Maladaptive rumination mediates the relationship between self-esteem, perfectionism, and work addiction: a largescale survey study

Background: Empirical evidence suggests that low self-esteem and high perfectionism are significant personality correlates of work addiction, but the mechanisms underlying these relationships are still unclear. Consequently, exploring cognitive mechanisms will help to better understand work addiction. For instance, rumination is one of the under-researched topics in work addiction, although it may explain specific thinking processes of work-addicted individuals. The purpose of the study was to test the mediating role of maladaptive rumination (i.e., brooding) in the relationship between personality and addiction. Methods: In a largescale cross-sectional, unrepresentative, online study, 4340 adults with a current job participated. The following psychometric instruments were used: Work Addiction Risk Test Revised, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, and Ruminative Response Scale. Results: It was found that self-oriented perfectionism, socially prescribed perfectionism, and self-esteem had both direct and indirect relationships with work addiction via the mediating effect of maladaptive rumination. The two paths involving brooding explained 44% of the direct relationship. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that brooding type of rumination as a putatively maladaptive strategy explains why individuals characterized by low self-esteem and high perfectionism may have a higher risk of work addiction. The results suggest that cognitive-affective mechanisms in work addiction are similar to those found in other addictive disorders

Are sexual functioning problems associated with frequent pornography use and/or problematic pornography use? Results from a large community survey including males and females

There is much debate regarding whether pornography use has positive or negative associations with sexuality-related measures such as sexual functioning problems. The present study aimed to examine differential correlates between quantity (frequency of pornography use–FPU) and severity (problematic pornography use–PPU) of pornography use with respect to sexual functioning problems among both males and females. Multi-group structural equation modeling was conducted to investigate hypothesized associations between PPU, FPU, and sexual functioning problems among males and females (N=14,581 participants; females=4,352; 29.8%; Mage=33.6 years, SDage=11.0), controlling for age, sexual orientation, relationship status, and masturbation frequency. The hypothesized model had excellent fit to the data (CFI=.962, TLI=.961, RMSEA=.057 [95% CI=.056-.057]). Similar associations were identified in both genders, with all pathways being statistically significant (

Revisiting the role of impulsivity and compulsivity in problematic sexual behaviors

Impulsivity and compulsivity are transdiagnostic features associated with clinically relevant aspects of psychiatric disorders, including addictions. However, little research has investigated how impulsivity and compulsivity relate to hypersexuality and problematic pornography use. Thus, the aims of the present study were to investigate (a) self-reported impulsivity and compulsivity with respect to hypersexuality and problematic pornography use and (b) the similarities and possible differences between hypersexuality and problematic pornography use in these domains. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) in a large community sample (N = 13,778 participants; female = 4,151, 30.1%), results indicated that impulsivity (β = .28, β = .26) and compulsivity (β = .23, β = .14) were weakly related to problematic pornography use among men and women, respectively. Impulsivity had a stronger relationship (β = .41, β = .42) with hypersexuality than did compulsivity (β = .21, β = .16) among men and women, respectively. Consequently, impulsivity and compulsivity may not contribute as substantially to problematic pornography use as some scholars have proposed. On the other hand, impulsivity might have a more prominent role in hypersexuality than in problematic pornography use. Future research should examine further social and situational factors associated with problematic pornography use

Investigating mental representations of psychoactive substance use and other potentially addictive behaviors using a data driven network-based clustering method

Background and aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the mental representations of the use of different substances and other potentially addictive behaviors in order to explore meaningful similarities and differences that may contribute to a better understanding of behavioral addictions’ representations and diagnostic criteria. Methods: The authors mapped the mental and emotional representations of 661 participants (70.5% women; Mage = 35.2 years, SD = 11.7) to the concept "your most disturbing excessive activity" using free-word associations combined with a network-based clustering method. Results: The network analyses identified four distinct mental representations, three implicating dominantly negative (Guilt/Shame/Relief, Addiction/Health, and Procrastination/Boredom) and one dominantly positive emotion (Stress/Relaxation). The distribution of Addiction/Health and Procrastination/Boredom representations were different across substance use and problem behaviors, indicating meaningful differences in the underlying cognitive evaluation processes. The Addiction/Health representation was more frequent for substances, while for other addictive behaviors, the Procrastination/Boredom representation was more frequent, and its frequency increased with the self-reported intensity of the behavior. Guilt/Shame/Relief was equally common for both substances and behaviors, but importantly, for substances its’ likelihood increased with the intensity of use. Conclusion: The common part of representations for substance use and other potentially addictive behaviors supports the scientific viewpoint, that real addictions can exist even in the absence of psychoactive drugs. Based on the results, a novel proposition is posited, that a more appropriate indicator of tolerance for problem behaviors might be the perceived amount of time wasted on the activity rather than the actual time spent

The development of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS)

Background: To date, no short scale exists with strong psychometric properties that can assess problematic pornography consumption based on an overarching theoretical background. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to develop a brief scale (Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale; PPCS) on the basis of Griffiths` (2005) six-component addiction model that can distinguish between non-problematic and problematic pornography use. Methods: The PPCS was developed using an online sample of 772 respondents (390 females, 382 males; Mage = 22.56, SD = 4.98 years). Items creation was based on previous problematic pornography use instruments and on the definitions of the factors of Griffiths’ model. Results: A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out—as the scale is based on a well-established theoretical model—leading to an 18-item second-order factor structure. The reliability of the PPCS was excellent and measurement invariance was established. In the current sample, 3.6% of the users belonged to the at-risk group. Based on the sensitivity and specificity analyses we identified an optimal cut-off to distinguish between problematic and non-problematic pornography users. Conclusion: The PPCS is a multidimensional scale of problematic pornography use with strong theoretical basis that also has strong psychometric properties in terms of factor structure and reliability

Hypersexuality, gender, and sexual orientation: a large-scale psychometric survey study

Criteria for Hypersexual Disorder (HD) were proposed for consideration in the DSM-5 but ultimately excluded for a variety of reasons. Regardless, research continues to investigate hypersexual behavior (HB). The Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) is one of the most robust scales assessing HB, but further examination is needed to explore its psychometric properties among different groups. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the generalizability of the HBI in a large, diverse, nonclinical sample (N = 18,034 participants; females = 6132; 34.0%; Mage = 33.6 years, SDage = 11.1) across both gender and sexual orientation. Measurement invariance testing was carried out to ensure gender- and sexual-orintation based comparisons were meaningful. Results demonstrated when both gender and sexual-orientation were considered (i.e., heterosexual males vs. LGBTQ males vs. heterosexual females vs. LGBTQ females), LGBTQ males had significantly higher latent means on the HBI factors. Results also demonstrated LGBTQ males had the highest scores on other possible indicators of hypersexuality (e.g., frequency of masturbation, number of sexual partners, or frequency of pornography viewing). These findings suggest LGBTQ males may be a group most at risk of engaging in hypersexual behavior and LGBTQ females are at a higher risk of engaging in hypersexual activities due to coping problems. Given the largescale nature of the study, the findings significantly contribute to the currently growing body of literature on hypersexuality

No significant changes in addictive and problematic behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns: a three-wave longitudinal study

Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak and related lockdowns brought substantial changes in people’s lives and led to concerns about possible increases of addictive behaviors at the initial stages of the pandemic. To examine these concerns, the aim of the present study was to assess longitudinal changes in addictive and problematic behaviors (i.e., problematic social media use, Internet gaming disorder, gambling disorder, problematic pornography use, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder) over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Three waves of data collection took place in different stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hungary in a general population, from the first wave of lockdowns to the second and third waves of restrictions (May, 2020; NT1 = 1747; June–August, 2020; NT2 = 656; January, 2021; NT3 = 411). Latent growth curve models were calculated to assess the potential changes in addictive and problematic behaviors over time. Results: Latent growth curve models showed that the sample varied in their initial scores, but there were no significant changes over time in any of the examined behaviors, except for compulsive sexual behavior disorder, which demonstrated a small but significant increase (i.e., positive and significant slope factor). However, the rate of this change was negligible. Overall, there were no noteworthy changes over time regarding any of the examined addictive and problematic behaviors. Conclusion: Contrary to initial concerns, no substantial changes over time were observed regarding the examined addictive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. These findings indicate that those who had no previous problem with these addictive behaviors, might have not developed a problem, and those who had problem with either of the behaviors previously, might have not experienced a significant increase in their symptoms

The development of the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale (CSBD-19): an ICD-11 based screening measure across three languages

Background: Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) is included in the eleventh edition of The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an impulse-control disorder. Aims: The aim of the present work was to develop a scale (Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale-CSBD-19) that can reliably and validly assess CSBD based on ICD-11 diagnostic guidelines. Method: Four independent samples of 9,325 individuals completed self-reported measures from three countries (the United States, Hungary, and Germany). The psychometric properties of the CSBD-19 were examined in terms of factor structure, reliability, measurement invariance, and theoretically relevant correlates. A potential threshold was determined to identify individuals with an elevated risk of CSBD. Results: The five-factor model of the CSBD-19 (i.e., control, salience, relapse, dissatisfaction, and negative consequences) had an excellent fit to the data and demonstrated appropriate associations with the correlates. Measurement invariance suggested that the CSBD-19 functions similarly across languages. Men had higher means than women. A score of 50 points was found as an optimal threshold to identify individuals at high-risk of CSBD. Conclusions: The CSBD-19 is a short, valid, and reliable measure of potential CSBD based on ICD-11 diagnostic guidelines. Its use in large-scale, cross-cultural studies may promote the identification and understanding of individuals with a high risk of CSBD

The psychometric properties of the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory using a large-scale nonclinical sample

The conceptualization of hypersexuality has begun to converge as a result of proposed diagnostic criteria. However, its measurement is still diverse. The Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) is one of the most appropriate scales used to assess hypersexuality, but further examination is needed to test its psychometric properties among different clinical and nonclinical groups, including samples outside of the United States. The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability and the generalizability of HBI and to determine a cutoff score on a large, diverse, online, nonclinical sample (N = 18,034 participants; females = 6132; 34.0%; Mage = 33.6 years, SDage = 11.1). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and reliability indices provided support for the structure of the HBI and demonstrated excellent reliability. Employing latent profile analysis (LPA), seven classes emerged, but they could not be reliably distinguished by objective sexuality-related characteristics. Moreover, it was not possible to determine an adequate cutoff score, most likely due to the low prevalence rate of hypersexuality in the population. HBI can be reliably used to measure the extent of hypersexual urges, fantasies, and behavior; however, objective indicators and a clinical interview are essential to claim that a given individual may exhibit features of problematic sexual behavior

A proof of concept study to assess the imbalance of self-reported wanting and liking as a predictor of problematic addictive behaviors

Tolerance, one of the key features of addiction, is a highly debated criterion for behaviors, considered controversial and difficult to assess. The Incentive-Sensitization Theory of Addiction (IST) provides a robust empirical background on the dynamics of the motivational and hedonic systems underlying addiction, reflecting tolerance. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to introduce wanting and liking as an IST-based measure of tolerance. Survey data were analyzed on two potentially problematic substance use behaviors (alcohol and nicotine use) and seven potentially problematic behaviors (eating, gaming, pornography use, social media use, internet use, television series watching, and working) of 774 participants (517 women, Mage = 35.8 years, SD = 11.84), using linear regression models. The models describing the relationship between usage frequency and the difference between self-reported wanting and liking were significant for all of the investigated substance use and potential behavioral addictions. As a general pattern, the balance of wanting and liking was disrupted with increasing usage/behavior frequency, with a steady increment in wanting in all investigated cases. The findings indicate that the proposed approach holds promise as an empirically robust tool for addiction research, offering the potential to compare substance and behavioral addictions on a unified dimension