The Assessment of Cyberchondria: Instruments for Assessing Problematic Online Health-Related Research
AbstractPurpose of ReviewCyberchondria is a problematic, i.e. distressing or anxiety-increasing pattern of online health information seeking. The development of psychometrically sound instruments for the assessment of cyberchondria is imperative for better understanding of this construct. The aim of the present article is to provide a systematic literature review of cyberchondria instruments.Recent FindingsAlthough several measures of cyberchondria have been developed, the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) has been used most often. The CSS is based on a solid theoretical framework, with very good to excellent reliability ...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - April 29, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
“Who Am I” and “How Should I Be”: a Systematic Review on Self-Concept and Avatar Identification in Gaming Disorder
AbstractPurpose of ReviewGaming disorder (GD) appears to be associated with self-concept deficits and increased identification with one ’s avatar. The goal of this literature review is to highlight study findings assessing psychological and neurobiological correlates of self-concept-related characteristics and avatar identification in GD.Recent FindingsThe review was based on three literature researches on GD: (1) self-esteem, (2) emotional, social, and academic self-concept domains and avatar identification, and (3) neurobiological correlates of self-concept and avatar identification. The results indicate that GD is ass...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - April 24, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Gambling Problems in US Military Veterans
AbstractPurpose of ReviewGambling disorder (GD) is a debilitating mental illness characterized by persistent patterns of dysregulated gambling behaviors. Recent evidence suggests that US military veterans are a high-risk population vulnerable to the development of problem gambling. This systemic review examined the published literature on the rates, correlates, comorbidities, treatment, and genetic contributions to US veterans ’ gambling behaviors in 39 studies.Recent FindingsOverall, we found that US military veterans have higher rates of GD (including subthreshold problem gambling/at-risk problem gambling) compared wit...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - April 23, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Skill-Based Electronic Gaming Machines: a Review of Product Structures, Risks of Harm, and Policy Issues
AbstractPurpose of ReviewSkill-based gaming machines (SGMs) add interactive and/or skill features to electronic gaming machines (EGMs), often modelled on elements from arcade, video, online, or mobile games. Availability of SGMs is expanding in the USA and internationally, but evidence of the impacts of these machines is lacking. To provide direction to policymakers and the scientific community, this review critically evaluates the relevant literature and suggests future avenues for research and consumer protection measures.Recent FindingsEarly data suggests that SGMs are most appealing to younger demographics and are like...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - April 21, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Adolescent Land-Based and Internet Gambling: Australian and International Prevalence Rates and Measurement Issues
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review summarizes recent studies of adolescent gambling in Australia and overseas. Its purpose is to examine variations in participation in gambling activities, including land-based and Internet gambling, and in measurement approaches to studying gambling-related problems.Recent FindingsBetween 15 and 80% of young people report past-year gambling participation, typically involving scratch cards, lotteries, card games and sports betting. Around 5% report past-year Internet gambling. Estimates of problem gambling among adolescents vary, with Australian figures generally between 1 and 5%, and stu...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - April 17, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Predict Transition to Future Adolescent and Young Adult Moderate to Heavy Drinking in the NCANDA Sample
We described trauma experienced by the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) longitudinal sample (N = 831) participants and examined drinking over 4 years. We hypothesize that more traumatic events and PTSS will predict transition to moderate/heavy drinking.SummaryA total of 658 no/low drinkers at baseline were followed yearly for 4 years for transition to moderate/heavy drinking using logistic regression models. Youth were grouped by no trauma (n = 257), trauma (n = 348), and trauma with PTSS (n = 53). Those with trauma and PTSS showed escalation to moderate/heavy d...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - March 27, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Problematic Internet Use and Loneliness: How Complex Is the Relationship? A Short Literature Review
AbstractPurposeThe Internet has become embedded into the life of billions of people worldwide. In some individuals, excessive Internet use impacts negatively on psychological and social functioning. Several studies over the last decades have focused on the relationship between Problematic Internet Use (PIU) and loneliness. The present review aims to provide an overview of the recent literature in this field and to suggest some critical questions.Recent FindingsA small-medium positive association between loneliness and PIU has been reported in several cross-sectional studies. However, the association becomes weaker when oth...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - March 6, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
The Role of Affect in Psychosocial Treatments for Substance Use Disorders
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis paper provides a narrative review of studies published over the past 5 years that have examined the role of affect, including both affective symptoms and affective disorders, in psychosocial treatments for substance use disorder.Recent FindingsA growing body of literature suggests that affective symptoms and affective disorders may moderate substance use disorder treatment efficacy, mediate the effects of treatment on substance use outcomes, and may be directly changed by substance use disorder treatment.SummarySubstance use disorders and affective disorders commonly co-occur, and both affec...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - March 1, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Addictive Use of Online Sexual Activities and its Comorbidities: a Systematic Review
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewThis systematic review explores comorbidities related to the problematic use of online sexual activities (OSAs) in the absence of any published synthesis on the subject. These comorbidities are commonly confused with problems associated with offline addictive sexual disorders, even though it is not clear whether they are strictly similar.Recent FindingsThis is the first systematic review of the literature synthesizing data on the comorbidities of problematic OSA use. The pattern of comorbidities that was evidenced supports the hypothesis that problematic OSA use is part of a spectrum of related...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - March 1, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Addictive Behavior Change and Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Current Research and Future Directions
This article discusses the history of mindfulness-based interventions for addictive behaviors and recent advances in treatment.Recent FindingsMindfulness-based interventions are as effective as existing evidence-based treatments for addictive behaviors. Further understanding of the neurobiological changes that occur could help identify the components of mindfulness-based interventions that are most helpful and which individuals may benefit most from mindfulness-based intervention.SummaryAdditional large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed for a better understanding of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interv...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - February 14, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Twenty Years of the Food Cravings Questionnaires: a Comprehensive Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe Food Cravings Questionnaires (FCQs; Cepeda-Benito, Gleaves, Williams,& Erath, 2000) are among the most widely used instruments for measuring food cravings. In addition to the Food Cravings Questionnaire –Trait (FCQ–T) and the Food Cravings Questionnaire–State (FCQ–S), several modified versions have been developed as well. For their 20th anniversary, this article provides a comprehensive description of the FCQs and reviews studies on their psychometric properties and correlates.Recent FindingsThe FCQs and their modified versions have excellent internal reliability. Expectedly, the FC...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - February 11, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Advancing Preventive Interventions for Pregnant Women Who Are Opioid Using via the Integration of Addiction and Mental Health Research
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review examines how research focused on treatment for opioid use in perinatal populations and preventive interventions for postpartum psychopathology have remained separate, despite significant overlap.Recent FindingsGuidelines for best practice in caring for pregnant women with opioid use disorder suggest the use of medication-assisted treatment with additional comprehensive care, including behavioral and mental health interventions. However, intervention research often mutually excludes these two populations, with studies of behavioral interventions for opioid use excluding women with psycho...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - January 27, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Child Sexual Abuse and Compulsive Sexual Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewInformation on potential risk factors and clinical correlates of compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) may help inform more effective prevention and treatment measures. Sexual victimization, specifically, child sexual abuse (CSA), has been associated with CSB.Recent FindingsThis systematic review describes 21 studies on the relationship between CSA and CSB. Most studies identified a significant association between CSA and CSB. However, variability in measurements, potential differences in links among community versus clinical samples, relevance of research among college samples, lack of support for gend...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - January 27, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Psychosocial Interventions for Food Addiction: a Systematic Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe current systematic review examined the empirical literature on psychosocial interventions for food addiction with the goal of providing recommendations for clinical practice and future research. A PsycINFO and PubMed search of publications was conducted in September 2019. Two authors assessed retrieved titles and abstracts to determine topic relevance and rated the quality of the included studies using an established checklist.Recent FindingsEight studies met the study inclusion criteria, and study quality ranged from “poor” to “fair”. Most studies were pilot and feasibility studies wit...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - January 16, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Food Addiction, Skating on Thin Ice: a Critical Overview of Neuroimaging Findings
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe food addiction model suggests the compelling hypothesis that compulsive overeating and drug addictions share common neurobiological underpinnings. However, neuroimaging results are inconsistent, and they are difficult to integrate with each other. This mini-review provides a critical overview of the human neuroimaging literature in food addiction and binge eating symptoms.Recent FindingsNeuroanatomical studies suggest the involvement of the orbitofrontal cortex in food addiction. Functional imaging studies have examined whether food addiction is associated with alterations during reward process...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - January 15, 2020 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
