Video gaming in a hyperconnected world : a cross-sectional study of heavy gaming, problematic gaming symptoms, and online socializing in adolescents

Aims: Examining online social interactions along with patterns of video gaming behaviors and game addiction symptoms has the potential to enrich our understanding of disorders related to excessive video game play. Methods: We performed latent class analysis in a sample of 9733 adolescents based on heavy use of games, social networking and instant messaging, and game addiction symptoms. We used latent class regression to determine associations between classes, psychosocial well-being and friendship quality. Results: We identified two types of heavy gaming classes that differed in probability of online social interaction. Classes with more online social interaction reported fewer problematic gaming symptoms than those with less online social interaction. Most adolescents estimated to be in heavy gaming classes had more depressive symptoms than normative classes. Male non-social gamers had more social anxiety. Female social gamers had less social anxiety and loneliness, but lower self-esteem. Friendship quality attenuated depression in some male social gamers, but strengthened associations with loneliness in some male non-social gamers. Conclusions: In adolescents, symptoms of video game addiction depend not only on video game play but also on concurrent levels of online communication, and those who are very socially active online report fewer symptoms of game addiction

Video gaming in a hyperconnected world: A cross-sectional study of heavy gaming, problematic gaming symptoms, and online socializing in adolescents

Aims Examining online social interactions along with patterns of video gaming behaviors and game addiction symptoms has the potential to enrich our understanding of disorders related to excessive video game play. Methods We performed latent class analysis in a sample of 9733 adolescents based on heavy use of games, social networking and instant messaging, and game addiction symptoms. We used latent class regression to determine associations between classes, psychosocial well-being and friendship quality. Results We identified two types of heavy gaming classes that differed in probability of online social interaction. Classes with more online social interaction reported fewer problematic gaming symptoms than those with less online social interaction. Most adolescents estimated to be in heavy gaming classes had more depressive symptoms than normative classes. Male non-social gamers had more social anxiety. Female social gamers had less social anxiety and loneliness, but lower self-esteem. Friendship quality attenuated depression in some male social gamers, but strengthened associations with loneliness in some male non-social gamers. Conclusions In adolescents, symptoms of video game addiction depend not only on video game play but also on concurrent levels of online communication, and those who are very socially active online report fewer symptoms of game addiction

Organizational and provider level factors in implementation of trauma-informed care after a city-wide training: an explanatory mixed methods assessment

Abstract Background While there is increasing support for training youth-serving providers in trauma-informed care (TIC) as a means of addressing high prevalence of U.S. childhood trauma, we know little about the effects of TIC training on organizational culture and providers’ professional quality of life. This mixed-methods study evaluated changes in organizational- and provider-level factors following participation in a citywide TIC training. Methods Government workers and nonprofit professionals (N = 90) who participated in a nine-month citywide TIC training completed a survey before and after the training to assess organizational culture and professional quality of life. Survey data were analyzed using multiple regression analyses. A subset of participants (n = 16) was interviewed using a semi-structured format, and themes related to organizational and provider factors were identified using qualitative methods. Results Analysis of survey data indicated significant improvements in participants’ organizational culture and professional satisfaction at training completion. Participants’ perceptions of their own burnout and secondary traumatic stress also increased. Four themes emerged from analysis of the interview data, including “Implementation of more flexible, less-punitive policies towards clients,” “Adoption of trauma-informed workplace design,” “Heightened awareness of own traumatic stress and need for self-care,” and “Greater sense of camaraderie and empathy for colleagues.” Conclusion Use of a mixed-methods approach provided a nuanced understanding of the impact of TIC training and suggested potential benefits of the training on organizational and provider-level factors associated with implementation of trauma-informed policies and practices. Future trainings should explicitly address organizational factors such as safety climate and morale, managerial support, teamwork climate and collaboration, and individual factors including providers’ compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress, to better support TIC implementation

Associations of personality traits with marijuana use in a nationally representative sample of adolescents in the United States

Introduction: Identifying adolescents at risk for marijuana use who can be targeted for intervention efforts is critical. Certain personality traits are strongly associated with substance use, including marijuana use. We investigated the associations of impulsivity (and its subscales sensation seeking and lack of planning), aggression, and neuroticism with marijuana use (lifetime and frequency of past 12-month use) in a national sample of adolescents. Methods: We used data from the National Comorbidity Survey: Adolescent Supplement, a nationally representative, cross-sectional study of 8495 U.S. adolescents aged 14 to 18 years. We calculated adjusted prevalence ratios and odds ratios to assess associations of the five personality scales with lifetime use and frequency of past 12-month use and examined gender as a potential moderator of these associations. Results: Each of the personality traits was positively associated with lifetime use (all p < 0.001). Impulsivity (the total scale and both subscales) and aggression (all p < 0.05) were positively associated with frequency of past 12-month use. The neuroticism–lifetime use association was stronger among girls (p < 0.001) than boys (p < 0.05), and the associations of impulsivity and lack of planning with frequency of use were significant only among girls, with moderate female users reporting higher levels of the personality scales than infrequent users (both p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our study highlights the potential importance of identifying personality traits, specifically disinhibition-related traits such as impulsivity and aggression, to reduce and prevent adolescent marijuana use. Keywords: Marijuana, Personality, Adolescents, Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ), The National Comorbidity Survey: Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A