Offline and Online Gambling in a Swiss Emerging-Adult Male Population.

Faced with the rapid expansion of the online gambling offer, a growing number of jurisdictions around the world are developing legislation to regulate online gambling. The new Swiss Act on gambling extends legalization of online gambling from already authorized lottery-type to casino-type gambling. In this context, the present study examines offline and online gambling behaviors in emerging-adult males as a particularly at-risk population for gambling addiction. A sample of 1,869 young males completed a questionnaire assessing offline and online gambling behaviors as well as severity of problem gambling. Results show that 62.1% of the respondents were lifetime gamblers while 46.7% were past-year gamblers. Among the latter, 76.4% had gambled only within offline venues, 21.4% had gambled at both offline and online sites, and 2.2% had gambled online only. Furthermore, 17.6% of past-year gamblers were at moderate-risk of developing problem gambling whilst 3.6% were problem gamblers. Association analysis showed that, compared to non-problem gamblers, at-risk and problem gamblers played online at higher rates. These findings contribute to the growing literature on youth gambling behaviors and on offline-online transitions. In the context of the growing online gambling supply, the evolution of youth gambling behaviors should be monitored through periodical assessments.

Social Representations of People with Gambling Problems: The Influence of Prevention Classes on Non-gamblers.

In the present study, we examine the impact of prevention classes on non-gambling males. Specifically, we measure whether attending a prevention class influences how non-gambling participants perceive people who gamble problematically. Participants (N = 545) were all lifetime non-gamblers, and were all conscripts attending a two-day military recruitment program. On the first day participants either attended or did not attend a gambling prevention class. On the second day, they all completed a questionnaire that contained questions on how they perceived people who gamble problematically. Results showed that their representations were organized in terms of mental status (i.e. mentally disordered or not) and person-centeredness (i.e. self-centered or not). Results also showed that participants who attended the gambling prevention class saw problem-gambling individuals as more mentally disordered and self-centered than those who did not attend the class. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of social support and their applicability to problem gambling prevention programs.

[Predisposing and fostering change in addiction]. / Prédisposer et favoriser le changement dans l'addiction.

The model of addiction as a chronic and progressive brain disease has brought its share of progress. Nevertheless, the model reveals its limitation when it comes to remission. We outline here some factors of change that the disease model hinders, and suggest a different way to foster change.

Le modèle de l'addiction comme une maladie cérébrale chronique et progressive a apporté son lot de progrès, mais nous confronte à présent à ses limites en termes de rémission des individus qui en souffrent. Nous exposons ici certains facteurs du changement auxquels cette définition fait obstacle et proposons une manière différente de favoriser le changement.

[Addictions]. / Addictions.

This year, the actuality for addictions in this edition addresses four points. The disease model of addiction is criticized by the cognitive neurosciences which need to consider the agentivity of the persons. Regarding the societal actuality, clinical pharmacology review of cannabidiol presents an update on legal cannabis. The suicidality of excessive gamblers may be prevented specifically. Addiction and first psychotic episodes need an integrated care.

Cette année, l'actualité des addictions pour ce numéro concerne quatre points. Le modèle de la maladie de l'addiction est critiqué par les neurosciences cognitives qui demandent de reconnaître l'agentivité des personnes. Au vu de l'actualité sociétale, une revue pharmacologique clinique du cannabidiol vient mettre à jour nos connaissances sur le cannabis légal. La suicidalité des joueurs excessifs peut faire l'objet de prévention spécifique. L'addiction et le premier épisode psychotique nécessitent une prise en charge intégrée.

Is Fear to Intervene with Problem Gamblers Related to Interveners' Gender and Status? A Study with VLT Operators.

We assess how video lottery terminal (VLT) operators' self-perceive their ability to recognize a problem gambler, to what extent they are approached by problem gamblers seeking for assistance, how many detections and interventions they report, and the reasons they give for not intervening with clients who show signs of problem gambling. We also examine how these variables are related to the operators' gender and status in the establishment. 177 VLT operators anonymously completed a structured questionnaire at the beginning of a responsible gambling training class held in different French-speaking Swiss towns. The operators felt confident in their ability to detect problem gambling behaviors, were rarely approached by problem gamblers seeking assistance, and reported fewer interventions compared to the number of detections. This reluctance to intervene was mainly attributed to the fear of potential negative reactions from the client. Female staff were the most reluctant to intervene and the most fearful of potential negative reactions from the client. Responsible gambling training programs should include coping strategies for dealing with potential negative reactions from clients. Our findings suggest that staff gender and status are two individual characteristics that should be taken into account when planning responsible gambling trainings.

Misbeliefs About Gambling in a Convenience Sample from the General Population.

We examined knowledge about the role of randomness in gambling and the principle of independence of events, in a community sample. We also investigated whether this knowledge varies according to gender and age. A convenience sample of 1257 residents in French-speaking Switzerland, aged 18-88 years (28.5% of women) completed a short online questionnaire. This assessed the perceived role of human skills in four different games as well as beliefs relating to the principle of independence of events. The results show that 19.5% of the respondents perceived Roulette as a game for which the outcome is determined by skill. They also showed that 15.1% of the respondents did not hold beliefs about the independence of events principle. Gender and age differences were also observed: Men were proportionally more likely to hold erroneous beliefs about gambling skills and the independence of events, compared to women. The 18-25 year-old age group attributed Roulette outcomes to the gambler's skill more frequently than the older categories. The implications of these findings for prevention and social support are discussed.

[Addictions]. / Addictions.

In 2016, the actuality for addictions in this edition addresses four points. Social neurosciences of addiction are of great importance regarding the vulnerabilities for addiction and for the recovery. Deep brain stimulation is emerging in the therapeutic panel coming from the clinical neurosciences for the addictions. Novelties in opioid agonists for the treatment of opiates dependence, with the apparition in the Swiss market of release morphine and of levomethadone. Cannabis and prison, a pilot study for the maintenance of abstinence in prison.

En 2016, l'actualité des addictions pour ce numéro concerne quatre points. Les neurosciences sociales de l'addiction, qui ont une grande importance en termes de vulnérabilité pour l'addiction mais aussi pour le rétablissement. La stimulation cérébrale profonde qui fait son apparition dans l'éventail thérapeutique issu des neurosciences cliniques pour les addictions. Les nouveautés du traitement agoniste opioïde de la dépendance aux opiacés avec l'apparition dans le marché suisse de la morphine retard puis de la lévométhadone. Des algorithmes sont proposés pour orienter le prescripteur. Cannabis et prison, une étude pilote pour le maintien de l'abstinence en prison.

A Descriptive Study of Gambling Among Emerging Adult Males in French-Speaking Switzerland.

The aims were twofold: to examine the gambling habits of emerging adult males in the French-speaking regions of Switzerland and to what extent these habits predict problem gambling within this population. We also evaluated problem gambling rates and provided data concerning variables such as gambling location, level of information about problem gambling and awareness of treatment centers. 606 Swiss male conscripts, aged 18-22 years, completed a self-report questionnaire. This was administered during their army recruitment day in 2012. Problem gambling was assessed through the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) (Ferris and Wynne 2001). 78.5% of the respondents were lifetime gamblers, 56.1% were past-year gamblers. Four out of ten past-year gamblers played in private spaces and in back rooms. The PGSI indicated that 10.8% of past-year gamblers presented with moderate gambling problems, whilst 1.4% appeared to be problem gamblers. The majority of respondents had never received information about problem gambling. Moreover, they were unaware of the existence of treatment centers for problem gambling in their region. PGSI scores were significantly predicted by the variety of games played. Problem gambling rates among young men appear to be higher than those of the general Swiss population. This confirms that emerging adult males are a particularly vulnerable population with regards to gambling addiction. The implications of this are considered for youth gambling-prevention programs.

[Addiction]. / Addictions.

This year, the actuality about addiction is on psychopharmacology, in the controversy about the prescription of baclofene to reduce the craving for alcohol. More results from controlled studies are expected. The development of smartphones to access toe-Health skills is questionable, especially in matterofevaluation of these programs. Despite of encouraging results, open questions are remaining for clinicians, to be compared with clinical practice. Finally, it is necessary to keep in touch with translational neurosciences; in fact, research is showing that populations of addicts present a deficit in matter of empathy. This is the cause of a handicap in the social relationships. At a lower level, a difficulty to take the other's place could be the cause of this deficit at a higher level. Rehabilitation perspectives could come out of this discovery.

[Addiction]. / Addictions.

The news in addiction medicine in 2013 are presented according to the new version of the DSM (DSM-5); new data on cannabinoid, highlight hypotheses on self-medication; a current status about treatment of the addiction via the internet is shown; and new therapeutic perspectives emerge from the knowledge on traumatic antecedents in addictive populations.

Prosocialness in young males with substance and behavioral addictions.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Social determinants are closely related to addiction, both as a cause and a consequence of substance use and other addictive behaviors. The present paper examines prosocialness (i.e. the tendency to help, empathize, and care for others) among a population of young males. We compared prosocialness across different types of addiction and examined whether prosocialness varied according to the presence of multiple addictions. METHODS: A sample of 5,675 young males, aged 19-29 years old (Mean = 21.4; Median = 21), completed a questionnaire that included screening tools to identify addictive behaviors with regards to alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, gambling, and gaming. The questionnaire also included a scale to measure prosocialness. RESULTS: Compared to a no-addiction control group, the subgroups of young men suffering from behavioral addictions (i.e., gambling and gaming) reported the lowest levels of prosocialness. Respondents with an alcohol addiction also showed lower prosocialness compared to no-addiction controls. By contrast, no significant differences in prosocialness were found between respondents with nicotine disorder or cannabis disorder and the no-addiction controls. Furthermore, the number of addictions had no clear, observable effects on prosocialness. Significant differences were found between the no-addiction control group and the groups reporting one or more addictions, but not between the separate groups reporting one, two, and three or more addictions. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: A better understanding of the social dimension affecting young males with addiction, particularly gambling and gaming addictions, may be useful for their prevention and treatment.

[Addiction]. / Dépendances.

The 2009 news in medicine regarding dependence confirm the bio-psycho-social field of addiction medicine and psychiatry. First a statement is made about the risk of cardiac arythmy in opioid substitution treatments. Then a review of the treatment of C hepatitis shows its importance in an addicted population. In the field of cognitive neuroscience, progress has been made in the knowledge of "craving" and of its endophenotypical components. Electronic medias related disorders are on the border of addiction: a case study is exploring this new domain. At last, recent datas are presented on the relationship between cannabis and psychosis.

Linking empathy to visuospatial perspective-taking in gambling addiction.

It has been demonstrated that people suffering from substance-related addictions are less empathic than their non-addicted counterparts. Our first aim was to verify if this is also true for behavioral addictions. We hypothesized that problem gamblers are less empathic than healthy controls. Our second aim was to identify a cognitive marker of empathy that could be targeted in cognitive rehabilitation strategies. We propose that a potential cognitive marker of empathy could be visuospatial perspective-taking. Specifically, we hypothesized that visuospatial perspective-taking performances are lower in problem gamblers compared to healthy controls and that these visuospatial performances predict empathy. Thirty-one non-gamblers, 24 healthy gamblers, and 21 problem gamblers performed a visuospatial perspective-taking task before completing the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; Davis, 1980; Davis, 1983). Problem gamblers had decreased empathy and lower performance at the visuospatial perspective-taking task than non-gamblers and healthy gamblers. Furthermore, we confirmed that visuospatial perspective-taking abilities predict empathy on the IRI dimensions of interpersonal perspective-taking and personal distress. The present study provides new evidence that reduced empathy is not limited to subjects with substance-related addictions; rather, it extends to behavioral addictions. Visuospatial perspective-taking may be a viable cognitive marker for use as a rehabilitation target of empathy.