Decreasing influence of arbitrarily applicable verbal relations of recreational gamblers: A randomized controlled trial

Twenty‐one recreational gamblers were randomly assigned to two groups; one group was exposed to a conditional discrimination relational training task to bias choice allocation to a black machine presented concurrently with a red machine, and the other group underwent the same relational training task immediately followed by a defusion procedure, designed to expand upon the relations developed in the initial relational task. Both groups completed a simulated slot‐machine task before and after the relational training task, with or without the defusion procedure. Results showed that 9 of 11 participants in the relational training only group showed an increased bias toward the black machine, compared to only 4 of 10 in the relational training plus defusion group; this latter group also showed greater matched responding. Results suggest that expanding verbal–relational networks may reduce the influence of any single verbal relation on gambling choice behavior.     

Attachment and behavioral addictions in adolescents: The mediating and moderating role of coping strategies

Gambling, video gaming, and Internet use are typically included as everyday activities that could potentially become behavioral addictions. There is growing evidence that views non‐substance related addictions as coping mechanisms, and considers that attachment styles are likely to play a pivotal role on the development of such addictions, especially on young people. Therefore, the present study aimed to: (1) explore the association between attachment, coping, and behavioral addictions (i.e., gambling disorder, video game addiction, and problematic Internet use); and (2) to analyze the mediating/moderating effect that coping has in the relationship of attachment and these behavioral addictions. A sample consisting of 472 students from secondary education (Mean age = 15.6; SD = 1.33; 51.6% females) was recruited. The findings showed a negative association between attachment and behavioral addictions. Most coping strategies were found to be associated with attachment styles, except for self‐critique and emotional avoidance. In particular, problem avoidance was significantly correlated to all behavioral addictions. In addition, self‐blame and problem solving were significantly correlated to video game addiction and problematic Internet use. Finally, coping was found to act as a mediator and moderator between attachment and video game addiction and problematic Internet use.     

百善孝为先?大学生双元孝道信念与网络成瘾的关系研究

本研究基于双元孝道模型和病理性互联网使用的认知行为模型,考察双元孝道信念对网络成瘾的影响,并检验非适应性认知的中介作用。以1152名大学生为被试,采用双元孝道信念量表、非适应性认知量表和网络成瘾量表进行测试,结果发现：（1）互惠性孝道和非适应性认知显著负相关,和网络成瘾显著负相关;权威性孝道和非适应性认知显著正相关,和网络成瘾显著正相关;非适应性认知和网络成瘾显著正相关;（2）非适应性认知在孝道信念与网络成瘾之间起中介作用。具体而言,互惠性孝道负向影响非适应性认知,权威性孝道正向影响非适应性认知,非适应性认知正向影响网络成瘾。本研究的结果表明,根植于中国传统文化的孝道信念通过非适应性认知的中介作用影响网络成瘾;而且互惠性孝道和权威性孝道具有相反的作用。     

Jeux de hasard et d’argent en ligne : quelles spécificités en matière de réduction des risques ?

Initially conceived as an alternative to abstinence-based approaches, the initial goal of harm-reduction was to reduce the health consequences of drug use. Applied to all addictive behaviors (with or without use), it aims to reduce the individual and social problems generated by addiction without condemning the behavior. Harm-minimisation remained very poor in the gambling field. However, the legalization of online gambling in France and their specific characteristics, update the need to develop this field, which is still a new and relatively uncommon part of harm-reduction. The aim of this article is to draw up an inventory of existing knowledge, whether it has been tested empirically or not, in an ecological environment or in a laboratory situation, as regards tools allowing the player to remain in control of his gambling behavior. A reflection on future research and other possible tools is envisaged.     

The piloting of a brief relational psychodynamic protocol (psychodynamic addiction model) for problem gambling and other compulsive addictions: A retrospective analysis

The paper describes a treatment pilot for gambling and compulsive addiction within an NHS problem gambling clinic. The pilot study used a brief relational psychodynamic treatment protocol specifically designed to meet the needs of a group of patients who had not responded to CBT and who had other addictions or co‐morbidities. Seventy‐two (n = 72) patients were offered 12 sessions of therapy by four psychodynamic counsellors. Results were assessed using scores from a pre‐ and post‐treatment patient health questionnaire, the generalised anxiety disorder—7 (GAD‐7) and the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Weekly feedback and supervision from counsellors and patients were used to assess the treatment model. The results highlighted that the psychodynamic addiction model was associated with reduced depression (Mean = 14.9; SD: 6.7), anxiety (Mean = 11.5; SD: 5.9), and gambling severity (p < .001), suggesting that a relational psychodynamic treatment is needed for complex patients with compulsive addiction, where CBT had not been successful. These results also highlight the importance of the therapeutic relationship as a critical factor in the treatment of patients with compulsive addiction problems.     

Narcissism and Performance on Behavioral Decision‐making Tasks

Three studies examined narcissism and behavioral decision making. Decision‐making tasks included the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; Studies 1–3), Balloon Analogue Risk Task (Studies 1–3), Columbia Card Task (CCT; Studies 2 and 3), and Game of Dice Task (Study 3). To tease apart the contributions of grandiose narcissism (i.e., narcissism found in the general population), pathological narcissism, and narcissistic traits (i.e., grandiosity, entitlement, and exploitativeness) in decision making, we assessed grandiose narcissism in Studies 1 (n = 380) and 2 (n = 244), pathological narcissism in Study 2, and the narcissistic traits in Study 3 (n = 312). Grandiose and pathological narcissism failed to predict decision making regardless of whether or not decision making included immediate feedback. In Study 3, the narcissistic trait of grandiosity (i.e., having an inflated sense of self‐importance) was associated with greater risk taking on the CCT‐hot (i.e., provided immediate feedback), and entitlement was associated with greater risk taking on the IGT. Measurement and applied implications are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

青少年的时间透视、人际卷入与互联网使用的关系

通过问卷法调查了589名青少年的互联网使用状况,拟探讨影响青少年互联网使用的重要变量。研究发现不同时间定向可以通过不同人际卷入变量预测青少年的病理性互联网使用。研究指出,重视不同人际卷入变量（如积极同伴卷入与适度父母卷入）对于青少年病理性互联网使用的中介作用,可能有利于青少年更好受益于互联网使用。     

病理性网络使用者对情绪信息的注意偏向研究

探究病理性网络使用者在注意偏向上是否存在情绪干扰。采用情绪图-词Stroop范式对病理性网络使用者与正常网络使用者进行比较研究。结果表明(1)病理性网络使用者与正常网络使用者相比,有对情绪词语有更加突出的反应延迟特点,表现出了明显的情绪干扰。(2)病理性网络使用者与正常网络使用者相比,具有更多的负性认知偏向。(3)病理性网络使用者与正常网络使用者相比,在图词不一致的情况下有更多的反应延迟存在。     

Contextual control of slot-machine gambling: replication and extension

Participants were trained and tested to select stimuli of differing physical quantities in the presence of 2 color contextual cues for more than and less than. Following more than and less than relational training, participants allocated the majority of their responses to the slot machine that shared formal properties of color with the contextual cue for more than, despite the identical payout probabilities of the slot machines.     

Reliability and Validity of the Gamblers Anonymous Twenty Questions

One of the earliest instruments to screen for problem gambling, the Twenty Questions (20Q), was developed within Gamblers Anonymous. This instrument has not received serious research attention, however, and its psychometric properties are generally unknown. This study reports reliability and validity data for this instrument in 3 independent samples totaling 456 participants: two samples of problem gamblers in treatment and a non-treatment sample of problem gamblers. The Twenty Questions was shown to possess high reliability as measured by Cronbach’s alpha. Concurrent, convergent and predictive validity of the 20Q supported the use of this instrument as an acceptable screening instrument. Classification analyses indicated that the 20Q is comparable to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling in specificity, sensitivity and rates of false negatives and false positives. The 20Q appears to be a reliable and valid measure of problem gambling and warrants continued research attention.