Similarities and differences among Internet gaming disorder, gambling disorder and alcohol use disorder: A focus on impulsivity and compulsivity

Abstract

Background and aims: The aim of the present study was to test the impulsivities and compulsivities of behavioral addictions, including Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and gambling disorder (GD), by directly comparing them with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and a healthy control (HC) group. Methods: We enrolled male patients who were diagnosed with IGD, GD or AUD, with 15 patients per group, as well as 15 HCs. Trait impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). The stop-signal test (SST) from the Cambridge Neuro-psychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was used to assess the patients’ abilities to inhibit prepotent responses. Compulsivity was measured using the intra–extra dimensional set shift (IED) test from the CANTAB. The Trail Making Test (TMT) was also used in this study. Results: The IGD and AUD groups scored significantly higher on the BIS-11 as a whole than did the HC group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). The IGD and AUD groups also scored significantly higher on the BIS-11 as a whole than did the GD group (p = 0.006 and p = 0.001, respectively). In addition, the GD group made significantly more errors (p = 0.017 and p = 0.022, respectively) and more individuals failed to achieve criterion on the IED test compared with the IGD and HC groups (p = 0.018 and p = 0.017, respectively). Discussion: These findings may aid in the understanding of not only the differences in categorical aspects between individuals with IGD and GD but also in impulsivity–compulsivity dimensional domains. Conclusion: Additional studies are needed to elucidate the neurocognitive characteristics of behavioral addictive disorders in terms of impulsivity and compulsivity.

How passion and impulsivity influence a player's choice of videogame, intensity of playing and time spent playing

“…Although some characteristics of impulsive individuals such as deficit in attention, lack of reflection, insensitivity to consequences, delayed reward discounting and inhibition of impulsive responses have a role in addictive behaviors (Crews & Boettiger, 2009;MacKillop et al, 2011) the study of impulsivity can be difficult because researchers use different scales. The three measures most used in the study of impulsivity's role in technological addictions have been those of Dickman (see Collins et al, 2012), Barrat (see Choi et al, 2014;Gentile et al, 2011;Metcalf & Pammer, 2014) and Whiteside and Lynam (see Billieux, 2012;Billieux et al, 2011). Despite the scales' differences, our research suggests that studying the different kinds of impulsivity is useful to understand why MMORPG players are different than other videogame players and to examine the progression from casual to problematic play, in combination with other characteristics such as harmonious and obsessive passion.…”

“…In the attempt to understand the player profile, impulsivity has also been studied in relation to videogame play (Choi et al, 2014;Collins et al, 2012;Metcalf & Pammer, 2014). The general theories of impulsivity have to do with the tendency to act without forethought and the negative consequences of that behavior (Eysenck, 1993).…”

Dysfunctional impulsivity in online gaming addiction and engagement

“…Moreover, some studies compared the levels of impulsivity in various addictions, but the group of online gamers was younger than the other addicts and the control group (e.g. Choi et al, 2014), which might bias the results. The structure of our sample helped to overcome this problem because it includes a large number of both adolescents and adults.…”

“…they were younger, less extroverted, and showed higher levels of social anxiety. In a small clinical sample, Choi et al (2014) found that overall impulsivity was higher in addicted gamers than in both gamblers and a healthy control group. A number of studies also pointed out that online gaming addiction may be influenced by higher levels of sensation seeking (e.g.…”

“…Thus, it is not certain to what extent higher impulsivity in gamers is specifically explained by their young age and whether impulsivity is still a predictor of addiction in older age. For instance, in a study by Choi et al (2014) that claimed that higher impulsivity is attributed to gaming addiction, internet gamers in treatment were significantly younger (in their late teens and early 20s) compared to gamblers and the healthy control group (who were about seven years older on average).…”