The Mediating Role of Affect Dysregulation and Dissociation in the Relationship Between Attachment and Compulsive Online Shopping: A Path Analysis Model.

Objective: Online shopping has been described by the scientific literature both for its benefits and the potential risks when excessive usage is involved. Indeed, compulsive online shopping is commonly conceptualized as a potential behavioural addiction that substantially impacts the lives of individuals afflicted by it. In light of this, the present research aimed at exploring the association between possible risk and protective factors for compulsive online shopping, by specifically exploring the role of adult attachment, affect dysregulation, and dissociation. Method: 285 participants (75% females, 25% males; Mage = 31.57, SD = 11.379) were involved in the research and completed an online survey. The collected data was analysed implementing a path analysis model. Results: Results showed significant total effects in the relationship between secure/fearful attachment patterns and compulsive online shopping. Such associations were significantly mediated by the sequential effect of affect dysregulation and dissociation. Conclusions: The present study provides useful information to guide tailored interventions concerning both preventive activity and clinical practice.

Turn on the screen, turn off the loneliness - analysis of risk factors for binge-watching among Polish medical and non-medical students. A web-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the risk factors for binge-watching (BW) among Polish medical and non-medical students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A STROBE-compliant cross-sectional observational study, was carried out in Poland from July 2022 - March 2023. The web-based survey consisted of a personal questionnaire, a Binge-Watching Behaviour Questionnaire, a Scale of Motivation for Watching TV Series, a shortened version of the Ryff Well-Being Scale, and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. Inclusion criteria were being a student and providing informed consent to participate. The study involved 726 respondents (70.5% female) with an average age of 22.41 (SD=3.89), including 308 (44%) medical students. RESULTS: In the group of Polish medical students, the regression model was well-fitted F(10,287)=30.189; p<0.001, R2=0.496, and the risk factors were escape motivation (ß=0.416; p<0.001), psychological well-being (ß=-0.165; p=0.003), emotional loneliness (ß=0.152; p=0.014), and social loneliness (ß=-0.118; p=0.031). Among Polish students of other majors, the regression model was well-fitted F(10,378)=46.188; p<0.001, R2=0.538, and the influence of escape motivation (ß=0.456; p<0.001), entertainment motivation (ß=0.258; p<0.001), the psychological well-being of students (ß=-0.134; p=0.004), and emotional loneliness (ß=0.111; p=0.032) was demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Students are in a high-risk group for behavioural addiction known as binge-watching. Emotional loneliness, the desire to escape from everyday life problems, and reduced psychological well-being intensified binge-watching in all the studied groups. Entertainment motivation and social loneliness differentiated the groups of Polish medical and non-medical students in terms of BW risk factors.

Vitality structures in 'addictive' game design.

For decades, research on technology use and mental health has been based on the assumption that identifiable structures of 'design' are psychologically relevant for their users. This has been central especially for the nosological emergence of 'behavioural addictions', which currently involve two formal diagnoses involving technology: problems related to playing gambling games (gambling disorder) and videogames (gaming disorder). Alas, the research on identifying 'addictive' design structures has suffered from major construct validity issues. To make progress across those issues, I draw from the history of 'vitality affects' in psychiatry and introduce vitality structures as a design-phenomenological framework that can help researchers conceptualise clinically (and non-clinically) relevant 'bonds' between entities of game design and corresponding player phenomenology. Vitality structures are not natural kinds to be discovered but pragmatic constructs to be created and used: they are useful as long as they communicate what is both identifiable and empirically prevalent. As a demonstration of practice, I propose working conceptualizations of three vitality structures, which surface in videogames that have been prevalent sources of self-identified problems among gaming treatment-seekers. Systematic programs of research for identifying relevant vitality structures across technological, psychological, and psychiatric contexts can lead to construct-valid and replicable design effects.

Is doomscrolling related to celebrity worship? A cross-cultural study.

Building upon evidence supporting the co-occurrence of behavioural addictions, this study delved into the relationship between social media doomscrolling and celebrity worship among university student social media users in Iran and the United States. Objectives were threefold: (a) provide psychometric support for the Social Media Doomscrolling Scale (SMDS), (b) examine psychological correlates of doomscrolling and celebrity worship, and (c) explore the relationship between doomscrolling and celebrity worship. The SMDS demonstrated good psychometric properties in the US sample, like the original study of the SMDS conducted in an Iranian sample. Doomscrolling showed a positive association with future anxiety and a negative association with psychological well-being in both US and Iranian samples. Celebrity worship was positively linked with future anxiety in the Iranian and US samples. A positive correlation emerged between doomscrolling and celebrity worship in both the US and Iranian samples. This cross-cultural study offers preliminary evidence for the co-occurrence of two emerging media-related behavioural addictions.

Linking Striatal Dopaminergic Asymmetry with Personality Traits: Insights from Gambling Disorder.

The role of dopamine in the pathophysiology of gambling disorder (GD) remains incompletely understood, with disparate research findings concerning presynaptic and postsynaptic structures and dopaminergic synthesis. The aim of this study was to investigate potential correlations between striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) lateralization and asymmetry index, as assessed by 123I-FP-CIT SPECT, and temperamental traits, as measured by Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), in GD subjects. Significant associations were found between DAT binding asymmetries in the caudate and putamen and the temperamental dimensions of harm avoidance and novelty seeking. Specifically, high novelty seeking scores correlated with increased DAT binding in the left caudate relative to the right, whereas higher harm avoidance scores corresponded to increased DAT binding in the right putamen relative to the left. These observations potentially imply that the asymmetry in DAT expression in the basal ganglia could be an outcome of hemispheric asymmetry in emotional processing and behavioural guidance. In summary, our study provides evidence supporting the relationship between DAT asymmetries, temperamental dimensions and GD. Future investigations could be directed towards examining postsynaptic receptors to gain a more comprehensive understanding of dopamine's influence within the basal ganglia circuit in disordered gambling. If confirmed in larger cohorts, these findings could have substantial implications for the tailoring of individualized neuromodulation therapies in the treatment of behavioural addictions.

Psychosocial Functioning of Individuals at Risk of Developing Compulsive Buying Disorder.

(1) Background: This study aimed to establish the connection between depressiveness, workaholism, eating disorders, and personality traits, according to the five-point model called the Big Five, in women with a risk of compulsive buying disorder. (2) Methods: The study was conducted on 556 Polish women from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The study employed the diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire technique including Personality Inventory NEO-FFI, the Buying Behaviour Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory I-II, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and a self-questionnaire. (3) Results: The analysis revealed the risk of compulsive buying being accompanied by a higher median score for depressiveness, neuroticism, Cognitive Restraint of Eating, Uncontrolled Eating, and a risk of workaholism. A lower score in the respondents in the compulsive buying risk group was observed in an assessment of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Work addiction was exhibited by 26% of people with compulsive buying disorder vs. 12% of people without it. (4) Conclusion: This study found that a high risk of compulsive buying disorder is accompanied by a high risk of moderate depressiveness, neuroticism, Cognitive Restraint of Eating, Uncontrolled Eating, and workaholism. It also confirmed the view that compulsive buying is a behavioural addiction which is a consequence of ineffective coping and being dissatisfied with one's social life.

Two Sides of the Same Virtual Coin: Investigating Psychosocial Effects of Video Game Play, including Stress Relief Motivations as a Gateway to Problematic Video Game Usage.

Video gamers can play to negate the psychological impact of stress, which may become problematic when users over-rely on the stress relief potential of gaming. This study used a repeated measures experimental design to investigate the relationships between stress, video gaming, and problematic video gaming behaviours in a convenience sample of 40 students at a UK university. The results indicated that positive affect increased and negative affect decreased, whilst a biological stress measure (instantaneous pulse rate) also decreased after a short video gaming session (t(36) = 4.82, p < 0.001, d = 0.79). The results also suggested that video gaming can act as a short-term buffer against the physiological impact of stress. Further research should focus on testing individuals who have been tested for gaming disorder, as opposed to the general population. Research could also utilise variations of the methodological framework used in this study to examine the intensity of a stress relief effect under different social situations. The study's findings in relation to published works are also discussed.

Family Functioning Styles and Exercise Addiction: Disengaged, Enmeshed, and Rigid Family Patterns Are Associated with Exercise Addiction.

Physical exercise is a widely recommended practice for promoting health, but for some individuals, this activity can result in pathological and morbid behaviour. Therefore, the study of the factors contributing to the onset, development, and progression of exercise addiction is particularly relevant. Within this framework, the present study assessed the effect of family functioning, body image concerns, age, and gender on exercise addiction. A sample of 300 regular exercisers (Mage = 30.3 years, SD = 11.6; 69.7% females, 30.3% males) participated in the study and completed the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-IV, Body Image Concern Inventory, and Exercise Addiction Inventory. Data were analysed by implementing a series of moderated moderated-mediations. Results showed that three significant models were relevant. First, positive associations of disengaged (p < 0.05), enmeshed (p < 0.05), and rigid (p < 0.01) family functioning with exercise addiction were found. Furthermore, body image concerns mediated all these relationships, and the interaction between gender and age significantly moderated the effects of body image concerns on exercise addiction (p < 0.05). Such data may be useful for a deeper understanding of the variables associated with the development of exercise addiction, suggesting key elements on which it might be useful to focus in clinical and/or preventive activity.

PROBLEMATIC USE OF SMARTPHONE AND NOMOPHOBIA AMONG MEDICAL AND NURSING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF A TERTIARY CARE REFERRAL HOSPITAL IN INDIA AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH QUALITY OF LIFE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.

BACKGROUND: Overuse of smartphone amongst today's young generation has assumed an epidemic proportion. Assessment of severity of Nomophobia and Smartphone use related problems is important as it can help to ascertain the current adverse consequences of Smartphone problematic use. The study aims to assess the association between smartphone dependence, nomophobia and quality of life in undergraduate medical and nursing students in a tertiary care referral hospital cum medical institution in India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 437 medical and nursing undergraduate students, which involved assessing their dependence for smartphone and nomophobia using the Test for Mobile Phone dependence (TMD) questionnaire brief version and Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) respectively. RESULTS: The average hours spent on smartphone per day for the study population was 3.2 hours. Smartphone dependence was found in 12% of study participants. Nearly 50% in each batch had moderate degree of nomophobia and around 13-15% had severe nomophobia. Both smartphone dependence and nomophobia were significantly associated with each other and had significant associations with poorer quality of life in the medical and nursing students. Preclinical medical students scored higher in all the domains of Smartphone dependence and nomophobia questionnaire and were associated with poor quality of life compared to other batches. CONCLUSION: Excessive smartphone use is associated with poorer quality of life in medical and nursing students. More studies in future are required that will involve various age groups and other educational streams which willadd up to the existing knowledge on technology addiction.

The role of the cerebellum in internet gaming disorder-A systematic review.

Recent studies increasingly highlight involvement of the cerebellum in drug craving and addiction. However, its exact role, that is, whether the cerebellum is a critical component of a brain network underlying addictive behaviour, or whether it rather is a facilitator or mediator, is still unclear. Findings concerning the newly recognized internet gaming disorder (IGD) suggest that changes in cerebellar connectivity and functioning are associated with behavioural/non-substance addiction. Here, we systematically review the literature on IGD and cerebellar involvement following the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 13 neuroimaging studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies utilized a broad range of diagnostic instruments and resulting cut-off criteria, rendering it difficult to compare findings. Results on altered cerebro-cerebellar connectivity in patients with IGD are mixed; most studies report altered or increased functional connectivity. Moreover, decreased cerebellar grey matter volume is reported. Studies have further indicated that differential activation patterns in the cerebellum may enable discrimination between healthy subjects and subjects with IGD, even allowing for prediction of treatment outcomes. Given the strong connectivity between the cerebellum and cerebral regions, the cerebellum may act as an intermediary between regions involved in craving and addiction and consequently affect symptoms of IGD. Results suggest differential involvement of the cerebellar lobes, emphasizing a need for high-resolution parcellation of the cerebellum in future studies. However, the studies included in the present review have small sample sizes and include mostly male participants. Thus, results may have limited generalizability yet highlight a crucial role of the cerebellum in IGD that needs further investigation.

Correlates of Food Addiction and Eating Behaviours in Patients with Morbid Obesity.

INTRODUCTION: Food addiction (FA) is a promising construct regarding the multifactorial aetiology of obesity and the search for therapeutic approaches. However, there is an ongoing debate regarding the overlap/differentiation with eating disorders and the classification as a substance- or behaviour-related addiction. Energy-dense foods, especially those combining carbohydrates and fat, are associated with addictive eating and suspected of playing a role in the genesis of FA. This study aims to further understand the clinical significance of FA and to identify possible therapeutic targets. A special focus is set on potentially addictive foods (combination of carbohydrates and fat). METHODS: Based on the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, a cohort of 112 German adults with morbid obesity was divided into two sub-samples (patients with and without FA), which were examined for differences in the variables listed below. RESULTS: The prevalence of FA was 25%. Patients meeting criteria for FA showed higher degrees of hunger, emotional, binge, and night eating than patients without FA. In addition, hunger and disinhibition were found to be significant predictors of FA. FA was not associated with sex, age, body mass index (BMI), cognitive restraint, rigid and flexible control, prevalence of substance use, age of onset of obesity, stress level, level of social support, reduction of BMI during a weight loss programme, or programme withdrawal rate. There was no significant difference in the consumption of foods rich in both carbohydrates and fat, nor of fat or carbohydrates alone. CONCLUSION: FA can be considered as a sub-phenotype of obesity, occurring in approximately 25% of obesity cases. Dysfunctional emotional coping mechanisms associated with low distress tolerance showed to be significantly related to FA and should be targeted therapeutically. Behavioural interventions should include a bio-psycho-social model. Binge eating episodes were found to be characteristic for FA and the already stated overlap between FA and binge eating behaviour can be confirmed. The results do not support a decisive difference due to a substance-related component of FA. Despite this, the existence of FA as a distinct entity cannot be excluded, as not all patients with FA exhibit binges.

Mapping the links between sexual addiction and gambling disorder: A Bayesian network approach.

Contemporary literature and recent classification systems have expanded the field of addictions to include problematic behaviours such as gambling and sexual addiction. However, conceptualisation of behavioural addictions is poorly understood and gender-based differences have emerged in relation to how these behaviours are expressed. The current research conducted partial-correlation and Bayesian network analyses to assess the symptomatic structure of gambling disorder and sexual addiction. Convenience community sampling recruited 937 adults aged 18 to 64 years (315 females, Mage = 30.02; 622 males, Mage = 29.46). Symptoms of problematic behaviours were measured using the Online Gambling Disorder Questionnaire (OGDQ) and the Bergen Yale Sex Addiction Scale (BYSAS). Results indicate distinct gender-based differences in the symptom networks of sexual addiction and gambling disorder, with a more complex network observed amongst men for both conditions. Addiction salience, withdrawal and dishonesty/deception were important components of the addictive network. Interpersonal conflict was more central for women while intrapsychic conflict a more prominent issue for men. Differences in the two symptom networks indicate separate disorders as opposed to a single underlying construct. Treating practitioners and community initiatives aimed at addressing sexual addiction and disordered gambling should consider gender, when designing educational or therapeutic interventions.

Early maladaptive schemas and addictive behaviours: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recently, early maladaptive schemas have been increasingly focused as the underlying factor of several psychopathologies. The primary objective is to systematically review and meta-analytically analyse the evidence on the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and types of addictive behaviours. Additionally, the secondary objective was to examine potential moderators of the effect sizes. METHODS: The systematic search was conducted on three databases including 'Scopus', 'Web of Science' and 'PubMed'. They were searched for quantitative studies investigating the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and addictive behaviours. The studies that were non-English and had insufficient information to calculate effect sizes were excluded. The random-effect model was utilized to estimate the pool effect sizes, and the meta-regression was used for moderation analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies with 12,577 participants were included for analyses. Most of included studies were conducted in the United States (k = 12, 36.36%). The mean ages of participants varied from 13.32 to 46.09 years. The findings indicated that all of early maladaptive schemas and schema domains positively correlated with addictive behaviours. The disconnection and rejection, impaired limits and impaired autonomy were the domains with the highest association with substance addictions (pool r = 0.338, 3.26 and 3.16, respectively). Furthermore, disconnection and rejection and impaired autonomy were the schema domains with the highest association with behavioural addictions (0.310 and 0.304, respectively). The moderation analysis demonstrated that study design was the factor affecting the effect sizes between schema domain and addictive behaviours. LIMITATION: All included studies were from peer-reviewed journals in English. Moreover, the number of research examining the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and behavioural addictions was limited. CONCLUSION: The findings provide evidence supporting the idea that substance addictions and behavioural addictions have shared risk factors, supporting the validity of the schema model, which can be applied for targeting and preventing addictive behaviours.

Longitudinal modifiable risk and protective factors of internet gaming disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background and aims: The study aims to thoroughly understand the causal and precedent modifiable risk or protective factors for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), a newly defined and prevalent mental disorder. Methods: We performed a systematic review on quality-designed longitudinal studies based on five online databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science. Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they addressed IGD, adopted longitudinal, prospective, or cohort study designs, presented modifiable factors of IGD, and reported the effect sizes for correlations. Pooled Pearson's correlations were calculated using the random effects model. Results: Thirty-nine studies with 37,042 subjects were included. We identified 34 modifiable factors, including 23 intrapersonal factors (e.g., gaming time, loneliness, etc.), 10 interpersonal factors (e.g., peer relationship, social support, etc.), and 1 environmental factor (i.e., school engagement). Age, the male ratio, study region, and study years were significant moderators. Discussion and conclusions: Intrapersonal factors were stronger predictors than interpersonal and environmental factors. It may imply that individual-based theories are more powerful to explain the development of IGD. Longitudinal research on the environmental factors of IGD was lacking; more studies are warranted. The identified modifiable factors would help to guide effective interventions for IGD reduction and prevention.

Frequency of and Factors Associated with the Presence of a History of Probable Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a Population of Patients with Sex Addiction.

INTRODUCTION: Since the first description of sex addiction (SA) by Carnes, research on this problematic behaviour has continued to grow, and the association with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to be frequent. This study aimed to estimate the frequency of a history of probable ADHD in a population of patients with SA and to explore the factors associated with it. METHODS: One hundred 85 patients referred to the Nantes University Hospital for SA between 2011 and 2020 were included. Patients completed the Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST) or its revised version (SAST-R) to establish the presence of SA. As the SAST-R was not validated in French, we conducted a validation study for the French version. ADHD was screened using the Wender-Utah Rating Scale in childhood and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale in adulthood. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with the presence of a history of probable ADHD. RESULTS: Childhood ADHD was identified in 36% of patients with SA. Factors associated with the presence of a history of probable ADHD were a low education level, an earlier age of onset of problematic sexual behaviour, another addictive disorder, an anxiety disorder, impulsivity (high negative urgency score), and high scores on harm avoidance and novelty-seeking temperament scales. Furthermore, the French version of the SAST-R displayed good psychometric properties, especially excellent sensitivity. CONCLUSION: The frequency of a history of probable ADHD among patients with SA is consistent with the literature and close to the highest range. Specific personality traits in patients with both SA and a history of probable ADHD could induce lasting problems of adaptation, which may precipitate the development of SA or maintain it.

Using machine learning to retrospectively predict self-reported gambling problems in Quebec.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Participating in online gambling is associated with an increased risk for experiencing gambling-related harms, driving calls for more effective, personalized harm prevention initiatives. Such initiatives depend on the development of models capable of detecting at-risk online gamblers. We aimed to determine whether machine learning algorithms can use site data to detect retrospectively at-risk online gamblers indicated by the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). DESIGN: Exploratory comparison of six prominent supervised machine learning methods (decision trees, random forests, K-nearest neighbours, logistic regressions, artificial neural networks and support vector machines) to predict problem gambling risk levels reported on the PGSI. SETTING: Lotoquebec.com (formerly espacejeux.com), an online gambling platform operated by Loto-Québec (a provincial Crown Corporation) in Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: N = 9145 adults (18+) who completed the survey measure and placed at least one bet using real money on the site. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed the PGSI, a self-report questionnaire with validated cut-offs denoting a moderate-to-high-risk (PGSI 5+) or high-risk (PGSI 8+) for experiencing past-year gambling-related problems. Participants agreed to release additional data about the preceding 12 months from their user accounts. Predictor variables (144) were derived from users' transactions, apparent betting behaviours, listed demographics and use of responsible gambling tools on the platform. FINDINGS: Our best classification models (random forests) for the PGSI 5+ and 8+ outcome variables accounted for 84.33% (95% CI = 82.24-86.41) and 82.52% (95% CI = 79.96-85.08) of the total area under their receiver operating characteristic curves, respectively. The most important factors in these models included the frequency and variability of participants' betting behaviour and repeat engagement on the site. CONCLUSIONS: Machine learning algorithms appear to be able to classify at-risk online gamblers using data generated from their use of online gambling platforms. They may enable personalized harm prevention initiatives, but are constrained by trade-offs between their sensitivity and precision.

Exercise addiction: A narrative overview of research issues.

This narrative overview summarises the work on exercise addiction (EA) over the past 12 years and exposes critical conceptual and methodological issues. More than 1000 articles exist on EA, conceptualised as uncontrolled training harming the individual. Still, EA has no clinical diagnosis criteria at this time. Research is increasing continuously, but it is stale in advancing knowledge. Scalar measurement and lack of differentiation between addictive and instrumental exercise could be reasons for insufficient progress. Exercise addiction fits in the framework of behavioural addictions, but excessive exercise patterns also co-occur with other morbidities, including eating or body-image disorders. In these cases, exercise is instrumental; it functions to achieve a non-exercise-related goal. Therefore, it is essential to separate primary from secondary EA. Based on the interactional model, significant stress and capacity-exceeding ambitions fuel primary EA, while chief motives behind secondary EA embed body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders. Few reports exist on EA's brain mechanisms, which could delay its classification as a distinct psychiatric dysfunction. Treatment of EA involves cognitive-behavioural approaches, but we know little about their effectiveness. Conceptually focussed psychophysiological research and in-depth interviews, complementing scalar data, could answer several open questions in this widely studied but relatively stagnant scholastic field.

Characteristics of behavioural addiction in Parkinson's disease patients with self-reported impulse control disorder and controls matched for levodopa equivalent dose: a matched case-control study.

Impulse control disorders (ICD) in Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently occur, not always as a direct consequence of dopaminergic medication. This study investigated premorbid personality traits and behavioural characteristics in non-demented PD patients with self-reported symptoms of ICD (PD-srICD). From a total of 200 non-demented PD patients who filled out questionnaires assessing symptoms and severity of ICD, those were classified as PD-srICD (n = 32) who reported current occurrence of at least one compulsive behaviour (gambling, sexual behaviour, buying behaviour, or eating). As a control group, 32 patients with no self-reported ICD symptoms were matched for levodopa equivalent daily dose. The demographic, clinical, and premorbid personality profiles were compared between both groups. Frequency of psychological characteristics indicating substance use disorder was evaluated in patients with PD-srICD. Patients with PD-srICD were more frequently male, younger at examination, had earlier PD onset, more depression, higher non-motor burden, less quality of life (p < 0.05, respectively), and more frequently reported premorbid sensation seeking/novelty orientation (p = 0.03) and joyful experience of stress (p = 0.04) than patients in the control group. Of patients with PD-srICD, 90.6% reported at least one behavioural characteristic of substance use disorder, most frequently positive expectations following ICD behaviour and illusional beliefs about its behavioural control. Signs of addiction were common among patients with PD-srICD. Therefore, the profile of psychological characteristics in patients with PD-srICD resembled that of patients with substance use disorder. It can be concluded that dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) alone does not account for PD-srICD and that thorough psychological diagnostics are recommended.

A descriptive survey of online gaming characteristics and gaming disorder in Ireland.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to carry out the first ever study of gaming characteristics of individuals engaging in online gaming in Ireland and to ascertain whether features of gaming disorder are present in this population. METHODS: An online survey (comprising 21 questions - 3 demographic questions and 18 questions related to gaming and gaming disorder) was distributed on numerous Irish online gaming forums and Irish online gaming communities. Participants were self-selected and invited to compete the online survey containing questions related to gaming behaviours (age of onset, hours played on weekdays/weekends, type of device used), mobile gaming, motives for online gaming, use of microtransactions, engagement in esports, and a screening tool for the presence of gaming disorder. RESULTS: A total of 166 participants engaged in the online survey. Among this study population of regular gamers in Ireland, 2.4% of the study population were classified as having gaming disorder, with up to 5.4% showing some evidence of disordered gaming. The main motivation for online gaming in the non-disordered gaming group was recreation (13.3, sd = 2.7) but only the fourth main motivation in the disordered gaming group behind competition (16.3, sd = 3.7), escape (16.2, sd = 4.3), and coping (15.1, sd = 3.7). Increased hours of gameplay on weekdays and weekends were noted in the disordered gaming group compared to non-disordered gamers. CONCLUSIONS: A small percentage of gamers in Ireland demonstrate disordered gaming characteristics and gaming disorder, consistent with data from other international studies. Epidemiological studies are required in Ireland to enhance our knowledge of this disorder.

Adicciones a las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en la Comunitat Valenciana, 2018-2020 / Addictions to information and communication technologies in Comunitat Valenciana (Spain), 2018-2020

Objetivo: Describir el perfil sociodemográfico de las personas atendidas por adicción a las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) en las unidades de conductas adictivas (UCA) de la Comunitat Valenciana, en 2018-2020. Método: Análisis anual y para el total del periodo según la información recogida en los registros de las UCA. Resultados: Se registraron 219 casos, mayoritariamente varones (87%), menores de 30 años (53%), con estudios primarios o inferiores (51%), y convivientes con padres (57%). En el periodo analizado se observaron cambios significativos en la edad (aumento) y la situación laboral (más trabajadores activos). El año de la pandemia de COVID-19 (2020) acentuó o mantuvo las tendencias previas. Conclusiones: El perfil de las personas atendidas por adicción a las TIC en la Comunitat Valenciana es mayoritariamente el de un varón, menor de 30 años y con estudios primarios o inferiores; se observa una tendencia a un aumento en la edad y en la proporción de personas trabajadoras activas. La prevención debería centrarse en estos colectivos con mayor riesgo. (AU)

Objective: To describe the sociodemographic profile of the people treated for addiction to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the addictive behavior units (ABU) of Comunitat Valenciana, Spain, in 2018-2020. Method: Annual analysis and for the global period according to information collected in the ABU records. Results: 219 registered cases, mostly men (87%), under 30 years of age (53%), with primary education or less (51%), and living with parents (57%). In the study period significant changes were observed in age (increase) and employment situation (more active workers). The COVID-19 pandemic's year (2020) accentuated or maintained previous trends. Conclusions: The person treated for addiction to ICTs in Comunitat Valenciana is mostly male, under 30 years of age and with a primary education level or less, with a trend to increase in age and in proportion of active workers. Prevention should focus on these groups at higher risk. (AU)