Normative, Passionate, or Problematic? Identification of Adolescent Gamer Subtypes Over Time

Background and aims: For most youngsters, gaming is a fun and innocent leisure activity. However, some adolescents are prone to develop problematic gaming behavior. It is therefore important to have a comprehensive understanding of psychosocial and game-related characteristics that differentiate highly engaged gamers from problematic gamers. To that end, this study evaluated the stability and consistency of Internet gaming criteria (as suggested by the DSM-5) and psychosocial characteristics in a two-wave longitudinal study including 1928 young adolescents (mean age = 13.3 years, SD = 0.91, 57% boys). Methods: A confirmatory factor analysis revealed good stability of the Internet gaming disorder (IGD) construct over time. Latent class analyses revealed three classes for boys (recreational, engaged, and problematic) and two classes for girls (recreational and engaged). Results: Significant differences between classes emerged for problem criteria (conflict and problems in social life), gaming duration, impulsivity, social competence, and attention/hyperactivity. The absence of a problematic gaming class for girls suggests that girls are less likely to develop problematic gaming behavior. Discussion: The IGD criteria as proposed by the DSM-5 are a helpful tool to identify problematic gamers, although the results of this study suggest that using a strict cut-off point might result in false positives, particularly for boys. Problem criteria appeared to be the most sensitive and specific in identifying the problematic gamer, whereas escapism criteria were the least specific and sensitive. Careful consideration of the current proposed criteria to identify problematic gaming behavior could benefit the research and clinical field

Информационные ресурсы Латвийской академической библиотеки: Проблемы создания и использования

Adolescents who attend special education for behavioural problems (SEB) and adolescents who live in a residential youth care institution (RYC) are characterised by behavioural disorders and problematic family backgrounds and have an increased risk for substance use. Though it is likely that the high rates of substance use in SEB/RYC settings might be inherent to the risk profile of these adolescents, little is known about the actual role the risk profile has in explaining substance use. The present study examined the extent to which the elevated risk of substance use in SEB/RYC can be explained by high levels of individual, family, and peer risk indicators that are known to characterise their risk profile. Self-report questionnaires from 531 adolescents in RYC (50 % male; mean age 14.7) and 603 adolescents in SEB (81 % male; mean age 14.1) were compared with information from 1,905 adolescents attending special education for students with learning disabilities (SEL) (56 % male; mean age 14.1). Results show that adolescents in SEB/RYC reported higher levels of daily smoking, weekly alcohol consumption, cannabis and hard drug use, as well as greater prevalence of individual, family and peer factors. Though individual, family and in particular peer risk indicators all explain some of the variance in substance use, the differences between adolescents in SEB/RYC compared with SEL remained significant and substantial, with the exception of heavy alcohol consumption. These findings suggest that deviant peer affiliation, in particular, plays a role in explaining high substance use levels in SEB/RYC and those factors relevant to the residential settings and special education schools might also contribute to substance use in these high-risk groups

Правові проблеми попередження політичного екстремізму в Україні

Розглядаються основні проблеми правового попередження політичного екстремізму виходячи як з вітчизняного, так і міжнародного досвіду. У дослідженні акцен- тується увага на проблемах пошуку чіткої політичної і юридичної термінології поняття «політичний екстремізм». Автор указує на необхідність позиціонування символічного і реального політичного екстремізму, на важливості диференціації правової боротьби з екстремізмом і правового обмеження діяльності політичної опозиції. Ключові слова: політичний екстремізм, тероризм, політична система, правове регулювання, маніпулювання, опозиція.Рассматриваются основные проблемы правового упреждения политического экстремизма исходя как из отечественного, так и международного опыта. В исследовании акцентируется внимание на проблемах поиска четкой политической и юридической терминологии понятия «политический экстремизм». Автор указывает на необходимость позиционирования символического и реального политического экстремизма, на важности дифференциации правовой борьбы с экстремизмом и правового ограничения деятельности политической оппозиции. Ключевые слова: политический экстремизм, терроризм, политическая система, правовое регулирование, манипулирование, оппозиция.In this article the basic problems of the legal forestalling of political extremism are examined coming both from domestic and international experience. In research attention is accented on the problems of search of clear political and legal terminology of concept «Political extremism». The author specifies on the necessity of positioning of symbolic and real political extremism, on importance of differentiation of legal fight against extremism and legal limitation of activity of political opposition. Key words: political extremism, terrorism, political system, legal adjusting, manipulation, opposition

The Social Media Disorder Scale

AbstractThere is growing evidence that social media addiction is an evolving problem, particularly among adolescents. However, the absence of an instrument measuring social media addiction hinders further development of the research field. The present study, therefore, aimed to test the reliability and validity of a short and easy to administer Social Media Disorder (SMD) Scale that contains a clear diagnostic cut-off point to distinguish between disordered (i.e. addicted) and high-engaging non-disordered social media users.Three online surveys were conducted among a total of 2198 Dutch adolescents aged 10 to 17. The 9-item scale showed solid structural validity, appropriate internal consistency, good convergent and criterion validity, sufficient test-retest reliability, and satisfactory sensitivity and specificity. In sum, this study generated evidence that the short 9-item scale is a psychometrically sound and valid instruments to measure SMD

How effective is the online intervention 'Master your Smartphone' in preventing problematic smartphone use among students?

Background: Although there is increasing evidence for the negative impact of problematic smartphone use on students’ academic achievements, there are hardly any intervention programs aiming at the prevention of problematic smartphone use among students. The online intervention ‘Master your smartphone’, developed by Utrecht University, aims to reduce problematic smartphone use and smartphone use that is interfering with academic tasks in university students. Method: A Clustered Randomized Trial was conducted to investigate if the online module is effective in reducing problematic smartphone use and smartphone use during academic tasks. Twelve classes of first-year university students (N = 248; M = 18.8, SD = 1.41) were randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control condition. In the experimental condition, students followed the intervention module ‘Master your smartphone’, in the control condition students followed a general time management module. Data were collected at three time points, 1 month before the intervention (pre-test), during the intervention, and 3 months after the intervention (post-test). Results: The intervention was effective in decreasing symptoms of problematic smartphone use among students, but there was no evidence that the intervention limited smartphone use during academic tasks. Additional analyses indicated that the impact of the intervention on symptoms of problematic use was moderated by treatment integrity, i.e., students who scored higher on intervention responsiveness were more likely to benefit from the intervention than students who scored low. Conclusion: The online intervention ‘Master your smartphone’ seems an effective tool to prevent smartphone addiction symptoms in students

Problematic gaming in young adolescence: The role of in-game rewards and individual vulnerabilities

Background: Rewarding characteristics in games may amplify the transition from recreational to more problematic gaming behavior. This research explored the association between typical rewarding game elements and adolescents’ problematic gaming behaviors and evaluated the interacting nature of individual vulnerabilities within this relationship. Method: In a two-cohort-design the impact of rewarding elements (e.g., random rewards, contingencies rewards, social rewards, and meta-achievements) on adolescents’ problematic gaming was investigated. Participants were 2708 (53.9% male, mean age 13.9 SD=1.20) and 2073 secondary school students in respectively in the first and second cohort (52.1% male, mean age 14.3 SD=1.49). Results: Results revealed that random rewards, social rewards, and contingencies rewards, were predictors of adolescents’ problematic gaming in both cohorts. Games including such type of rewards increased the risk for problematic game play. Regarding interactions with individual vulnerabilities, results indicated that for adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms, the impact of contingencies rewards on problematic gaming behavior was amplified, while for adolescents with social problems the impact of social rewards on problematic gaming was amplified. Conclusion: The findings illustrate that certain rewarding elements in games can increase problematic gaming behavior, particularly among adolescents with individual vulnerabilities. Prevention strategies can benefit from integrating this knowledge in education and intervention strategies may be tailored towards those with attention-deficit hyperactivity symptoms and social problems as these adolescents are at the greatest risk for being affected by the rewarding elements in games

sad music depresses sad adolescents a listener s profile

This research explored both social context and personal characteristics in relation to being saddened by sad music when in a sad mood. Overall, 1686 respondents (aged 12–16 years; 44% female; 68% v..

Why We Can’t Stop: The Impact of Rewarding Elements in Videogames on Adolescents’ Problematic Gaming Behavior

This study explored the association between rewarding elements in videogames and adolescents’ problematic gaming behavior, evaluating the extent to which individual vulnerabilities amplify this relationship. In a two-cohort-design the impact of rewarding elements on adolescents’ problematic gaming was investigated: the first cohort consisted of 2708 secondary school students (53.9% male, M = 13.9 SD = 1.20), and the second cohort of 1616 (54.2% male, M = 14.7 SD = 1.28). As the type of games that participants were playing differed over time, the second cohort was treated as a replication of the first one. Results revealed that random, social, and contingencies rewards were associated with adolescents’ problematic gaming in both cohorts. Games including these rewards were associated with an increased risk for problematic game-play. Moreover, results indicated that the association between contingencies rewards and problematic gaming behavior was stronger for adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, while the association between social rewards and problematic gaming was stronger for adolescents with social problems. This study contributed to our understanding of the mechanisms that can explain why certain adolescents, particularly those with ADHD and/or socially vulnerable, are riskier to develop problematic gaming. These insights can contribute to a more tailored prevention and treatment approach aiming at problematic gaming among adolescents

The bidirectional relationships between online victimization and psychosocial problems in adolescents: a comparison with real-life victimization

Although peer victimization is of major concern and adolescents spend increasing amounts of time on the Internet, relatively little is known about the psychosocial antecedents and consequences of online victimization. The main aim of this study was to compare the psychosocial antecedents and consequences of online versus real-life victimization. More specifically, the bidirectional relationship between online and real-life victimization on the one hand and psychosocial problems (i.e., loneliness and social anxiety) on the other was examined. In addition, the moderating role of online aggression in the relationship between online victimization and subsequent psychosocial problems was studied. This prospective study, consisting of three annual measurements, was conducted among a sample of 831 adolescents (50.3 % girls) aged 11-15, of which most (80.2 %) had a Dutch ethnic background. The results indicate a unidirectional relationship whereby loneliness and social anxiety predict an increase in latter online victimization rather than the reverse. A bidirectional relationship was found for real-life victimization: loneliness (but not social anxiety) predicted an increase in latter real-life victimization, which in turn predicted an increase in subsequent social anxiety (but not loneliness). No moderating effects of online aggression were found. The findings of the present study suggest that negative online and in real life peer interactions have a differential meaning for, and impact on adolescents' well-being

Social media features, perceived group norms, and adolescents’ active social media use matter for perceived friendship quality

Introduction: Developmental researchers are becoming increasingly interested in the role of social media in adolescents’ experiences with their peers; however, to date, few studies have investigated the association between youngsters’ interactions with friends online and the perceived quality of their friendship relationships. Methods: Thus, the current study aims to test the associations between three social media features, as perceived by adolescents, (i.e., availability, quantifiability, visualness) and the quality of adolescents’ friendships (in terms of perceived validation, intimacy, companionship), considering participants’ frequency of active social media use (i.e., self-oriented and other-oriented social media use), and the role of perceived group norms about social media use. Moreover, we tested potential differences across gender groups. Participants were 751 adolescents (Mage = 16.2, SD = 1.5). Results: A SEM analysis showed that, among the perceived social media features, availability was positively associated with perceived friendship quality–both directly and indirectly. Furthermore, friends who participated more in other-oriented social media use reported being more satisfied with their friendship relationships and the results showed that peer influence processes were also active on social media. Discussion: Taken together, these results emphasize the study of social media as a social context for a better understanding of contemporary peer experiences during adolescence. Specifically, novel behaviors (e.g., liking or commenting on posts or content of peers), which characterize interactions between friends, may support relational functioning and well-being purposes in both the offline and online context