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Miller BP, Reed DD, Amlung M. Reliability and validity of behavioral-economic measures: A review and synthesis of discounting and demand. J Exp Anal Behav 2023; 120:263-280. [PMID: 37248719 PMCID: PMC10524652 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This review sought to synthesize the literature on the reliability and validity of behavioral-economic measures of demand and discounting in human research, introduce behavioral-economic research methodologies for studying addictive behaviors, discuss gaps in the current literature, and review areas for future research. A total of 34 studies was included in this review. The discounting literature showed similar responding regardless of whether hypothetical or actual outcomes were used, though people tended to discount the outcome presented first more steeply, suggesting order effects. Although delay-discounting measures seem to show temporal stability, exceptions were found for probability- and experiential-discounting tasks. The demand literature also demonstrated similar responding regardless of outcome type; however, some demand indices showed exceptions. Randomized price sequences tended to show modest increases in Omax and α and modestly higher rates of inconsistent or nonsystematic responses compared with sequential price sequences. Demand indices generally showed temporal stability, although the stability was weaker the larger the time interval between test sessions. Future studies would benefit by examining addictive commodities beyond alcohol, nicotine, and money; examining temporal stability over longer time intervals; using larger delays in discounting tasks; and using larger sample sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon P Miller
- Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Derek D Reed
- Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Michael Amlung
- Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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Yan WS, Chen RT, Liu MM, Zheng DH. Monetary Reward Discounting, Inhibitory Control, and Trait Impulsivity in Young Adults With Internet Gaming Disorder and Nicotine Dependence. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:628933. [PMID: 33584390 PMCID: PMC7876248 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.628933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has been considered a potential behavioral or non-substance addiction that requires further investigation. Recognition of the commonalities between IGD and Substance Use disorders (SUD) would be of great help to better understand the basic mechanisms of addictive behaviors and excessive Internet gaming. However, little research has targeted a straightforward contrast between IGD and SUD on neuropsychological aspects. The present study thus aimed to explore the associations of reward processing and inhibitory control with IGD and nicotine dependence (ND) in young adults. Fifty-eight IGD and 53 ND individuals, as well as 57 age- and gender-matched healthy controls, were assessed with a series of measurements including the Delay-discounting Test (DDT), Probability Discounting Test (PDT), the Stroop Color-Word Task, a revised Go/No Go Task, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Multivariate analysis of variance (mANOVA) models revealed that both IGD and ND groups scored higher than healthy controls on the BIS-11 attentional, motor, and non-planning impulsiveness (Cohen's d = 0.41-1.75). Higher degrees of delay discounting on the DDT were also found in IGD and ND groups compared to healthy controls (Cohen's d = 0.53-0.69). Although IGD group did not differ from healthy controls on the PDT, ND group had a lower degree of probability discounting than healthy controls (Cohen's d = 0.55), suggesting a reduction in risk aversion. Furthermore, ND subjects showed a lower correct accuracy in the incongruent trials of the Stroop task than healthy controls (Cohen's d = 0.61). On the Go/No Go task, both IGD and ND groups had a lower correct accuracy in the No-Go trials than healthy controls (Cohen's d = 1.35-1.50), indicating compromised response inhibition. These findings suggested that IGD was linked to both anomalous reward discounting and dysfunctional inhibitory control, which was comparable with one typical SUD category (i.e., ND). This study might promote a better understanding of the pathogenesis of IGD as a potential addictive disorder similar to SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Sen Yan
- Department of Psychology, School of Medical Humanitarians, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ruo-Ting Chen
- Department of Psychology, School of Medical Humanitarians, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Meng-Meng Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Medical Humanitarians, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Dan-Hui Zheng
- Department of Psychology, School of Medical Humanitarians, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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Stancato SS, Schneider TD, Reed DD, Lemley SM, Carrillo A, Jarmolowicz DP. Reinforcer pathology II: Reward magnitude, reward delay, and demand for alcohol collectively relate to college students' alcohol related problems. J Exp Anal Behav 2020; 114:354-367. [PMID: 33184869 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The reinforcer pathologies model of addiction posits that two characteristic patterns of operant behavior characterize addiction. Specifically, individuals suffering from addiction have elevated levels of behavioral economic demand for their substances of abuse and have an elevated tendency to devalue delayed rewards (reflected in high delay discounting rates). Prior research has demonstrated that these behavioral economic markers are significant predictors of many of college students' alcohol-related problems. Delay discounting, however, is a complex behavioral performance likely undergirded by multiple behavioral processes. Emerging analytical approaches have isolated the role of participants' sensitivity to changes in reinforcer magnitude and changes in reinforcer delay. The current study uses these analytic approaches to compare participants' discounting of money versus alcohol, and to build regression models that leverage these new insights to predict a wider range of college students' alcohol related problems. Using these techniques, we were able to 1) demonstrate that individuals differed in their sensitivity to magnitudes of alcohol versus money, but not sensitivity to delays to those commodities and 2) that we could use our behavioral economic measures to predict a range of students' alcohol related problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Derek D Reed
- University of Kansas.,Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment
| | | | | | - David P Jarmolowicz
- University of Kansas.,Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment
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Minhas M, Oshri A, Amlung M, Dennhardt A, Ferro M, Halladay J, Munn C, Tucker J, Murphy J, MacKillop J. Latent Profile Analysis of Heavy Episodic Drinking in Emerging Adults: A Reinforcer Pathology Approach. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:2130-2140. [PMID: 32965723 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is a major public health problem among emerging adults (individuals 18 to 25), but with considerable heterogeneity in concurrent substance use and psychopathology. The current study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to detect discrete subgroups of HED based on alcohol, other drug severity, and concurrent psychopathology. A reinforcer pathology approach was used to understand motivational differences among the latent subgroups. METHODS Participants were 2 samples of emerging adults reporting regular HED, 1 Canadian (n = 730) and 1 American (n = 602). Indicators for the LPA were validated dimensional self-report assessments of alcohol severity, cannabis severity, other drug severity, nicotine dependence, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Reinforcer pathology indicators were measures of alcohol demand, proportionate substance-related reinforcement, and discounting of future rewards. RESULTS The LPA yielded parallel 3-class solutions in both samples. The largest subgroup was characterized by comparatively low substance severity and psychopathology (Low overall severity). The second largest subgroup was characterized by comparatively high alcohol and other drug severity (excluding tobacco) and high levels of psychopathology (Heavy alcohol & high psychiatric severity). The third subgroup exhibited high alcohol, smoking and intermediate levels of other substance use and psychopathology (Heavy alcohol, smoking, & intermediate psychiatric severity). The Heavy alcohol & high psychiatric severity and Heavy alcohol, smoking, & intermediate psychiatric severity subgroups exhibited significantly higher alcohol demand, greater proportionate substance-related reinforcement, and steeper delay discounting. CONCLUSIONS Parallel latent subgroups of emerging adults engaging in HED were present in both samples, and the high-risk subgroups were significantly differentiated by the reinforcer pathology indicators. These latent profiles may ultimately inform heterogeneity in the longitudinal course of HED in emerging adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenu Minhas
- From the, Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, (MM, MA, CM, JMa), St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Assaf Oshri
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, (AO), University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Michael Amlung
- From the, Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, (MM, MA, CM, JMa), St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Department of Applied Behavioral Science, (MA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.,Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, (MA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
| | - Ashley Dennhardt
- Department of Psychology, (AD, JMu), University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Mark Ferro
- School of Public and Health Systems, (MF), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Jillian Halladay
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, (JH), McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Catharine Munn
- From the, Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, (MM, MA, CM, JMa), St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Jalie Tucker
- Department of Health Education & Behavior, (JT), Center for Behavioral Economic Health Research, University of Florida, Gainsville, Florida
| | - James Murphy
- Department of Psychology, (AD, JMu), University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - James MacKillop
- From the, Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, (MM, MA, CM, JMa), St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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