Top

Published in:

01-06-2011 | Original Paper

Behavioural Addictions in Adolescents and Young Adults: Results from a Prevalence Study

Authors: Corrado Villella, Giovanni Martinotti, Marco Di Nicola, Maria Cassano, Giuseppe La Torre, Maria Daniela Gliubizzi, Immacolata Messeri, Filippo Petruccelli, Pietro Bria, Luigi Janiri, Gianluigi Conte

Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies | Issue 2/2011

Abstract

Our study aims to assess the prevalence of behavioural addictions in an adolescent population, evaluating the effects of gender and age, and to assess the correlations among different behavioural addictions. 2853 high school students were assessed in order to evaluate the prevalence of behavioural addictions such as Pathological Gambling (PG), Compulsive Buying (CB), Exercise Addiction (EA), Internet Addiction (IA), and Work Addiction (WA), in a population of Italian adolescents. The South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised Adolescent (SOGS-RA), the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS), the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and the Work Addiction Risk Test (WART), were compiled anonymously by the students. Overall prevalence was 7.0% for PG, 11.3% for CB, 1.2% for IA, 7.6% for WA, 8.5% for EA. PG and EA were more common among boys, while gender had no effect on the other conditions. CB was more common among younger (<18 years old) students. The scores of all of these scales were significantly correlated. The strong correlation among different addictive behaviours is in line with the hypothesis of a common psychopathological dimension underlying these phenomena. Further studies are needed to assess personality traits and other clinical disorders associated with these problems behaviours.

Allison, S. E., von Wahlde, L., Shockley, T., & Gabbard, G. O. (2006). The development of the self in the era of the internet and role-playing fantasy games. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163, 381–385.PubMedCrossRef

American Psychiatric Association Committee on Nomenclature and Statistics. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

American Psychiatric Association DSM-V Development (2010). Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/Substance-RelatedDisorders.aspx.

Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Burke, R. (2009). Workaholism and relationship quality: A splitover–crossover perspective. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 14, 23–33.PubMedCrossRef

Bamber, D., Cockerill, I. M., & Carroll, D. (2000). “It’s exercise or nothing”: A qualitative analysis of exercise dependence. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 34, 423–430.PubMedCrossRef

Beard, K. W., & Wolf, E. M. (2001). Modification in the proposed diagnostic criteria for internet addiction. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 4, 377–383.PubMedCrossRef

Black, D. W. (2007). Compulsive buying disorder: A review of the evidence. CNS Spectrums, 12, 124–132.PubMed

Black, D. W., & Moyer, T. (1998). Clinical features and psychiatric comorbidity of subjects with pathological gambling behavior. Psychiatric Services, 49, 1434–1439.PubMed

Black, D. W., Repertinger, S., Gaffney, G. R., & Gabel, J. (1998). Family history and psychiatric comorbidity in persons with compulsive buying: Preliminary findings. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155, 960–963.PubMed

Blaszczynski, A., & Nower, L. (2002). A pathway model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction, 97, 487–499.PubMedCrossRef

Block, J. J. (2008). Issues for DSM-V: Internet addiction. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 306–307.PubMedCrossRef

Brown, R. I. F. (1993). Some contributions of the study of gambling to the study of other addictions. In W. R. Eadington & J. A. Cornelius (Eds.), Gambling behaviour and problem gambling (pp. 241–272). Reno, NV: Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming, University of Nevada.

Brown, S. A., McGue, M., Maggs, J., Schulenberg, J., Hingson, R., Swartzwelder, S., et al. (2008). A developmental perspective on alcohol and youths 16 to 20 years of age. Pediatrics, 121, S290–S310.PubMedCrossRef

Burge, A. N., Pietrzak, R. H., Molina, C. A., & Petry, N. M. (2004). Age of gambling initiation and severity of gambling and health problems among older adult problem gamblers. Psychiatric Services, 55, 1437–1439.PubMedCrossRef

Burge, A. N., Pietrzak, R. H., & Petry, N. M. (2006). Pre/Early adolescent onset of gambling and psychosocial problems in treatment-seeking pathological gamblers. Journal of Gambling Studies, 22, 263–274.PubMedCrossRef

Cronce, J. M., Corbin, W. R., Steinberg, M. A., & Potenza, M. N. (2007). Self-perception of gambling problems among adolescents identified as at-risk or problem gamblers. Journal of Gambling Studies, 23, 363–375.PubMedCrossRef

Delise, P., Guiducci, U., Zeppilli, P., et al. (2005). Cardiological guidelines for competitive sports eligibility. Italian Heart Journal, 6, 661–702.PubMed

Dell’Osso, B., Altamura, A. C., Allen, A., Marazziti, D., & Hollader, E. (2006). Epidemiological and clinical updates on impulse control disorders: A critical review. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 256, 464–475.PubMedCrossRef

Department of Health and Human Services. (1994). Preventing tobacco use among young people: A report of the Surgeon General. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Derevensky, J. L., Gupta, R., & Winters, K. (2003). Prevalence rates of youth gambling problems: Are the current rates inflated? Journal of Gambling Studies, 19, 405–425.PubMedCrossRef

Di Martino, G., Vitale, M. G., Ferrara, V., & d’Amore, A. (2006). Ricerca-intervento sul fenomeno delle new addictions in adolescenza. Mission, 20, 7–16.

Di Nicola, M., Tedeschi, D., Mazza, M., et al. (2010). Behavioural addictions in bipolar disorder patients: Role of impulsivity and personality dimensions. Journal of Affective Disorders. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2009.12.016.

Faber, R. J., & O’Guinn, T. C. (1992). A clinical screener for compulsive buying. Journal of Consumer Research, 19, 459–469.CrossRef

Flowers, C. P., & Robinson, B. (2002). A structural and discriminant analysis of the work addiction risk test. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 62, 517–526.CrossRef

Frisch, A., Croisier, J. L., Urhausen, A., Seil, R., & Theisen, D. (2009). Injuries, risk factors and prevention initiatives in youth sports. British Medical Bulletin, 92, 95–121.PubMedCrossRef

Goudriaan, A. E., Oosterlaan, J., de Beurs, E., & van den Brink, W. (2006). Neurocognitive functions in pathological gambling: A comparison with alcohol dependence, Tourette syndrome and normal controls. Addiction, 101, 534–547.PubMedCrossRef

Grant, J. E., Brewer, J. A., & Potenza, M. N. (2006). The neurobiology of substance and behavioural addictions. CNS Spectrums, 11, 924–930.PubMed

Grant, J. E., Levine, L., Kim, D., & Potenza, M. N. (2005). Impulse control disorders in adult psychiatric inpatients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162, 2181–2188.CrossRef

Greenberg, J. L., Lewis, S. E., & Dodd, D. K. (1999). Overlapping addictions and self-esteem among college men and women. Addictive Behaviors, 24, 565–571.PubMedCrossRef

Griffiths, M. D. (1996). Behavioural addiction: An issue for everybody? Journal of Workplace Learning, 8, 19–25.CrossRef

Griffiths, M. D., Szabo, A., & Terry, A. (2005). The exercise addiction inventory: A quick and easy screening tool for health practitioners. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 39, e30.PubMedCrossRef

Hakala, P. T., Rimpela, A. H., Saarni, L. A., & Salminen, J. J. (2006). Frequent computer-related activities increase the risk of neck-shoulder and low-back pain in adolescents. European Journal of Public Health, 16, 536–541.PubMedCrossRef

Hassay, D. N., & Smith, M. C. (1996). Compulsive buying: An examination of the consumption motive. Psychology & Marketing, 13, 741–752.CrossRef

Hausenblas, H. H., & Giacobbi, P. R, Jr. (2004). Relationship between exercise dependence symptoms and personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 1265–1273.CrossRef

Hollander, E., & Allen, A. (2006). Is compulsive buying a real disorder, and is it really compulsive? American Journal of Psychiatry, 163, 1670–1672.PubMedCrossRef

Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. (2008). La vita quotidiana di bambini e ragazzi Anno 2008. Roma: ISTAT.

Jacobs, D. F. (2000). Juvenile gambling in North America: An analysis of long term trends and future prospects. Journal of Gambling Studies, 6, 119–152.CrossRef

Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2005). Monitoring the future national survey results on drug use, 1975–2004. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Kim, S. W., Grant, J. E., Eckert, E. D., Faris, P. L., & Hartman, B. K. (2006). Pathological gambling and mood disorders: Clinical associations and treatment implications. Journal of Affective Disorders, 92, 109–116.PubMedCrossRef

Koran, L. M., Faber, R. J., Aboujaoude, E., Large, M. D., & Serpe, R. T. (2006). Estimated prevalence of compulsive buying behaviour in the United States. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163, 1806–1812.PubMedCrossRef

Ladouceur, R., Bouchard, C., Rheaume Jacques, C., Ferland, F., Leblond, J., & Walker, M. (2000). Is the SOGS an accurate measure of pathological gambling among children, adolescents, and adults? Journal of Gambling Studies, 16, 1–21.PubMedCrossRef

Lejoyeux, M., Avril, M., Richoux, C., Embouazza, H., & Nivoli, F. (2008). Prevalence of exercise dependence and other behavioral addictions among clients of a Parisian fitness room. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 49, 353–358.PubMedCrossRef

Lejoyeux, M., Mathieu, K., Embouazza, H., Huet, F., & Lequen, V. (2007). Prevalence of compulsive buying among customers of a Parisian general store. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 48, 42–46.PubMedCrossRef

Lesieur, H. R., & Blume, S. B. (1987). The South Oaks Gambling Screen (The SOGS). A new instrument for the identification of pathological gamblers. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1184–1188.PubMed

Magee, A. (1994). Compulsive buying tendency as a predictor of attitudes and perceptions. Advances in Consumer Research, 21, 590–594.

Marcelli, D., & Braconnier, A. (2004). Adolescence et psychopathologie. 6 ^e édition revue et completée. Paris: Masson (Chapter 14).

Mc Elroy, S. L., Keck, P. E., Jr, Pope, H. G., Jr., Smith, J. M. R., & Strakowski, S. M. (1994). Compulsive buying: A report of 20 cases. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 55, 242–248.

Messerlian, C., Byrne, A. M., & Derevensky, J. L. (2004). Gambling, youth and the internet: Should we be concerned? The Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Review, 13, 3–6.PubMed

Messerlian, C., Derevensky, J., & Gupta, R. (2005). Youth gambling problems: A public health perspective. Health Promotion International, 20, 69–79.PubMedCrossRef

Pallanti, S., Bernardi, S., & Quercioli, L. (2006). The shorter PROMIS questionnaire and the Internet Addiction Scale in the assessment of multiple addictions in a high-school population: Prevalence and related disability. CNS Spectrums, 11, 966–974.PubMed

Petry, N. M. (2006). Should the scope of addictive behaviors be broadened to include pathological gambling? Addiction, 101(Suppl 1), 152–160.PubMedCrossRef

Petry, N. M., Stinson, F. S., & Grant, B. F. (2005). Comorbidity of DSM-IV Pathological Gambling and other psychiatric disorders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66, 564–574.PubMedCrossRef

Potenza, M. N. (2006). Should addictive disorders include non-substance-related conditions? Addiction, 101(Suppl 1), 142–151.PubMedCrossRef

Poulin, C. (2002). An assessment of the validity and reliability of the SOGS-RA. Journal of Gambling Studies, 18, 67–93.PubMedCrossRef

Roberts, J. A. (1998). Compulsive buying among college students: An investigation of its antecedents, consequences, and implications for public policy. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 32, 295–319.CrossRef

Robinson, B. E. (1989). Work addiction. Dearfield Beach, FL: Health Communications.

Robinson, B. E. (1996). Concurrent validity of the Work Addiction Risk Test as a measure of workaholism. Psychological Reports, 79, 1313–1314.PubMed

Robinson, B. E. (1999). The Work Addiction Risk Test: Development of a tentative measure of workaholism. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 88, 1999–2010.

Robinson, B. E. (2001). Chained to the desk: A guidebook for workaholics, their partners and children, the clinicians who treat them. New York: New York University Press.

Robinson, B. E., & Post, P. (1994). Validity of the Work Addiction Risk Test. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 78, 337–338.PubMed

Robinson, B. E., Post, P., & Khakee, J. F. (1992). Test-retest reliability of the Work Addiction Risk Test. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 74, 926.PubMedCrossRef

Schepis, T. S., Adinoff, B., & Rao, U. (2008). Neurobiological processes in adolescent addictive disorders. American Journal on Addictions, 17, 6–23.PubMedCrossRef

Shaffer, H. J., Hall, M. N., & Vander Bilt, J. (1999). Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behaviour in the United States and Canada: A research synthesis. American Journal of Public Health, 89, 1369–1376.PubMedCrossRef

Shaw, M., & Black, D. W. (2008). Internet addiction: Definition, assessment, epidemiology and clinical management. CNS Drugs, 22, 353–365.PubMedCrossRef

Terry, A., Szabo, A., & Griffiths, M. (2004). The exercise addiction inventory: A new brief screening tool. Addiction Research and Theory, 12, 489–499.CrossRef

Widyanto, L., & McMurran, M. (2004). The psychometric properties of the internet addiction test. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 7, 443–450.PubMedCrossRef

Winters, K. C., Stinchfield, R. D., & Fulkerson, J. (1993a). Patterns and characteristics of adolescent gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 371–386.CrossRef

Winters, K. C., Stinchfield, R. D., & Fulkerson, J. (1993b). Toward the development of an adolescent gambling problem severity scale. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 63–84.CrossRef

Winters, K. C., Stinchfield, R. D., & Kim, L. G. (1995). Monitoring adolescent gambling in Minnesota. Journal of Gambling Studies, 11, 165–183.CrossRef

World Medical Association. (2009). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. World Medical Journal, 55, 2–4.

Young, K. S. (1996, August). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Paper presented at the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.

Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the net. New York, NY: John Wiley & sons.

Title: Behavioural Addictions in Adolescents and Young Adults: Results from a Prevalence Study
Authors: Corrado Villella
Giovanni Martinotti
Marco Di Nicola
Maria Cassano
Giuseppe La Torre
Maria Daniela Gliubizzi
Immacolata Messeri
Filippo Petruccelli
Pietro Bria
Luigi Janiri
Gianluigi Conte
Publication date: 01-06-2011
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies / Issue 2/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3602
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-010-9206-0

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Behavioural Addictions in Adolescents and Young Adults: Results from a Prevalence Study

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 2/2011

Clinical Gender Differences Among Adult Pathological Gamblers Seeking Treatment

Gambling Behavior Among Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

A Longitudinal Study: Casino Gambling Attitudes, Motivations, and Gambling Patterns Among Urban Elders

The Prevalence and Course of Pathological Gambling in the Mood Disorders

The Effect of Including a Monetary Motive Item on the Gambling Motives Questionnaire in a Sample of Moderate Gamblers

Treatments for PTSD and Pathological Gambling: What Do Patients Want?