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Frontiers in Public Health 2024Gambling disorder (GD) is a pressing public health concern with significant societal costs. The recently developed nudge theory, which is rooted in behavioral economics,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Gambling disorder (GD) is a pressing public health concern with significant societal costs. The recently developed nudge theory, which is rooted in behavioral economics, aims to influence the decision-making behaviors of individuals by implementing changes in the environment.
AIM
This scoping review aims to synthesize the literature on nudge theory as it relates to gambling.
METHODS
This scoping review accords with the Arksey and O'Malley framework, as refined by Levac et al. It includes only articles from peer-reviewed journals that focus, as main themes, on both nudge theory and gambling. The final study selection includes six articles.
RESULTS
The scoping review process led to studies explaining how (1) nudges aim to prod people toward healthier gambling choices, fostering the adoption of more responsible gambling practices, and (2) some gambling features, called dark nudges (or sludges), exploit and harm the decision-making processes of people who gamble.
CONCLUSION
This scoping review highlights the fact that many stakeholders are involved in the field of gambling, and that better cooperation between them would promote safer and more responsible gambling practices. Future research is also needed to empirically test nudges to develop a better understanding of their impact on those who gamble.
Topics: Gambling; Humans; Decision Making; Psychological Theory; Choice Behavior; Behavior, Addictive; Economics, Behavioral
PubMed: 38915754
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1377183 -
BMC Psychology Jun 2024Video games have become a prevalent source of entertainment, especially among children. Furthermore, the amount of time spent playing video games has grown dramatically....
BACKGROUND
Video games have become a prevalent source of entertainment, especially among children. Furthermore, the amount of time spent playing video games has grown dramatically. The purpose of this research was to examine the mediation effects of attention and child memory on the relationship between video games addiction and cognitive and learning abilities in Egyptian children.
METHODS
A cross-sectional research design was used in the current study in two schools affiliated with Dakahlia District, Egypt. The study included 169 children aged 9 to 13 who met the inclusion criteria, and their mothers provided the questionnaire responses. The data collection methods were performed over approximately four months from February to May. Data were collected using different tools: Socio-demographic Interview, Game Addiction Scale for Children (GASC), Children's Memory Questionnaire (CMQ), Clinical Attention Problems Scale, Learning, Executive, and Attention Functioning (LEAF) Scale.
RESULTS
There was a significant indirect effect of video game addiction on cognitive and learning skills through attention, but not child memory. Video game addiction has a significant impact on children's attention and memory. Both attention and memory have a significant impact on a child's cognitive and learning skills.
CONCLUSIONS
These results revealed the significant effect of video game addiction on cognitive and learning abilities in the presence of mediators. It also suggested that attention-focused therapies might play an important role in minimizing the harmful effects of video game addiction on cognitive and learning abilities.
Topics: Humans; Child; Female; Male; Attention; Video Games; Adolescent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Memory; Learning; Cognition; Behavior, Addictive; Egypt; Internet Addiction Disorder; Executive Function
PubMed: 38915089
DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01849-9 -
Iranian Journal of Public Health May 2024The term "internet addiction" (IA) describes a compulsive behavior associated with any online activity that disrupts everyday social interactions. Main aim of this...
BACKGROUND
The term "internet addiction" (IA) describes a compulsive behavior associated with any online activity that disrupts everyday social interactions. Main aim of this research was to determine variables and development predictors of Internet addiction.
METHODS
A total of 1,669 respondents participated in this research; 1,040 of them (62.3%) were female, 590 (35.4%) were male, and 39 (2.3%) did not want to declare their gender. The average age of the respondents was 15.09±1.757. Data were collected using an online form consisted of demographic data, questions related to the use of the Internet, the Internet Addiction Scale, and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-auto questionnaire version (TEMPS-A) for adolescents.
RESULTS
The relationship between Internet addiction and age, addictive substance use frequency, purpose, time spent on the internet, and type of temperament has been proven. Analysis results indicate that the risk of developing internet addiction is higher if an adolescent spends 1-3 hours and more than 3 hours daily (2.8 and 8.2 times, respectively). Increasing age numbers for 1 unit (year), the risk of internet addiction developing is decreasing by 11.3%. Hyperthymic temperament type decreases the risk of 70.9% of internet addiction developing.
CONCLUSION
It is important to highlight importance of our results since practitioners can utilize our findings to create targeted treatments and prevent internet addiction in adolescents.
PubMed: 38912145
DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v53i5.15592 -
Cadernos de Saude Publica 2024Increase in time spent on social media and its association with depressive symptoms, especially among young adults, has generated the need to understand how this...
Increase in time spent on social media and its association with depressive symptoms, especially among young adults, has generated the need to understand how this association occurs in order to support the development of policies to reduce harm and complications. In view of this fact, this study aimed to assess the mediating effect of social media addiction and sleep quality on the association between time spent on social media and depressive symptoms in Brazilian university students. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 2,823 university students, who provided information regarding time spent on social media, social media addiction, depressive symptoms and sleep quality. The mediation analysis, adjusted for confounding factors, was performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to obtain the total (c), direct (c'), and indirect effects (EI1, EI2, and EI3). The results identified an association between time spent on social media and depressive symptoms, mediated by social media addiction (EI1 = 20%) and sleep quality (EI1 = 40%). These findings help expand knowledge about the mechanisms that mutually influence the relationship between time spent on social media and depressive symptoms, supporting the adoption of strategies to reduce harm resulting from excessive social media use.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Male; Students; Female; Depression; Social Media; Universities; Brazil; Young Adult; Adult; Sleep Quality; Adolescent; Surveys and Questionnaires; Internet Addiction Disorder; Behavior, Addictive; Socioeconomic Factors; Time Factors
PubMed: 38896597
DOI: 10.1590/0102-311XPT097423 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Internet addiction and depressive symptoms are common mental health problems in adolescents. Due to the comorbidity of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms, their...
OBJECTIVE
Internet addiction and depressive symptoms are common mental health problems in adolescents. Due to the comorbidity of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms, their mutual relationship influences their developmental trajectories over time. Thus, this study aimed to identify the joint trajectories of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms, and examined the individual, family, and school antecedents of these trajectories among Chinese adolescents.
METHODS
Using a battery of self-report scales, three waves of data collection were conducted in a Chinese adolescent sample ( = 1,301). The co-developmental trajectories of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms were extracted by adopting parallel-process latent class growth modeling (PPLCGM). Multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess predictive factors.
RESULTS
Four unique joint trajectory classes were detected: the Health Group ( = 912, 70.1%), Comorbidity-Worsening Group ( = 85, 6.5%), Asymptomatic-Comorbid Risk Group ( = 148, 11.4%), and Prominent Depressive Symptoms-Remission Group ( = 156, 12.0%). Individual, family, and school factors (e.g., gender, positive youth development, family function, academic performance) significantly predicted the membership in these distinct co-developmental trajectories.
CONCLUSION
Our findings illustrate that the joint development of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms among adolescents presents a heterogeneous distribution, which could better inform prevention and intervention strategies since each co-developmental trajectory may represent unique experience for adolescents who need targeted treatment. Various individual, family, and school factors are important predictors that play different roles in distinguishing the joint trajectories of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms during this critical developmental transition period.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Female; Male; Depression; Internet Addiction Disorder; China; Comorbidity; Risk Factors; Self Report; Internet
PubMed: 38894983
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1374762 -
PloS One 2024For young adults and adolescents, excessive internet use has become a serious public health concern due to its negative impact on their health. It has been associated...
BACKGROUND
For young adults and adolescents, excessive internet use has become a serious public health concern due to its negative impact on their health. It has been associated with detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. Negative academic outcomes were observed in the students, including missing classes, lower grades, and academic dismissal. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to identify factors associated with PIU among undergraduate students at the University of Gondar.
METHOD
A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar among 1514 undergraduate students from June 1-20, 2022. The study participants were selected using a stratified simple random selection procedure. Using structural equation modeling, the degree of relationship was ascertained. A p-value of less than 0.05 and an adjusted regression coefficient with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to interpret the data.
RESULTS
In our study, being from non-health departments [β = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.037, 0.181], current alcohol use [β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.061, 0.187], depressive symptoms [β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.175, 0.291], insomnia symptoms [β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.060, 0.196], and ADHD symptoms [β = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.049, 0.166] had a significant positive effect on PIU, while having a history of head injury had a significant negative effect [β = -0.12, 95% CI: -0.226, -0.021] on PIU.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Factors such as current alcohol use, non-health department type, depressive symptoms, insomnia, and ADHD symptoms were positively associated with PIU. However, a history of head injuries was negatively associated with PIU. Therefore, strategies aimed at the early identification of PIU may lead to an improvement in the psychosocial health of university students.
Topics: Humans; Ethiopia; Male; Female; Universities; Students; Young Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adolescent; Adult; Latent Class Analysis; Internet Use; Depression; Internet Addiction Disorder; Alcohol Drinking
PubMed: 38889136
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302033 -
JAMA Network Open Jun 2024The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), recently identified internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a condition... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
IMPORTANCE
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), recently identified internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a condition warranting more research, and few empirically validated treatments exist. Mindfulness meditation (MM) has multiple health benefits; however, its efficacy in treating IGD and potential neural mechanisms underlying MM treatment of the disorder remain largely unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the efficacy of MM used to treat adults with IGD and to identify neural mechanisms underlying MM.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This randomized clinical trial was performed from October 1 to November 30, 2023, at Hangzhou Normal University in Hangzhou, China. Adults (aged ≥18 years) who met at least 6 of the 9 DSM-5-TR proposed criteria for IGD were recruited to receive either MM or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Data analysis was performed on December 1, 2023.
INTERVENTION
Participants underwent MM training (an 8-session meditation program that focuses on attention and acceptance) and PMR training (an 8-time program for body relaxation) delivered in groups that met 2 times each week for 4 weeks.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
This per-protocol analysis included only participants who finished the pretest assessment, 8 training sessions, and posttest assessment. The main outcomes were addiction severity (measured with the DSM-5-TR proposed criteria for IGD and with Internet Addiction Test scores), gaming craving (measured with Questionnaire for Gaming Urges scores), and blood oxygen level-dependent signals assessed with cue-craving tasks on fMRI. Behavioral and brain measurements were compared using analysis of variance. Functional connectivity (FC) among identified brain regions was measured to test connectivity changes associated with MM.
RESULTS
This study included 64 adults with IGD. A total of 32 participants received MM (mean [SD] age, 20.3 [1.9] years; 17 women [53%]) and 32 received PMR (mean [SD] age, 20.2 [1.5] years; 16 women [50%]). The severity of IGD decreased in the MM group (pretest vs posttest: mean [SD], 7.0 [1.1] vs 3.6 [0.8]; P < .001) and in the PMR group (mean [SD], 7.1 [0.9] vs 6.0 [0.9]; P = .04). The MM group had a greater decrease in IGD severity than the PMR group (mean [SD] score change for the MM group vs the PMR group, -3.6 [0.3] vs -1.1 [0.2]; P < .001). Mindfulness meditation was associated with decreased brain activation in the bilateral lentiform nuclei (r = 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.60; P = .02), insula (r = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.60; P = .047), and medial frontal gyrus (MFG; r = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.70; P = .01). Increased MFG-lentiform FC and decreased craving (pretest vs posttest: mean [SD], 58.8 [15.7] vs 33.6 [12.0]; t = -8.66; ƞ2 = 0.30; P < .001) was observed after MM, and changes in MFG-lentiform FC mediated the relationship between increased mindfulness and decreased craving (mediate effect, -0.17; 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.08; P = .03).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this study, MM was more effective in decreasing addiction severity and gaming cravings compared with PMR. These findings indicate that MM may be an effective treatment for IGD and may exert its effects by altering frontopallidal pathways.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR2300075869.
Topics: Humans; Mindfulness; Male; Female; Internet Addiction Disorder; Adult; Meditation; Young Adult; Treatment Outcome; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; China; Video Games
PubMed: 38888924
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.16684 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024The incidence of smartphone addiction has been widely studied, but the research on the relationship between smartphone addiction and psychological distress and internet...
BACKGROUND
The incidence of smartphone addiction has been widely studied, but the research on the relationship between smartphone addiction and psychological distress and internet gaming disorder is limited. This study investigated the characteristics and prevalence of smartphone addiction and its relation with psychological distress and internet gaming disorder. Furthermore, it provides the scientific basis for intervention measures in schools, families, and society.
METHODS
A random cluster sampling method was applied to investigate 656 medical students from grades 1 to 4 at Wannan Medical College in Anhui province, People's Republic of China. The questionnaire consisted of general information, a smartphone addiction scale, an Internet gaming disorder scale, and a Kessler 6-item psychological distress test. The obtained results were first summarized using descriptive statistics. The Chi-square test was used to compare the status of smartphone addiction. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between smartphone addiction and various variables.
RESULTS
Our results showed that the prevalence of smartphone addiction in medical students was 49.5% (325/656). Psychological distress ( < 0.001), internet gaming disorder ( < 0.001), and childhood trauma ( = 0.001) were highly correlated with smartphone addiction in medical students. Psychological distress, and internet gaming disorder were positively associated with smartphone addiction ( < 0.000).
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of smartphone addiction is high among medical students in Chinese. Smartphone addiction is highly related to related to internet gaming disorder and psychological distress.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Students, Medical; Prevalence; China; Internet Addiction Disorder; Smartphone; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Psychological Distress; Behavior, Addictive; Adult; Video Games; Adolescent; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 38887253
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1362121 -
Molecular Brain Jun 2024Areca nut, the seed of Areca catechu L., is one of the most widely consumed addictive substances in the world after nicotine, ethanol, and caffeine. The major effective...
Areca nut, the seed of Areca catechu L., is one of the most widely consumed addictive substances in the world after nicotine, ethanol, and caffeine. The major effective constituent of A. catechu, arecoline, has been reported to affect the central nervous system. Less is known if it may affect pain and its related emotional responses. In this study, we found that oral application of arecoline alleviated the inflammatory pain and its induced anxiolytic and anti-depressive-like behavior. Arecoline also increased the mechanical nociceptive threshold and alleviated depression-like behavior in naïve mice. In the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which acts as a hinge of nociception and its related anxiety and depression, by using the multi-electrode field potential recording and whole-cell patch-clamp recording, we found that the evoked postsynaptic transmission in the ACC of adult mice has been inhibited by the application of arecoline. The muscarinic receptor is the major receptor of the arecoline in the ACC. Our results suggest that arecoline alleviates pain, anxiety, and depression-like behavior in both physiological and pathological conditions, and this new mechanism may help to treat patients with chronic pain and its related anxiety and disorder in the future.
Topics: Animals; Synaptic Transmission; Anxiety; Arecoline; Male; Depression; Behavior, Animal; Nociception; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Gyrus Cinguli; Mice; Cerebral Cortex
PubMed: 38886822
DOI: 10.1186/s13041-024-01106-5 -
BMC Psychology Jun 2024Social media (SM), with its addictive nature and the accompanying psychosocial challenges such as stress, anxiety, and depression, is the primary factor exacerbating...
OBJECTIVE
Social media (SM), with its addictive nature and the accompanying psychosocial challenges such as stress, anxiety, and depression, is the primary factor exacerbating mental health problems and adversely impacting individuals' wellbeing. Our study's goal was to determine how SM affects employees' psychosocial behaviours and assess the various factors that contributed to the employee's excessive use of SM.
METHODS
A cross-sectional correlational analysis was conducted. Using a relevant questionnaire on employees, the study was assessed to establish the relationship or association between SM addiction and psychosocial disorders like depression, anxiety, and stress. 200 people with a minimum age of 24 were enrolled in the study. The questionnaire contained the social networking addiction scale (SNAS) and the depression, anxiety, and stress-21 (DASS-21) scales; the data were statistically assessed.
RESULTS
The association between SM addiction and psychosocial behaviours has been examined using statistical tools including descriptive statistics and the Chi-square analysis. SM addiction has a strong, statistically significant correlation with depression (p = 0.001), stress (p = 0.001), and anxiety (p = 0.001).
CONCLUSION
This study discovered a connection between SM use and depression, stress, and anxiety among working employees, raising questions regarding worries about overuse and addiction to SM. Various factors influencing excessive usage included revealed that employees also majorly over used SM for entertainment, boredom avoidance, constant knowledge sharing, and relationship-building.
Topics: Humans; Male; Adult; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Anxiety; Social Media; Stress, Psychological; Internet Addiction Disorder; Young Adult; Surveys and Questionnaires; Behavior, Addictive; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38879545
DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01850-2