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Abstract
Background and aims
COVID-19 lockdowns limited access to gambling but simultaneously elevated psychosocial stressors. This study assessed the relative effects of these changes on gambling risk status during and after the Australian COVID-19 lockdown from late-March to late-May 2020.
Methods
The study administered three surveys to people who had gambled within the past year at T1. Wave 1 asked about before (T1, N = 2,125) and during lockdown (T2, N = 2,125). Subsequent surveys focused on one year (T3; N = 649) and two years after lockdown (T4, N = 458). The dependent variable was changes in reporting any problem gambling symptoms (PGSI 0 vs 1+). Bivariate analyses and multinomial logistic regression tested for significant associations with: demographics, psychosocial stressors (perceived stress, psychological distress, loneliness, health anxiety about COVID, financial hardship, stressful life events), gambling participation and gambling frequency.
Results
Gambling participation and at-risk gambling decreased between T1 and T2, increased at T3, with little further change at T4. When gambling availability was curtailed, decreased gambling frequency on EGMs, casino games, sports betting or race betting, and lower psychosocial stress, were associated with transitions from at-risk to non-problem gambling. When gambling availability resumed, increased EGM gambling frequency, decreased online gambling frequency, and higher psychosocial stress were associated with transitions from non-problem to at-risk gambling.
Discussion and conclusions
Gambling availability appears a stronger influence on gambling problems, at the population level, than psychosocial risk factors. Reducing the supply of high-risk gambling products, particularly EGMs, is likely to reduce gambling harm.
Abstract
Background and aims
Decisions and learning processes are under metacognitive control, where confidence in one's actions guides future behaviour. Indeed, studies have shown that being more confident results in less action updating and learning, and vice versa. This coupling between action and confidence can be disrupted, as has been found in individuals with high compulsivity symptoms. Patients with Gambling Disorder (GD) have been shown to exhibit both higher confidence and deficits in learning.
Methods
In this study, we tested the hypotheses that patients with GD display increased confidence, reduced action updating and lower learning rates. Additionally, we investigated whether the action-confidence coupling was distorted in patients with GD. To address this, 27 patients with GD and 30 control participants performed a predictive inference task designed to assess action and confidence dynamics during learning under volatility. Action-updating, confidence and their coupling were assessed and computational modeling estimated parameters for learning rates, error sensitivity, and sensitivity to environmental changes.
Results
Contrary to our expectations, results revealed no significant group differences in action updating or confidence levels. Nevertheless, GD patients exhibited a weakened coupling between confidence and action, as well as lower learning rates.
Discussion and conclusions
This suggests that patients with GD may underutilize confidence when steering future behavioral choices. Ultimately, these findings point to a disruption of metacognitive control in GD, without a general overconfidence bias in neutral, non-incentivized volatile learning contexts.
Abstract
Objective
Many studies have explored the relationship between childhood trauma and internet addiction from different theoretical perspectives; however, the results have been inconsistent. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the relationship between childhood trauma and internet addiction.
Methods
The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP electronic databases were searched to identify studies examining the correlation between childhood trauma and adolescent internet addiction. The databases were searched from inception to December 31, 2022. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies. Then, Stata 17.0 software was used to perform meta-analysis.
Results
This study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023388699). A total of 19 studies involving 21,398 adolescents were included in this meta-analysis. The random effects model was used for pooled analysis, and the results revealed a strong positive association between childhood trauma and internet addiction (r = 0.395, 95% CI [0.345, 0.442]). The relationship between childhood trauma and internet addiction was moderated by sample size, survey area, and internet addiction measurement tools. There were significant differences between the associations based on the various child trauma measurement tools and study quality scores. However, interstudy heterogeneity was not significantly affected by study year, sample source, or participant age.
Conclusion
Internet addiction is positively correlated with childhood trauma. Therefore, it is extremely important for parents to provide a good growth environment during childhood to enhance the physical and mental development of adolescents. A warm family atmosphere helps individuals develop a healthy personality, thereby reducing or preventing the occurrence of internet addiction. Due to the limited number and low quality of the included studies, the above conclusions need to be verified by additional high-quality studies.
Abstract
Background and aims
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and unstable interpersonal relationships. Some individuals with BPD regularly engage in sexual risk behavior such as unprotected sex and are at higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections. This study investigates discounting of condom- or dental dam-protected sex in women with BPD compared with a control group.
Methods
Data were collected from 40 women diagnosed with BPD and 40 healthy controls with an average age of 27.28 years (SD = 6.14) using the Sexual Delay Discounting Task (SDT), the Borderline Symptom List-23 (BSL-23), and the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale-19 (CSBD-19).
Results
Women with BPD were less likely to use an immediately available condom or dental dam and more likely to discount safer sex than controls. Partner desirability and the perceived STI risk influenced the participants' likelihood of having protected sex. Women with BPD showed more symptoms of compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) than controls. However, sexual delay discounting was not significantly correlated with borderline symptoms or CSB in the BPD group.
Discussion and conclusions
These findings contribute to our understanding of sexual impulsivity in women with BPD and highlight the omission and delayed availability of safety measures as important contributors to sexual risk behavior and STI risk in women. Impulsive sexual behavior, as well as the accompanying sexual health concerns, should receive special attention in the treatment of women with BPD.
Abstract
This annotated bibliography comprises 49 texts concerning psilocybin mushroom practices developed by Indigenous peoples. The books and articles have been selected for their academic rigor, relevance, and historical significance, and to foreground overlooked research and subject matter. This includes research on a plurality of contemporary practices and evidence of historical uses, from cultural traditions in Mexico and other regions of the world. The curated texts are sourced from various disciplines, including anthropology, history, archaeology, ethnolinguistics, and ethnomycology. Employing diverse methodological and analytical frameworks, the texts explore the diversity of ways Indigenous cultures have related with, utilized, and conceptualized psilocybin mushrooms and the effects occasioned by their consumption. The annotations include brief summaries of the texts, contextualization of the research, and more critical appraisals. The aim of this annotated bibliography is to offer the reader a diverse overview of the research to date and provide an accessible resource for further exploration of historical and contemporary Indigenous psilocybin practices. The team of psychedelic researchers behind this annotated bibliography hope it will contribute to more nuanced dialogue around Indigenous people and practices in the context of the so-called psychedelic renaissance.
From greenwashing to screenwashing?
How the tech industry plays around with children's future
Abstract
In this viewpoint, we introduce the term ‘screenwashing’, which describes the phenomenon whereby social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, pretend to be more socially responsible than they actually are. That is, social media platforms pretend to be thoughtful about children's health and the prevention of problematic social media use, but this often turns out to be nothing more than “a lick of paint”. We describe how features like the one-hour notification on TikTok and Instagram are considered screenwashing and why we believe so. Screenwashing, an unethical practice, has the potential to mislead parents and young users. Consequently, we advocate for increased government intervention to protect our youth from the potential hazards associated with problematic social media use.
Abstract
Background
Increasing research has examined the factors related to smartphone use disorder. However, limited research has explored its neural basis.
Aims
We aimed to examine the relationship between the topology of the resting-state electroencephalography (rs-EEG) brain network and smartphone use disorder using minimum spanning tree analysis. Furthermore, we examined how negative emotions mediate this relationship.
Methods
This study included 113 young, healthy adults (mean age = 20.87 years, 46.9% males).
Results
The results showed that the alpha- and delta-band kappas and delta-band leaf fraction were positively correlated with smartphone use disorder. In contrast, the alpha-band diameter was negatively correlated with smartphone use disorder. Negative emotions fully mediated the relationship between alpha-band kappa and alpha-band diameter and smartphone use disorder. Furthermore, negative emotions partially mediated the relationship between delta-band kappa and smartphone use disorder. The findings suggest that excessive scale-free alpha- and delta-band brain networks contribute to the emergence of smartphone use disorder. In addition, the findings also demonstrate that negative emotions and smartphone use disorder share the same neural basis. Negative emotions play a mediating role in the association between topological deviations and smartphone use disorder.
Discussion
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the neural basis of smartphone use disorder from the perspective of the topology of the rs-EEG brain network. Therefore, neuromodulation may be a potential intervention for smartphone use disorder.
Abstract
In 2021, the final series of phase 3 clinical trials looking at MDMA-AT for treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found that 71.2% of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) full-dose participants no longer met criteria for PTSD. MDMA-assisted therapy is not US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved in treating borderline personality disorder (BPD), and while PTSD is quite different from BPD, it is possible that some of the beneficial effects of MDMA-assisted therapy may be applicable in treating BPD. Interviewing two clinicians utilizing dialectical behavioral therapy treatment and two MDMA-assisted therapy clinicians was one way to examine the phenomenology of MDMA-assisted therapy with BPD individuals in a thoughtful manner. An exploratory, qualitative, interview-based study assessed clinicians' perspectives of MDMA-assisted therapy and BPD and increased our understanding of underlying therapeutic mechanisms and processes and the role of pharmacological factors in these treatment modalities, optimizing treatment context, and leading to improved clinical responses and patient recovery. The codes generated unique perspectives of the participants revealing a chronological narrative which included three phases of treatment.
Abstract
Background and aims
Scientific interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics has been experiencing significant growth. Understanding the perceptions of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy (PAP) among health professional, patients, and the public is essential to guide future research objectives, trial protocols, and identify any barriers to future implementation.
Methods
A comprehensive search of the databases (Medline, EMBASE, PSYCHinfo, SCOPUS, and Web of Science) was conducted on the 29th of November, 2022. This review included cross-sectional, longitudinal, and quasi-experimental studies published in peer-reviewed journals exploring perceptions of PAP among the three stakeholder groups. Studies were limited to English-language and the years 2012–2022. The protocol and review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.
Results
The sample consisted of 29 studies, including n = 17 health professional, n = 6 patients, and n = 6 public. Broadly, knowledge of PAP was low among all three stakeholder groups. There was mixed to positive belief in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, with male gender, younger age, and personal psychedelic experience/knowledge being key predictors of more favourable views. The majority of findings reported strong endorsement of further research. Consistent themes were identified surrounding concerns about legal status, funding, access, side-effects, and implementation.
Conclusion
The evaluated research indicates a need for further research that will provide clarity about safety and elucidate how PAP may be implemented in public health settings. Further education of health professionals and the public should be a priority.
Abstract
The present research study investigated the phenomenon of recreational use of psychedelics at music festivals, analysing whether the resulting experiences could possibly be recognized as valuable in terms of preventive mental health strategies. Quantitative (online survey) and qualitative (interviews) research methods have been combined to illuminate 3 main topics: motivation for the setting choice; the nature of the resulting experiences & their influence on people's lives; learnings from psychedelic experiences at music festivals (PEMF).
Among other findings, motivation evolved around fun, enhancing the sensory exploration of the world, and deepening the connection to its diverse parts through engagement with art, nature and other beings. Factors, distinguishing music festivals from other settings, were significant for the setting choice (non-controllability of the environment, community & connection aspect, diversity & richness of the surroundings, pharmacological specifics). Remarkably, the non-controllability of the environment, otherwise avoided in the psychedelic research, contributed to the life-changing effects of PEMF. Exploration of their nature showed that, mostly rooted in poly-drug use, the enjoyable were clearly dominating over the challenging ones. The mystical PEMF appeared to be surprisingly common. Participants shared the related life-changing effects, centred around changed perception (increased empathy, awareness, acceptance; new perspectives, etc.) and changed behaviours (increased mindfulness in all life areas; making different life choices; changed approach to relationships, etc.). Except for post MDMA recovery, a positive impact of PEMF on mental health and the emotional state of the participants was reported, referring to increased levels of happiness, compassion, awe, trust and to emotional balance. This study showed the potential value of PEMF in terms of preventive mental health strategies in various forms. Acknowledging these findings as well as the existence of potential risks for triggering psychiatric conditions, de-stigmatization of recreational use could help introduce meaningful changes, including substance testing availability, prioritization of education as well as mandatory welfare and harm reduction services on-site.
