Internet addiction: a systematic review of epidemiological research for the last decade

In the last decade, Internet usage has grown tremendously on a global scale. The increasing popularity and frequency of Internet use has led to an increasing number of reports highlighting the potential negative consequences of overuse. Over the last decade, research into Internet addiction has proliferated. This paper reviews the existing 68 epidemiological studies of Internet addiction that (i) contain quantitative empirical data, (ii) have been published after 2000, (iii) include an analysis relating to Internet addiction, (iv) include a minimum of 1000 participants, and (v) provide a full-text article published in English using the database Web of Science. Assessment tools and conceptualisations, prevalence, and associated factors in adolescents and adults are scrutinised. The results reveal the following. First, no gold standard of Internet addiction classification exists as 21 different assessment instruments have been identified. They adopt official criteria for substance use disorders or pathological gambling, no or few criteria relevant for an addiction diagnosis, time spent online, or resulting problems. Second, reported prevalence rates differ as a consequence of different assessment tools and cut-offs, ranging from 0.8% in Italy to 26.7% in Hong Kong. Third, Internet addiction is associated with a number of sociodemographic, Internet use, and psychosocial factors, as well as comorbid symptoms and disorder in adolescents and adults. The results indicate that a number of core symptoms (i.e., compulsive use, negative outcomes and salience) appear relevant for diagnosis, which assimilates Internet addiction and other addictive disorders and also differentiates them, implying a conceptualisation as syndrome with similar etiology and components, but different expressions of addictions. Limitations include the exclusion of studies with smaller sample sizes and studies focusing on specific online behaviours. Conclusively, there is a need for nosological precision so that ultimately those in need can be helped by translating the scientific evidence established in the context of Internet addiction into actual clinical practice

The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale: reliability and validity of a brief screening test

Although excessive and compulsive shopping has been increasingly placed within the behavioral addiction paradigm in recent years, items in existing screens arguably do not assess the core criteria and components of addiction. To date, assessment screens for shopping disorders have primarily been rooted within the impulse-control or obsessive-compulsive disorder paradigms. Furthermore, existing screens use the terms ‘shopping,’ ‘buying,’ and ‘spending’ interchangeably, and do not necessarily reflect contemporary shopping habits. Consequently, a new screening tool for assessing shopping addiction was developed. Initially, 28 items, four for each of seven addiction criteria (salience, mood modification, conflict, tolerance, withdrawal, relapse, and problems), were constructed. These items and validated scales (i.e., Compulsive Buying Measurement Scale, Mini-International Personality Item Pool, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) were then administered to 23,537 participants ( M age = 35.8 years, SD age = 13.3). The highest loading item from each set of four pooled items reflecting the seven addiction criteria were retained in the final scale, The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS). The factor structure of the BSAS was good (RMSEA = 0.064, CFI = 0.983, TLI = 0.973) and coefficient alpha was 0.87. The scores on the BSAS converged with scores on the Compulsive Buying Measurement Scale (CBMS; 0.80), and were positively correlated with extroversion and neuroticism, and negatively with conscientiousness, agreeableness, and intellect/imagination. The scores of the BSAS were positively associated with anxiety, depression, and low self- esteem and inversely related to age. Females scored higher than males on the BSAS. The BSAS is the first scale to fully embed shopping addiction within an addiction paradigm. A recommended cutoff score for the new scale and future research directions are discussed

Continuing care groups: long term treatment of substance use disorders

Master's Project (M.Ed.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2014Substance use disorders are chronic diseases that affect individuals, families, and communities. These illnesses frequently require several courses of treatment to achieve abstinence. Inpatient chemical dependency treatment, followed by continuing care, increases abstinence rates regardless of the interventions used within the continuing care program. The largest barrier to successful continuing care programs appears to be patients' attendance and participation. This project aims to create a continuing care program that focuses on increasing patients' attendance adherence in order to support them through their first year of recovery

Internet addiction and loneliness among children and adolescents in the education setting: an empirical pilot study

Research into various behavioural addictions has shown that such behaviour can negatively impact psychological wellbeing. One behavioural addiction that has been increasingly studied empirically is that of Internet Addiction (IA). Despite general consensus concerning the negative effects of IA on mental health and other indices of physical and psychosocial health, little research has been done in child and adolescent populations in specific contexts. The main objectives of this study were to (i) investigate the extent of problems caused by IA in children and adolescents, (ii) determine the socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics of children and adolescents with IA, and (iii) to provide a model capable of predicting IA in the educational context among the target population. A total of 131 Portuguese school children and adolescents participated in this study. Results indicated a relatively high incidence of IA in the sample (13%). Additionally, the correlational analyses revealed associations between IA and loneliness, social loneliness, and other variables related to the educational context. Results demonstrated that IA could be predicted using a model encompassing three variables (i.e., weekly Internet usage, loneliness, and classroom behaviour). Overall, the present findings corroborated results from other studies and added to the behavioural addiction literature by examining a younger cohort than previous empirical studies

Online gaming addiction in children and adolescents: a review of empirical research

Background and aims: Research suggests that excessive online gaming may lead to symptoms commonly experienced by substance addicts. Since games are particularly appealing to children and adolescents, these individuals may be more at risk than other groups of developing gaming addiction. Methods: Given these potential concerns, a literature review was undertaken in order (i) to present the classification basis of online gaming addiction using official mental disorder frameworks, (ii) to identify empirical studies that assess online gaming addiction in children and adolescents, and (iii) to present and evaluate the findings against the background of related and established mental disorder criteria. Results: Empirical evidence comprising 30 studies indicates that for some adolescents, gaming ad - diction exists and that as the addiction develops, online gaming addicts spend increasing amounts of time preparing for, organizing, and actually gaming. Conclusions: Evidence suggests that problematic online gaming can be conceptualized as a behavioral addiction rather than a disorder of impulse control

Regular and problematic leisure-time Internet use in the community: results from a German population-based survey

In our study, we attempted to identify systematically the use of Internet applications in the German population in order to derive risk factors for problematic use. In a representative survey of the German population, we queried 1,401 women and 1,111 men between the ages of 14 and 94 years by specific questions and standardized questionnaires on depression, anxiety (HADS), and depersonalization (CDS-2). The majority of the German population (55%) used the Internet in their leisure time. Users were younger and had a higher socioeconomic status (education, employment, income). Leisure-time use included e-mail and information search, as well as shopping. Chatting, online communities, games and sex were domains of young, mostly male adults. Overall, 9.3% reported at least one negative consequence of Internet use, especially neglect of recreational activities and problems with family/partner, work or education, and health. Problematic use was associated with longer average daily online times, avoidance of negative emotions, preference for certain applications (gaming, gam- bling, online sex) and an increased rate of depersonalization. The extent of Internet use per se is not sufficient as an addiction criterion and other negative consequences; rather, specific adverse consequences need to be identified. If the Internet is used excessively to cope with negative affect states and alternative means of coping (e.g., social support, health-promoting behavior) are diminished, a vicious cycle may ensue with increasing stress and reliance on the reinforcing properties of certain online activities that may finally lead to addictive behaviour

Spartan Daily, September 22, 1999

Volume 113, Issue 16https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/9445/thumbnail.jp

Exercise addiction – the emergence of a new disorder

An optimal level of regular physical activity plays an important role in the maintenance of physical and mental health. However, excessive exercise in a minority of individuals can have adverse effects on health and lead to exercise addiction. Exercise addiction can be conceptualised as a behavioural addiction. The aim of this paper is to outline the current knowledge on the concept, epidemiology, aetiology, comorbidity, and possible interventions of exercise addiction

Public Beliefs about Alcohol and Substance Use in Saudi Arabia: A Cross Sectional Study

Abuse of alcohol and other substances became a substantial and escalating health and social problem worldwide as hospitals across the world are inundated with patients suffering from conditions associated with or caused by substance use. A descriptive correlation cross section research design was utilized to conduct this study with the aim to assess the Saudi public beliefs about alcohol and substance use in central region of Saudi Arabia on a  non – probability convenience sample of 316 Saudi adults who were recruited from public areas of highest community assembly points. Data were collected using a two part questionnaire. First part concerned with the participant’s demographic background and sources of information about alcohol and substance use, Second part of the questionnaire included 30 statements translated version of the Addiction Belief Inventory (ABI) Luke, Ribisl, Walton, & Davidson (2002). An official approval to conduct the study was obtained from the ethical committee of the research unit at College of Nursing – Riyadh affiliated to King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences along with an informed written consent was obtained from the participants who agreed to participate in the study. Participants who gave consent to participate in the study were individually interviewed and data were collected over a two month period. Data were coded for entry and analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Studies (SPSS) version 18.0. 22 (7%) of the participants had tried alcohol or any other substance at least once in their life. Nineteen participants (6%) had an addicted family member while 71 (22.5%) knew somebody who has addiction problem. Sources of information about addiction varied among the study participants with the internet as a source of information ranked first followed by television shows, movies and series, discussion with family and friends, school or university classes, magazines and newspapers and personal experience. Analysis of data revealed only statistically significant difference between male and female participants in relation to personal substance trial or use(X2 = 4.974, p = 0.02). The highly ranked believes among Saudi adults were: Addicted persons are capable of drinking/using substances socially (M = 4.23, SD = 0.870), a recovering addict should rely on other experts for help and guidance (M = 4.23, SD = 0.863), an alcoholic/addict must seek professional help (M = 4.22, SD = 1.015), to be healed addicted persons have to stop using all substances (M = 4.03, SD = 1.111), relapse is a personal failure (M = 4.03, SD = 1.121). Developing and implementing culturally sensitive public awareness campaigns about the hazards of alcohol and other substance use and the services available to help persons with such problems within the Saudi community in public areas of highest community assembling and throughout all media channels including TV, radio, internet, SMS messages is highly recommended Keywords: alcohol, substance use, beliefs, Saudi publi