments for the assessment of PPU in Spanish-speaking adolescents from Spain and Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is still debate whether problematic pornography use (PPU) can be understood as an addictive disorder, and little is known about withdrawal-like symptoms in these patients. Therefore, our aim was to summarize the existing scientific literature about this topic in the format of a scoping review. Methods: Potentially eligible references were retrieved from 6 databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, LILACS, and SciELO) up to February 7, 2023. Studies were included if they reported original data about withdrawal-like symptoms in individuals with PPU. Studies investigating child pornography use, or in which it was not possible to extract data of interest were excluded. Data extracted from included studies and their quality assessment were described narratively. Results: A total of 937 references were retrieved, and 14 studies were included (n = 31,009 participants). According to our results, cravings were intense in most cases and frequent reasons for relapse. The proportion of participants experiencing other withdrawal-like symptoms (mental, sexual, and physical symptoms) reached up to 72.2% in the cross-sectional studies with this information available. Severity of withdrawal symptomswas associated with severity of PPU and frequency of pornography use. In some studies, measures of withdrawal symptoms were considered central symptoms of PPU and were significantly higher in individuals considering treatment. Masturbation was reported to alleviate withdrawal-like symptoms in some cases. Conclusions: There is preliminary evidence for the existence of withdrawal-like symptoms in PPU. Future studies should investigate onset, characteristics, duration, and proportion of withdrawal-like symptoms in PPU with robust methodology, also investigating potential confounding variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal psychological factors, including anxiety, depression, and substance use, may negatively affect parenting. Previous works with mothers have often assessed each of these factors in isolation despite their frequent co‐occurrence. Psychological factors have also been associated with neural processing of facial stimuli, specifically the amplitude (i.e., size) and latency (i.e., timing) of the face‐specific N170 event‐related potential. In the current study, 106 mothers completed measures assessing maternal psychological factors—anxiety, depression, and substance use. A latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles of psychological factors and assess profile associations with the N170 elicited by infant faces and with parental reflective functioning (PRF) as a measure related to caregiving. Two profiles (termed high and low psychological risk) were identified, with the higher risk profile associated with delayed N170 latency responses to infant faces. An exploratory analysis evidenced an indirect effect between the higher psychological risk profile and lower PRF through delayed N170 latency responses to infant faces. Taken together, maternal psychological risk across multiple indicators may together shape neural processing of infant faces, which may have downstream consequences for caregiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data implicate overlaps in neurobiological pathways involved in appetite regulation and addictive disorders. Despite different neuroendocrine measures having been associated with both gambling disorder (GD) and food addiction (FA), how appetiteregulating hormones may relate to the co-occurrence of both entities remain incompletely understood. Aims: To compare plasma concentrations of ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, and liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP-2) between patients with GD, with and without FA, and to explore the association between circulating hormonal concentrations and neuropsychological and clinical features in individuals with GD and FA. Methods: The sample included 297 patients diagnosed with GD (93.6% males). None of the patients with GD had lifetime diagnosis of an eating disorder. FA was evaluated with the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0. All patients were assessed through a semi-structured clinical interview and a psychometric battery including neuropsychological tasks. Blood samples to measure hormonal variables and anthropometric variables were also collected. Results: From the total sample, FA was observed in 23 participants (FA+) (7.7% of the sample, 87% males). When compared participants with and without FA, those with FA+ presented both higher body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001) and leptin concentrations, after adjusting for BMI (p = 0.013). In patients with FA, leptin concentrations positively correlated with impulsivity, poorer cognitive flexibility, and poorer inhibitory control. Other endocrine measures did not differ between groups. Discussion and conclusions: The present study implicates leptin in co-occurring GD and FA. Among these patients, leptin concentration has been associated with clinical and neuropsychological features, such as impulsivity and cognitive performance in certain domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methamphetamine use disorder (MAUD) and gambling disorder (GD) frequently co-occur. Individuals with both conditions are typically more difficult to treat than those with either disorder alone. This study aimed to investigate the co-occurrence and clinical characteristics of people with MAUD and GD. Between March 2018 and August 2020, 350 men with methamphetamine use entering a compulsory drug rehabilitation center in Changsha, Hunan Province received semi-structured interviews. Participants completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 and provided information on childhood upbringings and drug use characteristics. Independent sample t-tests compared differences between individuals with MAUD and with and without co-occurring GD. Dichotomous logistic regression was used to statistically predict co-occurring GD. The prevalence of GD was 45.1%. Most individuals (39.1% overall) had post-onset methamphetamine use (PoMAU-GD). The number of MAUD symptoms, history of gambling by family members, age of first sexual activity, and non-planning impulsivity statistically predicted PoMAU-GD, jointly explaining 24.0% of the total variance. The regression model fit well (HLχ2 = 5.503, p = 0.70), in which the specificity was 0.80, the sensitivity was 0.64, and the area under the curve was 0.79 (95%CI: 0.75–0.84). This study clarifies the prevalence of and potential risk factors for GD among individuals engaging in compulsory MAUD treatment in China. The high prevalence and associated clinical features of GD in the MAUD group highlight the importance of screening for GD in this population and intervening accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metacognitive model of psychopathology has been applied to various psychological disorders, with a wide array of studies suggesting that metacognitions play an important role in addictive behaviors. Increasing scientific attention has been focused on a potential and relatively new form of behavioral addiction: compulsive exercising (i.e., when individuals gradually lose control over their exercise habits, act compulsively, and experience negative consequences). As no prior study has evaluated the role of metacognitions in compulsive exercising, the current study aimed to: (i) develop a self-report questionnaire measuring metacognitions about exercise; and (ii) to investigate the contribution of metacognitions to compulsive exercising. A 15 item self-report questionnaire, the Metacognitions about Exercise Questionnaire (MEPQ), was developed and administered to a community sample of 496 exercisers (F = 49.2%, mean age: 39.38, SD = 14.08). Factor analysis revealed a 4-factor solution (which explained 67.22% of variance; fit indices: χ2 (84) = 176.12, p <.001; χ2/df = 2.1; RMSEA [90% CI] =.07 [.05;.08]; CFI =.97; SRMR =.06): Positive Metacognitions about Emotional Regulation, Positive Metacognitions about Cognitive Regulation, Positive Metacognitions about Control Over Life, and Negative Metacognitions about Uncontrollability. Positive metacognitions about the usefulness of physical exercise for regulating negative emotional states and negative metacognitions about one's inability to control the need to exercise significantly predicted compulsive exercising, independently of negative affect. The results of this study suggest that adopting the metacognitive framework of psychopathology to compulsive exercising may be relevant to understanding and treating this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aimsThe Incentive Sensitization Theory (IST) offers a comprehensive framework that explains how attentional mechanisms contribute to the maintenance and relapse of addictive behavior. However, the extent to which the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms are consciously accessible for report remains unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between self-reported wanting and liking among smokers and its relationship with detecting changes in smoking-related stimuli.DesignAn online experiment was designed deploying a flicker paradigm with neutral and smoking-related changes, completed by 422 individuals (mean age = 29.1 years, 214 non-smokers, 123 current smokers, and 85 former smokers). Additionally, the Fagerström Test for Cigarette Dependence and the Imaginative Wanting and Liking Questionnaire were administered.FindingsConsistent with prior research findings, smokers exhibited faster detection of smoking-related changes compared to non-smokers, while former smokers displayed an intermediate level of attentional bias, falling between the levels observed in smokers and non-smokers. Further, higher levels of nicotine dependence were associated with a greater discrepancy between self-reported wanting and liking, which was associated with better change detection performance for high salience smoking-related stimuli in smokers.ConclusionThese findings support the predictions of IST and support the notion that attentional bias might develops early in the course of nicotine addiction. Furthermore, the results indicate that the underlying cognitive mechanisms might be partially within conscious awareness, which opens up potential avenues for research design, treatment, and interventions.

IntroductionWe all experience occasional self-control failures (SCFs) in our daily lives, where we enact behaviors that stand in conflict with our superordinate or long-term goals. Based on the assumption that SCFs share common underlying mechanisms with addictive disorders, we tested the hypothesis that a generally higher susceptibility to daily SCFs predicts more addictive behavior, or vice versa.MethodsAt baseline, 338 individuals (19–27 years, 59% female) from a community sample participated in multi-component assessments. These included among others (1) a clinical interview on addictive behaviors (quantity of use, frequency of use, DSM-5 criteria; n = 338) and (2) ecological momentary assessment of SCFs (n = 329, 97%). At the 3-year and 6 year follow-up, participation rates for both assessment parts were 71% (n = 240) and 50% (n = 170), respectively.ResultsControlling for age, gender, IQ, and baseline addiction level, random-intercept cross-lagged panel models revealed that participants who reported more SCFs also showed pronounced addictive behavior at the between-person level, but we found no evidence of a predictive relationship at the within-person level over time.DiscussionA higher rate of SCFs is associated with more addictive behavior, while there is no evidence of an intraindividual predictive relationship. Novel hypotheses suggested by additional exploratory results are that (1) only addiction-related SCFs in daily life are early markers of an escalation of use and thus for addictive disorders and that (2) an explicit monitoring of SCFs increases self-reflection and thereby promotes the mobilization of cognitive control in response to goal-desire conflicts.

Abstract Background The Assessment of Criteria for Specific Internet-use Disorders (ACSID-11) is a consistent and comprehensive instrument to assess symptoms of specific internet-use disorders including those related to gaming, shopping, pornography use disorder, social networks use and gambling considering criteria in the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). However, to date, there is little evidence supporting instruments assessing major types of specific internet use disorders in Thailand. The aim of this present study was to assess the psychometric properties of the ACSID-11 among Thai young adults. Methods A total of 612 participants were recruited. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) examined construct validity of the ACSID-11. Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω were used to assess reliability of the ACSID-11. Pearson correlations examined relationships between ACSID-11 domains and Internet Gaming Disorder Scale—Short Form (IGDS9-SF) scores. Results The CFA supported validity of the Thai version of the ACSID-11 and a four-factor structure. Specific domains of the Thai ACSID-11, particularly gaming, were positively and significantly correlated with IGDS9-SF scores. Conclusions Data indicate that the Thai version of the ACSID-11 is a valid and reliable instrument to assess major types of specific internet use disorders. Additional studies are needed to further examine the validity and reliability of the Thai ACSID-11.

Background: This study was a narrative review on prevention of addictive behaviors with an effort to clarify the major concepts of prevention and its dimensions. Methods: The PsycInfo and MedInfo databases were used to identify prevention. Α total of 65 articles were found 46 of which were included in the review. Τhe data were analyzed using content analysis. Findings: For a better understanding of the results, it was deemed advisable to categorize them into: (a) the types of major interventions and the theoretical approaches on which they were based, (b) the results of the review articles according to (1) variables and factors concerning the prevention proved important through the review and (2) a number of more general important topics which arose in the prevention of addictive behaviors. Conclusion: The results highlighted the greater effectiveness of community-based programs, applied primarily in broader contexts but also secondarily in high-risk groups. Τhe results were discussed based on the combination of the emerged factors with each other and prevention experience.

Background and aims: Numerous studies point to the comorbidity between gambling disorder (GD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, there is a lack of research exploring how ADHD symptoms might influence psychological treatment outcomes for GD. Therefore, we aimed to explore differences between patients with GD with and without self-reported ADHD symptoms regarding psychopathology, personality, sociodemographic and treatment outcome measures. Method: This longitudinal study included 170 patients with GD receiving cognitive behavioral therapy. Multiple self-reported instruments were used to assess clinical variables and sociodemographic measures prior to treatment. Results: A clinical profile characterized by greater GD severity, higher psychopathology and impulsivity, and less adaptive personality features was observed in patients with self-reported ADHD symptoms compared to those without. No significant differences in treatment response (measured by dropout and relapse rates) were observed between the two groups. However, patients with self-reported ADHD symptoms experienced more severe relapses (i.e., gambled more money) and GD patients who relapsed scored higher on measures of ADHD, particularly inattention. Conclusion: Individuals with GD and self-reported symptoms of ADHD may experience more severe relapses following treatment, suggesting a need for more vigilant follow-up and interventions for patients with this comorbidity.

Adolescence is a stage of physical and psychosocial changes, in which risk behaviors are adopted within a difficult search for balance between family dependence and personal autonomy. The objective of this research is to analyze the socioeconomic factors that affect substance use in adolescents in the canton of Jipijapa in Ecuador. The present analysis explores in detail the socioeconomic factors that influence adolescent substance use. Using a comprehensive approach, factors such as socioeconomic status, educational and employment opportunities, and access to health and prevention services will be considered. A bibliographic review of the scientific literature was carried out. Information retrieval was accessible through scientific search engines such as PubMed; Scielo, Google Scholar. International and national articles were included. The searches considered for the study spanned from 2018 to 2023, published in languages such as Spanish and English. The results indicate that solving adolescent problems requires medical, psychological, nursing and social work attention. Likewise, it is reported that recreational and sports activities benefit the community and prevent the consumption of illicit substances, by keeping adolescents distracted. The research indicates that in the canton of Jipijapa, 10 workshops will have been held to promote recreational and sports activities for adolescents, making better use of their free time and leisure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]