Operationalization and measurement of compulsivity across video gaming and gambling behavioral domains

The seven deadly sins: measuring overvaluation of social media with the Plan-net 25 scale

BACKGROUND

Problematic social media use refers to the excessive and maladaptive use of social media platforms, which negatively affects personal, social, and professional functioning. Although linked to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. A potential contributing factor to Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) is the overvaluation of the relative utility of social media, where individuals disproportionately overvalue social media for different utility domains (e.g., communication or emotional regulation). This study aimed to develop and validate the Plan-net 25 scale, which was designed to assess overvaluation of the relative utility of social media in adolescents.

METHODS

The study followed three phases. Initially, a Delphi panel of 14 experts evaluated items across different utility domains. A pilot study involving 17 adolescents was conducted, and cognitive interviews were subsequently used to refine the scale items. Finally, the scale was administered to a large sample of 2,477 adolescents aged 12-20 years in Spain, alongside assessments of depression, anxiety, loneliness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and problematic social media use. The analyses included confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and network analysis, all of which were conducted via R 4.3.2.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical seven-factor structure, capturing the following overvaluation of the relative utility of social media domains: social interaction, meeting new people, emotional regulation, social acceptance, staying informed, self-expression, and boredom management. The scale demonstrated full measurement invariance across gender and age groups (early and late adolescence). Significant correlations were found between overvaluation of the relative utility of social media, problematic social media use, and mental health indicators, with the emotional regulation and entertainment overvaluation of the relative utility of social media domains showing the strongest associations with problematic social media use.

CONCLUSIONS

The Plan-net-25 scale exhibited robust psychometric properties, suggesting that it is a promising tool for assessing overvaluation of the relative utility of social media during adolescence.

Untangling the role of emotion regulation in gambling and video gaming cravings: A replication and extension study

BACKGROUND

Existing evidence suggests that urgency-the tendency to act rashly under intense positive or negative affect-reflects dysregulated incidental emotion regulation (ER). Urgency has been reported to predict the intensity and frequency of video gaming and gambling craving, but not the translation of craving onto severity of problem symptoms. However, the role of intentional ER strategies, such as cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, in craving control remains underexplored.

METHOD

303 regular gamblers and 355 regular video gamers were assessed on urgency traits, ER strategies, self-reported craving, and gaming/gambling-related severity of problem symptoms. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we tested hypotheses regarding: (1) the mediating role of craving in the relationship between positive/negative urgency and severity, and (2) the moderating role of ER strategies in the link between craving and severity.

RESULTS

Results revealed that, in both activities, positive urgency-but not negative urgency-significantly predicted craving, replicating a positive urgency→craving→severity pathway. However, urgencies did not moderate the craving-severity relationship. Regarding intentional ER strategies, in the gaming sample, suppression moderated the association between craving and severity: cravings were more strongly associated with severity of problem symptoms in individuals more prone to use suppression. In the gambling sample, reappraisal moderated the impact of craving on severity: craving was less strongly associated with severity in individuals using reappraisal more often.

DISCUSSION

These findings suggest that positive urgency operates similarly in gaming and gambling cravings, highlighting appetitive mechanisms in craving emergence. Intentional ER seems to influence severity in interaction with craving, with craving exerting a stronger impact on severity in individuals using less adaptive strategies.

Recent advances in understanding how compulsivity is related to behavioural addictions over their timecourse

Purpose of Review

Behavioural addictions involve loss of control over initially rewarding behaviours, which continue despite adverse consequences. Theoretical models suggest that these patterns of behaviour evolve over time, with compulsive and habitual behaviours held to reflect a loss of behavioural control. Compulsivity can be broadly described as a propensity for (or engagement in) repetitive behaviours that are not aligned with overall goals. Here, we consider whether compulsivity is associated with behavioural addictions at different stages of their development, based on self-report and neurocognitive measures.

Recent Findings

This review found that there is initial evidence that compulsive traits might predispose individuals to engage in problematic behaviours, and that self-report and neurocognitive measures of compulsivity are associated with severity of problematic behaviours even in the early stages of behavioural addictions. In the later stages of behavioural addiction, there is strong evidence for an association of gambling disorder with cognitive inflexibility, but less evidence for an association between compulsivity and other types of behavioural addiction.

Summary

Moving forwards, well-powered longitudinal studies, including studies using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), will be important in robustly developing our understanding of how compulsivity is related to behavioural addictions over their timecourse.

Scrutinizing the Gateway Relationship Between Gaming and Gambling Disorder: Scoping Review With a Focus on the Southeast Asian Region

Background

The gaming and gambling overlap has intensified with new evidence emerging. However, the relationship between gaming and gambling in the digital space is still inconclusive, especially in resource-limited Asian countries.

Objective

This study aims to review available evidence on the possible interaction and focuses specifically on the gateway interaction between gambling and gaming. Additionally, this review delves into the state of evidence from the Southeast Asian region, providing an in-depth analysis of this underexplored area.

Methods

We performed a scoping review by sifting through the publications in five databases. We focused on the gateway interaction and provided a possible pathway model, while two other convergence relationships were provided for comparison.

Results

The scoping review identified a total of 289 publications, with the majority being empirical (n=181), although only 12 studies used longitudinal designs. A significant proportion of the publications (n=152) concentrated on the correlation or comorbidity between gaming and gambling. Most of the evidence has originated from Global North countries, with very limited research emerging from Southeast Asia (n=8). The most commonly studied gambling-like element in video games was loot boxes (n=105). Other elements investigated included esports betting, skin betting, token wagering, gambling advertisements, and gambling-like features. Several longitudinal studies have highlighted the risk of the gateway effect associated with gamblification involvement. However, emerging evidence suggests more nuanced underlying mechanisms that drive the transition from gaming to gambling.

Conclusions

Overall, there is early evidence of linkage between gambling and gaming, through shared structural and biopsychosocial characteristics. This association possibly extends beyond disparate comorbidity, as such engagement in one activity might influence the risk of partaking in the other behavior. The field requires further longitudinal data to determine the directionality and significant precipitating factors of the gateway effect, particularly evidence from Asia.

How adolescents lose control over social networks: A process-based approach to problematic social network use

Social networks (SNs) are immensely popular, especially among teenagers, yet our understanding of problematic SNs remains limited. Understanding motivations and patterns of use is crucial given the current prevalence of problematic SNs use. Perarles et al. (2020) distinguish two behavioral control modes: Model-Free Control, where actions are characterized by actions driven by immediate gratification without reflective consideration for long-term consequences, and Model-Based Control, enabling planned and goal-directed actions. Both control modes can lead to problematic social network use. This study aims to delve into problematic SNs use and the underlying motives behind adolescents' participation in SNs, drawing upon the theoretical proposal by Perales et al. (2020). We conducted four focus groups with adolescents aged 13-17 (50 % female; Mage = 14.5, SD = 1.75), comprising two public school and two Catholic private school groups. Thematic analysis using Atlas.ti software revealed three themes. The first uncovers characteristics of problematic SNs use, including withdrawal, increased usage time, impaired control, behavioral salience and attentional capture and cognitive hijacking. The second spotlights motives, emphasizing emotional regulation, finding out what is going on, and social interaction. The third theme explores consequences such as compromised academic performance and physical harm. In conclusion, addressing both motives and problematic behaviors present a more effective approach to confronting SNs use challenges and fostering healthier online experiences for adolescents.