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Cue-reactivity to distal cues in individuals at risk for gaming disorder
Diers, Martin; Müller, Silke M.; Mallon, Lukas; u. a. (2023): Cue-reactivity to distal cues in individuals at risk for gaming disorder, in: Bamberg: Otto-Friedrich-Universität, S. 1–9.
Faculty/Chair:
By:
... ; Steins-Loeber, Sabine; ...
Publisher Information:
Year of publication:
2023
Pages:
Source/Other editions:
Comprehensive Psychiatry, 125 (2023), August 2023, 152399. - ISSN: 0010-440X
Year of first publication:
2023
Language:
English
Abstract:
Background
Gaming disorder (GD) is a disorder due to addictive behaviors (ICD-11). Cue-reactivity and craving are relevant mechanisms in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors. When confronted with cues showing in-game content (proximal cues) individuals with higher symptom severity show increased cue-reactivity. Based on conditioning and addiction theories on incentive sensitization, cue-reactivity responses may generalize to more distal cues, e.g. when individuals at risk of developing a GD are confronted with a starting page of an online game. In cue-reactivity paradigms so far, only proximal gaming cues have been used.
Methods
We investigated the effect of distal gaming cues compared to gaming-unrelated control cues on cue-reactivity and craving in 88 individuals with non-problematic use of online games (nPGU) and 69 individuals at risk for GD (rGD). The distal cues showed the use of an electronic device (e.g., desktop PC or smartphone) whose screen showed starting pages of either games (target cues), shopping- or pornography sites (control cues) from a first-person perspective.
Findings
We found significantly higher urge and arousal ratings as well as longer viewing times for gaming-related compared to gaming-unrelated control cues in rGD compared to nPGU. Valence ratings did not differ between groups.
Interpretation
The results demonstrate that already distal gaming-specific cues lead to cue-reactivity and craving in rGD. This finding indicates that based on conditioning processes, cue-reactivity and craving develop during the course of GD and generalize to cues that are only moderately related to the specific gaming activity.
Gaming disorder (GD) is a disorder due to addictive behaviors (ICD-11). Cue-reactivity and craving are relevant mechanisms in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors. When confronted with cues showing in-game content (proximal cues) individuals with higher symptom severity show increased cue-reactivity. Based on conditioning and addiction theories on incentive sensitization, cue-reactivity responses may generalize to more distal cues, e.g. when individuals at risk of developing a GD are confronted with a starting page of an online game. In cue-reactivity paradigms so far, only proximal gaming cues have been used.
Methods
We investigated the effect of distal gaming cues compared to gaming-unrelated control cues on cue-reactivity and craving in 88 individuals with non-problematic use of online games (nPGU) and 69 individuals at risk for GD (rGD). The distal cues showed the use of an electronic device (e.g., desktop PC or smartphone) whose screen showed starting pages of either games (target cues), shopping- or pornography sites (control cues) from a first-person perspective.
Findings
We found significantly higher urge and arousal ratings as well as longer viewing times for gaming-related compared to gaming-unrelated control cues in rGD compared to nPGU. Valence ratings did not differ between groups.
Interpretation
The results demonstrate that already distal gaming-specific cues lead to cue-reactivity and craving in rGD. This finding indicates that based on conditioning processes, cue-reactivity and craving develop during the course of GD and generalize to cues that are only moderately related to the specific gaming activity.
GND Keywords: ;
Online-Sucht
Schlüsselreiz
Keywords: ; ; ; ;
Cue-reactivity
Distal cues
Risky gaming users
Internet addiction
Addictive behaviors
DDC Classification:
RVK Classification:
Peer Reviewed:
Yes:
International Distribution:
Yes:
Open Access Journal:
Yes:
Type:
Article
Activation date:
October 11, 2023
Permalink
https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/91216