Problematic Internet Use among adolescents and young adults: a systematic review of scholars’ conceptualisations after the publication of DSM5

none2noScholars’ opinions vary considerably regarding many different aspects of Problematic Internet Use (PIU), including whether it should be conceptualised as an addiction, whether it has to be seen as a discrete category or as the pole of a “normal” to pathological continuum, and whether and how the relationship between a person’s characteristics and socio-cultural environment needs to be considered. The aim of the present study is to qualitatively review the evolving body of literature on PIU among adolescents in relation to the three above-mentioned issues, in order to examine how far existing research has progressed since the publication of DSM-5. Following PRISMA guidelines, studies from 2014 to 2019 identified by a search on SCOPUS and Google Scholar were collected. The PIU conceptualisations employed in studies among adolescents and young adults were analysed. Results showed that the debate on PIU as a form of addiction or a distinct clinical disorder is far from over; nonetheless, in the scientific literature about PIU among adolescents and young adults the idea of Internet use as a way to compensate for unsatisfied needs is growing, calling for a better appreciation of what happens in the life-contexts to explain how youths move to/away from PIU over timeopenLucrezia Ferrante; Claudia VenuleoFerrante, Lucrezia; Venuleo, Claudi

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

Screening and assessment tools for gaming disorder: A comprehensive systematic review

The inclusion of gaming disorder (GD) as an official diagnosis in the ICD-11 was a significant milestone for the field. However, the optimal measurement approaches for GD are currently unclear. This comprehensive systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate all available English-language GD tools and their corresponding evidence. A search of PsychINFO, PsychArticles, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar identified 32 tools employed in 320 studies (N = 462,249 participants). The evaluation framework examined tools in relation to: (1) conceptual and practical considerations; (2) alignment with DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria; (3) type and quantity of studies and samples; and (4) psychometric properties. The evaluation showed that GD instrumentation has proliferated, with 2.5 tools, on average, published annually since 2013. Coverage of DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria was inconsistent, especially for the criterion of continued use despite harm. Tools converge on the importance of screening for impaired control over gaming and functional impairment. Overall, no single tool was found to be clearly superior, but the AICA-Sgaming, GAS-7, IGDT-10, IGDS9-SF, and Lemmens IGD-9 scales had greater evidential support for their psychometric properties. The GD field would benefit from a standard international tool to identify gaming-related harms across the spectrum of maladaptive gaming behaviors.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Beyond ‘Facebook addiction’: the role of cognitive-related factors and psychiatric distress in social networking addiction

The use of social networking sites (SNSs) is rapidly increasing as billions of individuals use SNS platforms regularly to communicate with other users, follow the news and play browser games. Given the widespread use of SNS platforms, investigating the potential predictors of addictive SNS use beyond Facebook use has become paramount given that most studies were focused on ‘Facebook addiction’. In the present study, a total of 511 English-speaking SNS users (58.1% young adults aged 20-35 years; 64.6% female) were recruited online and asked to complete a battery of standardized psychometric tools assessing participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, SNS preferences and patterns of use, SNS addiction, preference for online social interaction (POSI), maladaptive cognitions, Fear of Missing Out (FoMo), dysfunctional emotion regulation, and general psychiatric distress. Overall, about 4.9% (n = 25) of all participants could be classed as having a high SNS addiction risk profile. Moreover, the results further indicated that FoMo (β = .38), maladaptive cognitions (β = .25), and psychiatric distress (β = .12) significantly predicted SNS addiction (i.e., p < .0001) and accounted for about 61% of the total variance in SNS addiction, with FoMo providing the strongest predictive contribution over and above the effects of sociodemographic variables and patterns of SNS use. The implications of the present findings were discussed in light of extant literature on behavioral addictions and Facebook addiction and further considerations were provided regarding the potential clinical implications for cognitive-based psychological treatment approaches to SNS addiction

Influence of psychological, internet use and demographic factors on pathological internet use among university students

The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of Pathological Internet Use (PIU), to test the hypothesized structural model of Pathological Internet Use (PIU) and explore the relationship between cognitive distortion, depression, motivation, loneliness, stressful life events, and PIU. A total of 1493 undergraduate students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) were selected as respondents of this study. The results of this study showed an overall prevalence of PIU was 1.2% and there was no significant difference across groups (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game known as MMORPG, Social Networking Sites known as SNS, and general). The structural model of PIU demonstrated a good fit and all the variables were identified as significant predictors of PIU. Cognitive distortion was identified as the most significant predictor influencing PIU (Beta=0.47, p<0.01), and was confirmed as the most significant mediator between motivation (Beta=0.45, p<0.01), stressful life events (Beta=0.15, p<0.01), depression (Beta=0.39, p<0.01) and PIU. Motivation was found as the second significant predictor directly influencing PIU (Beta=0.35, p<0.01), while stressful life events was the lowest significant predictor directly influencing PIU (Beta=0.10, p<0.01). All the three factors contributed 65% variance of PIU. Besides this, depression was identified as the second significant mediator fully mediating the effect of loneliness on cognitive distortion (Beta=0.71, p<0.01) and partially mediating the effect of stressful life events on cognitive distortion (Beta=0.22, p<0.01). The multi-group analysis was applied to test the moderating effect of Internet use group (MMORPG, SNS, general) on the structural model. The result confirmed the invariance of the structural model across groups. The discussions of results were based on cognitive-behavioral model and previous literatures related PIU. It is recommended to conduct research on pathological Internet use (PIU) among university students as it can identify the status of their Internet use

Relationship Between Shyness and Generalized Pathological Internet Use Among Chinese School Students: The Serial Mediating Roles of Loneliness, Depression, and Self-Esteem

The present study aimed to explore the mediating effects of loneliness, depression, and self-esteem on the association between shyness and generalized pathological Internet use (GPIU). A total of 5215 school students completed questionnaires regarding shyness, loneliness, depression, self-esteem, and GPIU (aged 11–23 years old, M = 16.19, SD = 3.10). The self-reported scores for GPIU, shyness, loneliness, depression, and self-esteem were tested in students from elementary schools to universities. The results of a variance analysis indicated that senior high school students had the greatest prevalence of GPIU of all the study stages. With the study stages resolved, the results of a structural equation model revealed that: (a) shyness positively predicted GPIU; (b) shyness/loneliness/depression predicted GPIU through self-esteem; (c) shyness predicted GPIU through loneliness/depression → self-esteem; and (d) shyness predicted GPIU through loneliness → depression → self-esteem. In conclusion, these results provided significant implications for preventing or reducing GPIU in Chinese school students

Development and Validation of the Metacognitions about Sex Scale: Exploring its Role as a Mediator between Negative Affect, Emotion Dysregulation Strategies, and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder.

Metacognitions about sex are theorized to shape cognitive appraisal, coping mechanisms, and regulation or dysregulation before, during, and/or after exposure to sexual stimuli. In our study, we examined the construct structure and validity of the Metacognitions about Sex Scale (MSS) among a sample of adolescents. We estimated the convergent validity of the MSS by factors: negative affect, dysregulated thoughts, and impulsivity, and compulsive sexual behavior (CSB). We also ran a structural equation model in which we examined the possibility that metacognitions about sex would mediate the association between negative affect, dysregulated thoughts, and impulsivity on the one hand, and CSB on the other. The study population included 662 adolescents (252 boys and 410 girls,  = 16.70, SD = 1.32) between 13-18 years of age. The analyses indicated that the factorial structure of the MSS comprised the two expected factors. We also found that positive and negative metacognitions about sex significantly mediated the effect of negative affect, dysregulated thoughts, and impulsivity on CSB. The findings provide evidence that MSS among Israeli adolescents are psychometrically appropriate for use by researchers and practitioners in the prevention and treatment of CSB

Internet addiction in adolescents: prevalence and risk factors

As new media are becoming daily fare, Internet addiction appears as a potential problem in adolescents. From the reported negative consequences, it appears that Internet addiction can have a variety of detrimental outcomes for young people that may require professional intervention. Researchers have now identified a number of activities and personality traits associated with Internet addiction. This study aimed to synthesise previous findings by (i) assessing the prevalence of potential Internet addiction in a large sample of adolescents, and (ii) investigating the interactions between personality traits and the usage of particular Internet applications as risk factors for Internet addiction. A total of 3,105 adolescents in the Netherlands filled out a self-report questionnaire including the Compulsive Internet Use Scale and the Quick Big Five Scale. Results indicate that 3.7% of the sample were classified as potentially being addicted to the Internet. The use of online gaming and social applications (online social networking sites and Twitter) increased the 2 risk for Internet addiction, whereas extraversion and conscientiousness appeared as protective factors in high frequency online gamers. The findings support the inclusion of 'Internet addiction' in the DSM-V. Vulnerability and resilience appear as significant aspects that require consideration in further studies

Adaptation and psychometric analysis of the test of mobile phone dependence-brief version in italian adolescents

Since the diffusion of recent models of mobile phones, anyone with an internet connection can communicate continuously and search for information. This raises some questions about the possible consequences of problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) in a complex life phase such as adolescence. Therefore, we performed a psychometric analysis of the brief version of the Test of Mobile Phone Dependence (TMD) in Italy. The sample comprised 575 Italian adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. Data were collected using the TMD-brief, the Personality Inventory for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sleep Disturbance Short Form. Regarding test dimensionality, the best-fit measurement model included four factors: “Abstinence”; “Abuse and interference with other activities”; “Tolerance”; and “Lack of control” (Satorra–Bentler χ2 (48) = 185.96, p &lt; 0.01; robust root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.079 (90% confidence interval (CI): 0.067; 0.091); robust TLI = 0.904; robust comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.930). The Italian version of the TMD-brief was found to have good reliability and psychometric properties, and a four-factorial structure. PMPU predicted significant sleep disturbances and this relationship was moderated by clinical personality traits. Findings from this study support the use of the Italian version of the TMD-brief as a screening tool to investigate PMPU in Italian adolescents

Exploring internet gaming disorder: an updated perspective of empirical evidence (from 2016 to 2021)

Background and aims: Since the acceptance of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a "disorder due to addictive behaviors", research has proliferated exponentially. The present review focuses on the conceptualization of IGD, its diagnosis and assessment, associated factors and existing prevention and treatment plans to address it. Results and conclusions: The discrepancies between the diagnostic criteria for IGD proposed by the two central diagnostic entities, as well as the questioning of their clinical validity, have generated multiple proposals for the diagnosis and psychometric evaluation of IGD. Likewise, there have been numerous suggestions to prevent this pathology, with the involvement of governments, the gaming industry and health institutions. Finally, multiple treatment plans have been proposed, both pharmacological and psychological, although only the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy has been tested. It is essential, therefore, to delve deeper into this disorder by addressing the central limitations of the current literature