Documents published in 2017 : Scipedia

Management of middle cerebral artery dissecting aneurysm
. Ming-Jung Chuang, . Cheng-Hsien Lu, . Min-Hsiung Cheng

Asian Journal of Surgery (2012). Vol. 35

Abstract
Dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial carotid circulation were previously thought to occur primarily in young people presenting with cerebral infarction caused by arterial stenosis and occlusion. The appropriate management of dissecting aneurysms in the anterior circulation remains controversial, especially in patients who also present with cerebral infarction. However, recent studies have reported better outcomes for patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) dissecting aneurysms involving surgically treated subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The purpose of this study is to describe a case of spontaneous SAH from rupture of a dissecting aneurysm in the M2 segment observed in a 79-year-old man with no sign of an ischemic neurological deficit, and also to review the clinical and radiological features of cases reported since 1990. Our review of the literature identified 24 cases of MCA dissecting aneurysms after 1990. Of the patients in these cases, 15 (63%) presented with pure bleeding and 7 (29%) with ischemia, and two were detected incidentally. Our review also found that the outcome of patients presenting with pure bleeding differed from those with ischemia. Patients with an MCA dissecting aneurysm who presented with pure bleeding showed better outcomes if they had surgery than if they did not. In contrast, the appropriate management of patients with a dissecting aneurysm who present with ischemia remains controversial. Our review found that the clinical course of patients presenting with ischemia differed from that of patients presenting with pure bleeding. Most of the patients with ischemia underwent progressive deterioration. However, while the outcome for patients with ischemia treated surgically was relatively good, it remained poor compared to the outcome for patients who had been bleeding.
Abstract
Dissecting aneurysms of the intracranial carotid circulation were previously thought to occur primarily in young people presenting with cerebral infarction caused by arterial [...]
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From multi-incision to single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy step-by-step: One surgeons self-taught experience and retrospective analysis
. Shu-Hung Chuang

Asian Journal of Surgery (2013). Vol. 36

Abstract
Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is emerging as an alternative to standard four-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (4ILC). This study presents one surgeons experience of SILC and a retrospective analysis of the data. Sixty-seven consecutive patients treated by a single surgeon and undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for benign gallbladder diseases were enrolled. LCs were attempted with conventional instruments as follows: 24 three-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies (3ILC), 10 two-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies (2ILC), and 33 SILC. The procedure conversion rate into the SILC, 2ILC, and 3ILC groups was 9.1%, 0%, and 8.3% respectively. Operative time was significantly longer with SILC (111.1 ± 30.34 minutes) compared to 2ILC (79.1 ± 15.74 minutes) and 3ILC (80.2 ± 29.41 minutes) (p < 0.01). Post-operative pethidine dosage was significantly lower in the 2ILC group (0.29 ± 0.358 mg/kg) compared to the 3ILC group (1.02 ± 0.802 mg/kg) (p < 0.05). Length of hospital stay (LOS) was significantly shorter in the SILC group (2.52 ± 0.566 days) compared to the 3ILC group (3.1 ± 1.02 days) (p < 0.05). There were no complications. SILC is a safe and feasible procedure that is comparable to multi-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (MILC). We have introduced a recommended step-by-step training program. SILC needed longer operative time than MILC but has potential benefits in terms of LOS and post-operative pain.
Abstract
Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is emerging as an alternative to standard four-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (4ILC). This study presents one surgeons [...]
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Improvising hepatic venous outflow and inferior vena cava reconstruction for combined heart and liver and sequential liver transplantations
S. Ching Chan, L. Cheung Cheng, K. Lai Ho, K. S.H. Chok, W. W. Sharr, W. Chiu Dai, C. Mau Lo

Asian Journal of Surgery (2013). Vol. 36

Abstract
Liver transplantation is a standard treatment for patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) with disease progression. Given the multiorgan involvement by amyloidosis, the heart is often involved. When poor cardiac function becomes prohibitive to liver transplantation, a combined heart-liver transplantation (CHLT) is the only realistic treatment. This article records a CHLT for a patient with FAP whose removed liver was immediately transplanted as an amyloidotic hepatic allograft (AHA) to a patient having hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis in a sequential liver transplantation. In the CHLT, the heart and liver are donated by a deceased donor. The newly implanted heart did not tolerate cross clamping of the inferior vena cava (IVC), so a side-to-side anastomosis was performed to connect the IVC and that of the liver graft. Therefore, the AHA was devoid of an IVC. The infrarenal cava procured from the deceased donor was used for reconstruction of the AHA to match a whole graft used in routine deceased-donor liver transplantation. Venoplasty was performed using the graft right hepatic vein and the middle and left hepatic vein stump to form a single cuff. The reconstructed AHA was implanted to the recipient conveniently like a usual whole graft.
Abstract
Liver transplantation is a standard treatment for patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) with disease progression. Given the multiorgan involvement by amyloidosis, [...]
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Wide composite resection of follicular thyroid carcinoma with metastases to sternum: Report of two cases
. Yen-Chou Chen, . Ngian-Chye Tan, . Hung-I. Lu, . Shun-Chen Huang, . Fong-Fu Chou, . Yur-Ren Kuo

Asian Journal of Surgery (2013). Vol. 36

Abstract
Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) with sternum metastasis is rarely reported. Conservative treatments always result in a poor prognosis. We report two cases of FTC presenting with a large symptomatic solitary metastatic lesion in the sternum. Surgical intervention included total thyroidectomy, combined with wide composite resection of the sternal manubrium, as well as the adjacent clavicular head and ribs. A large defect with exposed pericardium and great vessels was found post resection in both cases. Because the ipsilateral vessels were sacrificed, a contralateral extended pedicled pectoralis major adipofascial flap was designed and transposed to cover the underlying vital organs. The patients received both adjuvant I-131 and radiotherapy postoperatively. The treatment was uneventful, and the patients are well and asymptomatic 5 years after the treatment. Wide composite resection and appropriate adjuvant therapies may offer a survival benefit in patients with advanced FTC with sternum metastasis.
Abstract
Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) with sternum metastasis is rarely reported. Conservative treatments always result in a poor prognosis. We report two cases of FTC presenting [...]
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Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver with focal osteoid picture—A case report
. Jian-Han Chen, . Cheng-Hung Lee, . Chang-Kuo Wei, . Shu-Mei Chang, . Wen-Yao Yin

Asian Journal of Surgery (2013). Vol. 36

Abstract
Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL) is a rare primary liver tumor. Less than 100 adult cases were reported. It has female and right lobe preponderance. In pathological features, focal osteoid picture in UESL is never reported. We present a 63-year-old male patient with left lobe UESL with focal osteoid picture. He was admitted for a palpable solid mass, with left upper quadrant abdominal pain for 4 months. Abdominal computed tomography showed a huge well-circumscribed mass at left upper quadrant, 21.3 × 13 × 27.9 cm3 in size, with multiple septa in delayed phase. En bloc resection including lateral segmentectomy, splenectomy, and cholecystectomy were performed, but tumor rupture was noted. The pathologic diagnosis was ruptured UESL. The postoperative course was uneventful, and adjuvant radiotherapy without chemotherapy was performed. Peritoneal seeding with massive ascites was noted in the 9th month after operation. Even after receiving salvage chemotherapy, he died 1 year after operation. Early complete surgical resection with adjuvant chemotherapy may improve prognosis of UESL. But the overall survival of UESL did not improve until recently. We present this case along with a literature review of the clinical pictures, diagnosis, pathology presentation, pathologicogenesis of focal osteoid picture, treatment, and prognosis for UESL of another 23 new reported cases since 2007.
Abstract
Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL) is a rare primary liver tumor. Less than 100 adult cases were reported. It has female and right lobe preponderance. [...]
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Liver transplantation for a renal transplantation recipient with secondary sclerosing cholangitis by choledochoduodenal fistula
. Wen-Tsan Chang, . Niang-Cheng Lin, . Cheng-Yuan Hsia, . Chin-Su Liu, . Hsin-Lin Tsai, . Che-Chuan Loong

Asian Journal of Surgery (2012). Vol. 35

Abstract
Choledochoduodenal fistula (CDF) complicated by peptic diseases or following surgical or endoscopic approaches of the common bile duct is not uncommon. However, it usually occurs without significant symptoms and can be well controlled with conservative treatment in normal immunized patients. Here we report a case involving a 58-year-old male patient with diabetic nephropathy, who received a choledocholithotomy for choledocholithiasis in November 2007 and renal transplantation in March 2008. The patient had recurring cholangitis during the 5 months following his renal transplantation. Cholangiography and liver biopsy revealed sclerosing cholangitis. The patient underwent liver transplantation (LT) in May 2009 because radiological and endoscopic procedures failed to control his jaundice. A proximal CDF was found during the LT procedures. We considered that the patients advanced secondary sclerosing cholangitis was induced by this fistula. At the 16 months' follow-up, the patient was surviving well and the graft remained intact. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a renal transplantation recipient receiving LT because of uncontrolled cholangitis caused by a CDF.
Abstract
Choledochoduodenal fistula (CDF) complicated by peptic diseases or following surgical or endoscopic approaches of the common bile duct is not uncommon. However, it usually [...]
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High-grade glioma in a patient with breast cancer
. Che-Chao Chang, . Chih-Hao Tien, . Shih-Huang Tai, . Ming-Tsung Chuang, . Chun-I Sze, . Yu-Chang Hung, . E-Jian Lee

Asian Journal of Surgery (2014). Vol. 37

Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common origins of metastatic lesions in the central nervous system. Many patients with a breast cancer and concurrent brain tumor(s) were diagnosed to have a metastatic lesion or lesions in the brain, based exclusively on their image findings without further pathologic verification, and received radiotherapy alone thereafter. It is, however, possible that a different pathology such as primary brain malignancy, which actually warrants a specific treatment modality, may occur in such patients with an already known malignancy. We, herein, reported a 61-year-old female patient who suffered from an anaplastic oligodendroglioma 1 year after her diagnosis of breast cancer. Demographic data, characteristic imaging findings, treatment, and outcome of the patient were discussed.
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common origins of metastatic lesions in the central nervous system. Many patients with a breast cancer and concurrent brain tumor(s) were [...]
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The effect of sequential intermittent pneumatic compression of foot and calf on popliteal artery mean systolic blood flow in patients with intermittent claudication
. Daphne Anthonysamy, Z. Azizi, H. Mohd Tajri

Asian Journal of Surgery (2012). Vol. 35

Abstract
To determine the effect of intermittent pneumatic foot and calf compression on popliteal artery mean systolic blood flow in patients with intermittent claudication. The secondary objective was to determine the change in blood flow with posture. This was a cross sectional study carried out on claudication patients at the Vascular Laboratory, Department of General Surgery, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, from January 2009 to August 2009. The effect of posture (supine to sitting to standing) and the effect of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) of the foot and calf on popliteal artery flow immediately and 10 minutes post compression were studied. Fifteen patients were studied. There was a consistent drop in flow from supine to sitting and to standing in all patients. Immediately after IPC application there was an increase in flow ranging from 29–335% (p < 0.05). Increase in flow was reduced but still sustained after 10 minutes with a flow range of 17–113 mL/minute with a median of 63 mL/minute (p < 0.05). There is a significant reduction in popliteal artery mean systolic flow from supine to sitting and to the standing position, and popliteal artery flow is significantly increased after application of IPC and even persists after 10 minutes.
Abstract
To determine the effect of intermittent pneumatic foot and calf compression on popliteal artery mean systolic blood flow in patients with intermittent claudication. The secondary [...]
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Effect of postoperative fractionated radiotherapy on canine ePTFE graft neointima and anastomotic stoma healing: A preliminary experimental study
. Chang Shu, . Yuanyuan Guo, . Xiao Zhou, H. Wan, . Jingqiang Yan, . Liqing Yuan

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011). Vol. 34

Abstract
The present study aimed to determine whether postoperative fractionated radiotherapy, at a total dose of 35 Gy, affected expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft anastomotic stoma healing and neointima formation. The subrenal abdominal aortas of 20 mongrel dogs were replaced with an ePTFE graft. The dogs were randomly divided into either a radiotherapy or nonradiotherapy control group. Grafts were harvested at 4 or 8 weeks after surgery. Hematoxylin–eosin staining, and immunohistochemistry tests for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and CD34 were undertaken to analyze the anastomotic healing and neointima formation. The patency rate of grafts was 100% in each group. No disunion, rupture, or aneurysm was observed in the anastomotic stoma. Eight weeks after surgery, the graft neointima and anastomotic vessel wall of the radiotherapy group were significantly thinner than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical examination was carried out in accordance with histomorphology. Postoperative fractionated radiotherapy after an ePTFE graft replacement of the abdominal aorta did not affect the healing of the anastomotic stoma. However, it suppressed the development of hyperplasia in the anastomotic stoma neointima and graft neointima formation in the short term.
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine whether postoperative fractionated radiotherapy, at a total dose of 35 Gy, affected expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft anastomotic [...]
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Primary colorectal lymphoma: Case series and literature review
. Wong-Hoi She, . Weida Day, P. Lau, . Kong-Ling Mak, A. Yip

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011). Vol. 34

Abstract
Primary colorectal lymphoma is a rare disease that accounts for 0.16% of colorectal malignancies. Treatments include surgical intervention with or without chemotherapy. Outcome of this intervention among the Chinese population are lacking. Perforation resulting from chemotherapy may need further exploration. A retrospective review of patient records was performed among those who were diagnosed with colorectal malignancy in a single center from January 1998 to June 2009. Ten patients met Dawsons diagnostic criteria for primary colorectal lymphoma [0.66% (10/1516) of all colorectal malignancies]. The male-to-female ratio was 9:1, and median age at diagnosis was 76 years. The most common site was the cecum (n = 5). B-cell lymphoma was present in eight patients. Seven patients underwent surgical intervention. The median follow-up of all patients was 16.5 months. Median survival was 17 months and 13 months in the surgical and chemotherapy group, respectively. Primary colonic lymphoma is a rare disease. Surgical intervention appeared to be superior to chemotherapy alone, but the findings were limited by the small number of patients in this study. Whether surgery or chemotherapy should be offered first remains unknown and requires further research.
Abstract
Primary colorectal lymphoma is a rare disease that accounts for 0.16% of colorectal malignancies. Treatments include surgical intervention with or without chemotherapy. Outcome [...]
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Blunt adrenal gland trauma in the pediatric population
. Stylianos Roupakias, . Marinos Papoutsakis, . Paraskevi Mitsakou

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011). Vol. 34

Abstract
A retrospective review of the literature was performed to determine the natural history, prevalence, prognosis and management of adrenal injury associated with blunt abdominal trauma in pediatric population. Blunt adrenal injury in children is uncommon, rarely isolated, and typically present as part of a multi organ trauma. Adrenal hemorrhage is being diagnosed more frequently since the emergence of computed tomography in modern emergency rooms. Obstetric birth trauma during vaginal delivery of a macrosomic fetus may result in neonatal adrenal hemorrhage. In children appear to be an incidental finding that resolves on follow-up imaging. Most of these injuries are self-limited and do not require intervention. The differential diagnosis of an adrenal neoplasm, especially in children with an isolated adrenal hemorrhage, must be considered. The presence of adrenal hemorrhage in the absence of a trauma history should alert to the possibility of pediatric inflicted injury.
Abstract
A retrospective review of the literature was performed to determine the natural history, prevalence, prognosis and management of adrenal injury associated with blunt abdominal [...]
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Successful extirpation of thoracic pleural lipoma by single-port thoracoscopic surgery
S. Oka, . Hidetaka Uramoto, . Takeshi Hanagiri

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011). Vol. 34

Abstract
Video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) is a common technique for thoracic operations. Surgery with access via a single port has gradually become popular. We herein report the unusual case of a 53-year-old Japanese male patient whose chest X-rays revealed an abnormal shadow, which continued to increase in size. The tumor was excised by single-port access surgery. The resected tumor was a pedunculated pleural mass, yellowish in color, and pathological diagnosis confirmed a lipoma. We describe the first known successful treatment by single-port VATS.
Abstract
Video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) is a common technique for thoracic operations. Surgery with access via a single port has gradually become popular. We herein report [...]
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Surgical pitfalls in patients with Ehlers–Danlos type IV: A case of spontaneous sigmoid perforation in a 17-year-old male
K. Lyn Ng, W. Kit Cheong

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011). Vol. 34

Abstract
Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of well described connective tissue disorders in which collagen production is impaired. The surgical management of affected individuals remains challenging, with no general consensus. We report a case of spontaneous sigmoid perforation in a 17-year-old Eurasian male, in whom we subsequently established the diagnosis of EDS type IV (EDS-IV). We review the literature to discuss the clinical features and diagnosis, and the recommended therapeutic management.
Abstract
Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of well described connective tissue disorders in which collagen production is impaired. The surgical management of affected individuals [...]
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Pelvic exenteration for men with locally advanced rectal cancer: A morbidity analysis of complicated cases
. Ta-Wen Hsu, . Feng-Fan Chiang, . Ming-Cheng Chen, . Hwei-Ming Wang

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011). Vol. 34

Abstract
The role of pelvic exenteration in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) has not been clearly defined. This procedure carries a mortality rate of approximately 10%. The challenges during pelvic surgery are different between men and women. The morbidity in men with LARC who received pelvic exenteration was analyzed. Medical records of men with LARC undergoing total pelvic exenteration or supralevator pelvic exenteration from January 1991 to December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 23 cases were included in the analysis. Thirteen patients had primary cancer, 10 had recurrent cancer. Microscopically clear surgical margins were obtained in 14 patients (60.9%). Sixteen patients (69.6%) experienced major or minor postoperative complications. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 8.7%. Ten patients (43.5%) died within 1 year after surgery. All 10 patients with early mortality experienced refractory complications and repeated surgeries. The longest survival of patients with margin involvement was 25 months. The correlation between involved surgical margins and 1-year mortality was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Resection margins with tumor involvement after pelvic exenteration is associated with poor prognosis and early mortality in men with locally advanced rectal cancer.
Abstract
The role of pelvic exenteration in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) has not been clearly defined. This procedure carries a mortality rate of approximately 10%. The challenges [...]
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Efficacy and safety of photoselective vaporization of the prostate in patients with prostatic obstruction induced by advanced prostate cancer
. Yuan-Tso Cheng, . Po-Hui Chiang, . Yen-Ta Chen, . Chun-Chien Hsu, . Yao-Chi Chuang

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011). Vol. 34

Abstract
We evaluated the efficacy and outcome of laser photoselective vaporization of prostate (PVP) in patients with voiding difficulty due to prostatic obstruction induced by advanced prostate cancer (PC). We retrospectively studied the records of 13 patients with advanced PC and prostatic obstruction with a mean prostate volume of 65.0 ml. All of the 13 patients received PVP between 2006 and 2010 due to the symptoms of voiding difficulty or acute urinary retention (AUR, N = 10) refractory to medical treatment. Perioperative safety and functional results were evaluated. Lasering time ranged from 24 to 20 minutes (mean 67 ± 26), during which 66–423 KJ (mean 172 ± 95) of laser energy was delivered. All patients could resume voiding function with a mean catheterization time of 3.0 days. Our preliminary results suggest that PVP is a safe and effective procedure for relieving prostatic obstruction without intraoperative blood transfusion, water intoxication, or other complications in patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Abstract
We evaluated the efficacy and outcome of laser photoselective vaporization of prostate (PVP) in patients with voiding difficulty due to prostatic obstruction induced by advanced [...]
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Characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplantation: Perioperative prognostic factors, patterns, and outcome
. Kun-Ming Chan, . Hong-Shiue Chou, . Ting-Jung Wu, . Chen-Fang Lee, . Ming-Chin Yu, . Wei-Chen Lee

Asian Journal of Surgery (2011).

Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) is known to be a promising treatment for patients with liver cirrhosis associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study, however, found that HCC recurrence remains to be a concern. A total of 126 HCC patients who had undergone LT between January 2000 and December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological features of the patients were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine prognostic factors. Patients who had HCC recurrence were further analyzed in terms of recurrent pattern, management, and outcome. Seventeen patients (13.5%) exhibited HCC recurrence following LT. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified two prognostic factors: tumor number > three [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.249] and presence of microvascular invasion (HR = 4.336). Among patients with HCC recurrence, 15 out of 17 (88%) patients developed extrahepatic metastasis shortly after recurrence. The survival of patients after HCC recurrence was dismal with 18.3 months of median survival. Multiple tumors (>three) are an important prognostic factor for HCC recurrence following LT, but an accurate assessment of tumor status by pretransplantation radiological examination is required. The outcome of patients with HCC recurrence after LT remains very poor because of a tendency of HCC to recur as extrahepatic metastasis.
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) is known to be a promising treatment for patients with liver cirrhosis associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study, however, found [...]
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The effect of perceived risk on the combined used of alcohol and marijuana: Results from daily surveys
. Gloria Yeomans-Maldonado, M. E. Patrick

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 33-36

Abstract
Studies looking at the association between perceived risk and simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana are scarce. The present study has three purposes: (1) to examine the association between alcohol and marijuana use at the daily level, (2) to document how this association varies by the perceived risk of using alcohol and marijuana simultaneously, (3) to test whether the association varies by college attendance. 89 young adults (Mean Age = 18.3 years, SD = 0.5) participated between October 2012 and May 2013. Participants completed a 30-min survey followed by 14 brief daily surveys in each of three waves. Alcohol use on a given day was associated with increased odds of marijuana use that day, especially among young adults with lower perceived risk. For college students, the association between alcohol and marijuana was weaker than for non-students. Alcohol and marijuana use were associated at a daily level, especially among young adults with lower perceived risk and those who were not attending college.
Abstract
Studies looking at the association between perceived risk and simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana are scarce. The present study has three purposes: (1) to examine the [...]
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Heavy cannabis use and attentional avoidance of anxiety-related stimuli
T. Wilcockson, . N.E.M. Sanal

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 38-42

Abstract
Cannabis is now the most widely used illicit substance in the world. Previous research demonstrates that cannabis use is associated with dysfunctional affect regulation and anxiety. Anxiety is characterised by attentional biases in the presence of emotional information. This novel study therefore examined the attentional bias of cannabis users when presented with anxiety-related stimuli. The aim was to establish whether cannabis users respond to anxiety-related stimuli differently to control participants. A dot-probe paradigm was utilised using undergraduate students. Trials contained anxiety-related stimuli and neutral control stimuli. Eye-tracking was used to measure attention for the stimuli. Results indicated that cannabis users demonstrated attentional-avoidance behaviour when presented with anxiety-related stimuli. The findings suggest a difference in processing of emotional information in relation to neutral information between groups. It would appear that cannabis users avoid anxiety provoking stimuli. Such behaviour could potentially have motivational properties that could lead to exacerbating anxiety disorder-type behaviour.
Abstract
Cannabis is now the most widely used illicit substance in the world. Previous research demonstrates that cannabis use is associated with dysfunctional affect regulation and [...]
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Cigarette smoking, problem-gambling severity, and health behaviors in high-school students
A. H. Weinberger, C. Franco, R. A. Hoff, . Corey Pilver, M. A. Steinberg, . Loreen Rugle, . Jeremy Wampler, D. A. Cavallo, S. Krishnan-Sarin, M. N. Potenza

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).

Abstract
Smoking and gambling are two significant public health concerns. Little is known about the association of smoking and gambling in adolescents. The current study of high-school adolescents examined: (1) smoking behavior by problem-gambling severity and (2) health-related variables by problem-gambling severity and smoking status. Analyses utilized survey data from 1591 Connecticut high-school students. Adolescents were classified by problem-gambling severity (Low-Risk Gambling [LRG], At-Risk/Problem Gambling [ARPG]) and smoking status (current smoker, non-smoker). Analyses examined the smoking behavior of ARPG versus LRG adolescents as well as the smoking-by-problem-gambling-severity interactions for health and well-being measures (e.g., grades, substance use). Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used, the latter controlled for gender, race/ethnicity, school grade, and family structure. More adolescents with ARPG than LRG reported regular smoking, heavy smoking, early smoking onset, no smoking quit attempts, and parental approval of smoking. ARPG and LRG adolescents who smoked were more likely to report poor grades, lifetime use of marijuana and other drugs, current heavy alcohol use, current caffeine use, depression, and aggressive behaviors and less likely to report participation in extracurricular activities. The association between not participating in extracurricular activities and smoking was statistically stronger in the LRG compared to the ARPG groups. Post-hoc analyses implicated a range of extracurricular activities including team sports, school clubs, and church activities. Smoking was associated with poorer health-related behaviors in both ARPG and LRG groups. Interventions with adolescents may benefit from targeting both smoking and gambling.
Abstract
Smoking and gambling are two significant public health concerns. Little is known about the association of smoking and gambling in adolescents. The current study of high-school [...]
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Online-specific fear of missing out and Internet-use expectancies contribute to symptoms of Internet-communication disorder
. Elisa Wegmann, . Ursula Oberst, . Benjamin Stodt, . Matthias Brand

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 33-42

Abstract
Some of the most frequently used online applications are Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. These applications allow individuals to communicate with other users, to share information or pictures, and to stay in contact with friends all over the world. However, a growing number of users suffer from negative consequences due to their excessive use of these applications, which can be referred to as Internet-communication disorder. The frequent use and easy access of these applications may also trigger the individuals fear of missing out on content when not accessing these applications. Using a sample of 270 participants, a structural equation model was analyzed to investigate the role of psychopathological symptoms and the fear of missing out on expectancies towards Internet-communication applications in the development of symptoms of an Internet-communication disorder. The results suggest that psychopathological symptoms predict higher fear of missing out on the individuals Internet-communication applications and higher expectancies to use these applications as a helpful tool to escape from negative feelings. These specific cognitions mediate the effect of psychopathological symptoms on Internet-communication disorder. Our results are in line with the theoretical model by Brand et al. (2016) as they show how Internet-related cognitive bias mediates the relationship between a persons core characteristics (e.g., psychopathological symptoms) and Internet-communication disorder. However, further studies should investigate the role of the fear of missing out as a specific predisposition, as well as specific cognition in the online context.
Abstract
Some of the most frequently used online applications are Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. These applications allow individuals to communicate with other users, to share information [...]
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Smoke signals: The decline of brand identity predicts reduced smoking behaviour following the introduction of plain packaging
. Hugh Webb, B. M. Jones, . Kathleen McNeill, L. Lim, A. J. Frain, K. J. O'Brien, D. P. Skorich, . Peta Hoffmann, . Tegan Cruwys

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017).

Abstract
This study tests a social identity based mechanism for the effectiveness of plain tobacco packaging legislation, introduced in Australia in December 2012, to reduce cigarette smoking. 178 Australian smokers rated their sense of identification with fellow smokers of their brand, positive brand stereotypes, quitting behaviours and intentions, and smoking intensity, both before and seven months after the policy change. Mediation analyses showed that smokers, especially those who initially identified strongly with their brand, experienced a significant decrease in their brand identity following the introduction of plain packaging and this was associated with lower smoking behaviours and increased intentions to quit. The findings provide the first quantitative evidence that brand identities may help maintain smoking behaviour, and suggest the role of social-psychological processes in the effectiveness of public health policy.
Abstract
This study tests a social identity based mechanism for the effectiveness of plain tobacco packaging legislation, introduced in Australia in December 2012, to reduce cigarette [...]
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Ordinary people associate addiction with loss of free will
A. J. Vonasch, C. J. Clark, . Stephan Lau, K. D. Vohs, R. F. Baumeister

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017).

Abstract
It is widely believed that addiction entails a loss of free will, even though this point is controversial among scholars. There is arguably a downside to this belief, in that addicts who believe they lack the free will to quit an addiction might therefore fail to quit an addiction. A correlational study tested the relationship between belief in free will and addiction. Follow-up studies tested steps of a potential mechanism: 1) people think drugs undermine free will 2) people believe addiction undermines free will more when doing so serves the self 3) disbelief in free will leads people to perceive various temptations as more addictive. People with lower belief in free will were more likely to have a history of addiction to alcohol and other drugs, and also less likely to have successfully quit alcohol. People believe that drugs undermine free will, and they use this belief to self-servingly attribute less free will to their bad actions than to good ones. Low belief in free will also increases perceptions that things are addictive. Addiction is widely seen as loss of free will. The belief can be used in self-serving ways that may undermine peoples efforts to quit.
Abstract
It is widely believed that addiction entails a loss of free will, even though this point is controversial among scholars. There is arguably a downside to this belief, in that [...]
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Pilot outcome results of culturally adapted evidence-based substance use disorder treatment with a Southwest Tribe
K. L. Venner, B. L. Greenfield, K. J. Hagler, . Jeremiah Simmons, D. Lupee, . Everett Homer, . Yvette Yamutewa, J. Ellen Smith

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
Although American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) have exhibited high rates of alcohol and drug use disorders, there is a paucity of substance use disorder treatment outcome research. In addition, there exists controversy about whether evidence-based treatments (EBTs) are culturally appropriate given that they were derived mainly by and for non-Hispanic White populations and do not explicitly include aspects of AI/AN culture and worldview. In this pilot study, we collaboratively culturally adapted two EBTs, Motivational Interviewing and Community Reinforcement Approach (MICRA), and evaluated substance use and psychological outcomes at 4- and 8-months post-baseline assessment. In preparation for a larger randomized clinical trial (RCT), eight tribal members (75% male) participated in this pilot treatment study. Measures included substance use, urine screens, self-efficacy, psychological distress, and hopelessness. All participants completed follow-up assessments at 4- and 8-months. Due to small sample size, effect sizes were calculated to evaluate outcomes pre- and post-treatment. Despite high rates of abstinence at baseline, percent days abstinent (PDA) increased at the 8-month time point for the most commonly used substances (alcohol, Hedgess g = 0.59, and marijuana, g = 0.60) and for all substances combined (excluding tobacco, g = 0.56). Improvements in psychological distress (g = − 0.66) and 5 of the 7 Addiction Severity Index domains (range of g = − 0.42 to − 0.98) also emerged. Results suggest that culturally adapted EBTs yield significant improvements in alcohol use, psychological distress, and legal problems among AI/ANs. Future research using RCT methodology is needed to examine efficacy and effectiveness.
Abstract
Although American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) have exhibited high rates of alcohol and drug use disorders, there is a paucity of substance use disorder treatment outcome [...]
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The association between at-risk gambling and binge drinking in the general Swedish population
. Kristina Sundqvist, . Ingvar Rosendahl, . Peter Wennberg

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 49-54

Abstract
While the association between problem gambling and alcohol use disorders has been studied previously, little is known about the association between risk gambling and risk drinking. This study aimed at examining the association between at-risk gambling and binge drinking in the general Swedish population and to test whether this association remained after controlling for demographic factors. The data was part of a larger ongoing survey in the general Swedish population. Respondents (N = 19 530) were recruited through random digit dialing and interviewed about their alcohol habits (binge drinking), at-risk gambling (the Lie/Bet questionnaire) and demographics (gender, age, education, residence size, marital status, labor market status, country of origin and smoking). There was an association between lifetime at-risk gambling and current (12 months) weekly binge drinking for both men (OR = 1.73, CI 95%: 1.27–2.35) and women (OR = 2.27, CI 95%: 1.05–4.90). After controlling for demographics this association no longer remained significant (OR = 1.38, CI 95%, .99–1.90 for men and OR = 1.99, CI 95%: .94–4.66 for women). Age and smoking had the largest impact on this association. At-risk gambling and binge drinking are associated behaviors. However, it seems as if this association may be confounded by demographic variables. We hypothesize that similarities in personality profiles and health aspects could account for an additional part of the association.
Abstract
While the association between problem gambling and alcohol use disorders has been studied previously, little is known about the association between risk gambling and risk [...]
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Culture and age influences upon gambling and problem gambling
. Mythily Subramaniam, . Edimansyah Abdin, . Shazana Shahwan, J. Vaingankar, . Louisa Picco, C. Browning, S. Thomas, S. Ann Chong

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 57-63

Abstract
This study aimed to (i) examine the prevalence and types of gambling, (ii) establish prevalence of ‘pathological’ gambling, (iii) explore the correlates of gambling, and (iv) establish psychiatric and physical comorbidity in a sample of older adult gamblers (≥ 60 years) in contrast to younger gamblers in a representative population sample in Singapore. This paper reports the results of a secondary analysis of data from a representative community survey of 6616 participants, of which 2252 had engaged in gambling activities at least once in their lifetime. 48.9% of older adults reported lifetime gambling. Older gamblers were more likely to be males, married or widowed (vs. never married), with pre-primary, primary and secondary education (vs. university), economically inactive (vs. employed) and had personal annual income of SGD $19, 999 and below (vs. SGD $50, 000 and above). Older gamblers had significantly higher rates of betting on horses, playing numbers or betting on lotteries, and playing Mahjong. After adjusting for demographic variables in multiple logistic regression analyses, gamblers aged 60 years and older had significantly lower odds of having pathological gambling than those in the younger age group (OR = 0.4). Older gamblers had significantly higher odds of having diabetes (OR = 3.2), hypertension (OR = 4.9), and any comorbid chronic physical condition assessed in this study. For the majority of older adults, gambling remains a recreational activity that is entertaining and a way of socialization. However, one must remain cognizant of the possible risks for some to develop disordered gambling.
Abstract
This study aimed to (i) examine the prevalence and types of gambling, (ii) establish prevalence of ‘pathological’ gambling, (iii) explore the correlates of gambling, and [...]
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The relative contribution of metacognitions and attentional control to the severity of gambling in problem gamblers
M. Spada, . Adam Roarty

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 7-11

Abstract
The present study explored the relationship between metacognitions, attentional control, and the severity of gambling in problem gamblers. One hundred and twenty six problem gamblers completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21, the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire 30, the Attentional Control Scale, and the Problem Gambling Severity Index. Results revealed that negative affect, four out of five metacognitions factors (positive beliefs about worry, negative beliefs about thoughts concerning danger and uncontrollability, cognitive confidence and beliefs about the need to control thoughts), and all attentional control factors (focusing, shifting and flexible control of thought) were correlated, in the predicted directions, with the severity of gambling. The same metacognitions were also found to be correlated, in the predicted directions, with attention focusing, however only negative beliefs about thoughts concerning danger and uncontrollability and cognitive confidence were found to be correlated with attention shifting and flexible control of thought. A hierarchical regression analysis showed that beliefs about the need to control thoughts were the only predictor of the severity of gambling controlling for negative affect. Overall these findings support the hypotheses and are consistent with the metacognitive model of psychological dysfunction. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Abstract
The present study explored the relationship between metacognitions, attentional control, and the severity of gambling in problem gamblers. One hundred and twenty six problem [...]
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Early developmental, temperamental and educational problems in ‘substance use disorder’ patients with and without ADHD. Does ADHD make a difference?
. Arvid Skutle, E. Bu, F. Konow Jellestad, K. Oortmerssen, . Geert Dom, . Sofie Verspreet, P. Carpentier, J. Ramos-Quiroga, . Johan Franck, . Maija Konstenius, . Sharlene Kaye, . Zsolt Demetrovics, . Csaba Barta, . Melina Fatséas, . Marc Auriacombe, . Brian Johnson, S. V. Faraone, F. R. Levin, . Steve Allsop, . Susan Carruthers, R. A. Schoevers, M. Koeter, W. den Brink, . Franz Moggi, . Merete Møller, G. Glind

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).

Abstract
The prevalence of ADHD among patients with substance use disorder (SUD) is substantial. This study addressed the following research questions: Are early developmental, temperamental and educational problems overrepresented among SUD patients with ADHD compared to SUD patients without ADHD? Do this comorbid group receive early help for their ADHD, and are there signs of self-medicating with illicit central stimulants? An international, multi-centre cross-sectional study was carried out involving seven European countries, with 1205 patients in treatment for SUD. The mean age was 40 years and 27% of the sample was female. All participants were interviewed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus and the Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV. SUD patients with ADHD (n = 196, 16.3% of the total sample) had a significantly slower infant development than SUD patients without ADHD (n = 1, 009, 83.4%), had greater problems controlling their temperament, and had lower educational attainment. Only 24 (12%) of the current ADHD positive patients had been diagnosed and treated during childhood and/or adolescence. Finally, SUD patients with ADHD were more likely to have central stimulants or cannabis as their primary substance of abuse, whereas alcohol use was more likely to be the primary substance of abuse in SUD patients without ADHD. The results emphasize the importance of early identification of ADHD and targeted interventions in the health and school system, as well as in the addiction field.
Abstract
The prevalence of ADHD among patients with substance use disorder (SUD) is substantial. This study addressed the following research questions: Are early developmental, temperamental [...]
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Alcohol reduction in the first trimester is unrelated to smoking, patient or pregnancy characteristics
K. A. Schmidt, A. J. Lancia, . Saad Alvi, J. C. Aldag

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017).

Abstract
Studies show alcohol-preferring mice reduce their alcohol intake during pregnancy, this study questions if the same is true for humans. The current investigation compares womens pre-pregnancy and first trimester alcohol consumption, examines if women with problem drinking diminish their alcohol intake during pregnancy, and determines if prenatal alcohol reduction is associated with characteristics of pregnancy, patients or smoking. 126 participants in weeks 1–12 of pregnancy, recruited from Obstetric and Family Practices, completed a survey during their initial prenatal visit including two gender-specific AUDITs (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests) querying current and pre-pregnancy alcohol use. AUDIT-C (AUDIT items 1–3) scores measuring pre-pregnancy and first trimester alcohol consumption were compared, analyzed and tested using general linear model repeated. A p ≤ 0.05 was accepted as significant. Most participants were multiparous, Caucasian high school graduates experiencing nausea and vomiting. Pre-pregnancy alcohol use was significantly (p = 0.019, Fishers exact) higher among women seeing obstetricians. Pre-pregnancy AUDIT-C scores (m (mean) = 2.22, sd (standard deviation) = 2.19) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than first trimester scores (m = 0.143, sd = 0.532). Among 49 with pre-pregnancy AUDIT-C scores ≥ 3, 45/49 (92%) reduced their alcohol use to zero during the first trimester. Age, race, education, marital status, parity, nausea and vomiting, gestational age and smoking were non-factors in score reduction. Women reported reducing their alcohol consumption during pregnancy, including those screening positive for pre-pregnancy problem drinking. First trimester alcohol reduction cannot be accounted for by smoking, patient or pregnancy characteristics, public health initiatives, psychological factors and hormonal mechanisms may be implicated.
Abstract
Studies show alcohol-preferring mice reduce their alcohol intake during pregnancy, this study questions if the same is true for humans. The current investigation compares [...]
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Age of first use of energy beverages predicts future maximal consumption among naval pilot and flight officer candidates
T. E. Sather, C. L. Woolsey, R. Jr, M. Evans Jr, . Fred Cromartie

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
Energy drinks are popular beverages that can have adverse long-term health effects when consumed by children and adolescents. This study sought to determine if the age of first energy drink use in a U.S. military population is predictive of the maximum number of energy drinks consumed during a single day and/or single occasion (operationally defined as a couple of hours, e.g., a night out, during studying or sport session). Student U.S. naval aviator and naval flight officers who reported past-year use of energy drinks (N = 239) were surveyed to determine various measures of energy drink consumption. Age of first consumption was predictive of the maximum number of energy drinks consumed during a single occasion within the past year. Within this sample, the age range between 13 and 16 years appeared to be a critical period with results indicating that people who began consuming energy drinks during this period were 4.88 times more likely to consume high quantities (four or more) of energy drinks during a single occasion when compared to those who started consuming energy drinks between the ages of 20–23. Likewise, persons who began to consume energy drinks between the ages of 13–16 are 2.48 times more likely to consume high quantities of energy drinks during a single occasion than those who started between the ages of 17–19. There was no difference between 17 and 19 year olds and 20–23 year olds. Age of first use was not correlated to daily average intake or daily maximal intake of energy drinks. A lower age of first energy drink use suggests higher risk of single-occasion heavy episodic consumption in this military population. Researchers should further explore the relationship of early onset energy drink consumption and potential future health risks.
Abstract
Energy drinks are popular beverages that can have adverse long-term health effects when consumed by children and adolescents. This study sought to determine if the age of [...]
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Individual differences in implicit learning abilities and impulsive behavior in the context of Internet addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder under the consideration of gender
. Rayna Sariyska, B. Lachmann, . Sebastian Markett, . Martin Reuter, . Christian Montag

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 19-28

Abstract
In three consecutive studies, we aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic Internet use (PIU), Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and implicit learning abilities, and impulsivity/risk-taking among online video gamers and control participants. In study 1, male visitors, recruited at the “Gamescom” in Cologne (2013), filled in a short version of the Internet Addiction Test (s-IAT), the Online Gaming Addiction Scale (OGAS), and completed an experimental task to assess implicit learning abilities. In study 2, a group of WoW gamers and control participants completed the same set up, in order to replicate the results of study 1. Study 3 used a modified version of the experiment to measure impulsivity/risk-taking in a group of healthy participants. In study 1, results revealed a significant negative correlation between the s-IAT score and the measure of implicit learning among male Gamescom participants. In study 2, the s-IAT and WoW addiction scores were negatively correlated with implicit learning only in male WoW players, which mirrors the results from study 1. In study 3, the OGAS score was positively correlated with the experimental measure of impulsivity/risk-taking. In the current research project, deficient implicit learning was linked to PIU only in male participants with (a tendency towards) IGD. These findings might help to disentangle some opposing results on this relationship, when considering the gender of participants. Furthermore, higher risk-taking tendencies were associated with IGD among healthy participants, thus, suggesting the potential of risk taking as a predictor of IGD in a non-gamer population.
Abstract
In three consecutive studies, we aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic Internet use (PIU), Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and implicit learning abilities, [...]
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Prospective recovery of cannabis use in a psychotic population: A qualitative analysis
. Shane Rebgetz, . Leanne Hides, D. J. Kavanagh, . Anand Choudhary

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 4 pp. 31-36

Abstract
There is growing evidence for natural recovery from cannabis use by people with psychosis, but mechanisms underpinning it need further exploration. This study prospectively explored this issue. Twenty-two people with psychosis and cannabis misuse were recruited: 19 provided data for at least one follow-up assessment, and 13 of these (68%) reduced or ceased using cannabis. A semi-structured interview with the latter group explored reasons for initiating the attempt, strategies they employed, and context/s where any relapse occurred. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes. Participants who reduced or ceased cannabis use had fewer negative symptoms at Baseline, and were more likely to only use cannabis. Major reasons for starting an attempt were worsening mental health, relationship and lifestyle difficulties. Effective strategies fell into psychological, relationship, lifestyle and medication themes. Only three participants reported a relapse: triggers involved substance-using peers, relationship difficulties, and problems with negative emotions including ones from past trauma. An encouragingly high rate of maintained reductions in cannabis use was seen. Increased awareness of the benefits across multiple life domains from addressing cannabis use may be critical to the initiation and maintenance of attempts, both to maximise motivation, and avoid over-dependence on improvements in any single domain. Negative symptoms, multiple substance use, dysphoria and pressure from substance-using peers clearly offer additional challenges for control.
Abstract
There is growing evidence for natural recovery from cannabis use by people with psychosis, but mechanisms underpinning it need further exploration. This study prospectively [...]
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Systematic analysis of changes in cannabis use among participants in control conditions of randomised controlled trials
. Shane Rebgetz, . Leanne Hides, D. Kavanagh

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 76-80

Abstract
Cannabis remains the most used illegal substance across the globe, and negative outcomes and disorders are common. A spotlight therefore falls on reductions in cannabis use in people with cannabis use disorder. Current estimates of unassisted cessation or reduction in cannabis use rely on community surveys, and few studies focus on individuals with disorder. A key interest of services and researchers is to estimate effect size of reductions in consumption among treatment seekers who do not obtain treatment. Effects within waiting list or information-only control conditions of randomised controlled trials offer an opportunity to study this question. This paper examines the extent of reductions in days of cannabis use in the control groups of randomised controlled trials on treatment of cannabis use disorders. A systematic literature search was performed to identify trials that reported days of cannabis use in the previous 30 (or equivalent). Since all but one of the eight identified studies had delayed treatment controls, results could only be summarised across 2–4 months. Average weighted days of use in the previous 30 days fell from 24.5 to 19.9, and a meta-analysis using a random effects model showed an average reduction of 0.442 SD. However, every study had at least one significant methodological issue. While further high-quality data is needed to confirm the observed effects, these results provide a baseline from which researchers and practitioners can estimate the extent of change required to detect effects of cannabis treatments in services or treatment trials.
Abstract
Cannabis remains the most used illegal substance across the globe, and negative outcomes and disorders are common. A spotlight therefore falls on reductions in cannabis use [...]
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Foods and dietary profiles associated with ‘food addiction’ in young adults
K. M. Pursey, C. E. Collins, P. Stanwell, T. L. Burrows

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).
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The impact of Internet-based specific activities on the perceptions of Internet addiction, quality of life, and excessive usage: A cross-sectional study
H. Pontes, . Attila Szabo, M. D. Griffiths

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).

Abstract
Recent research has examined the context in which preference for specific online activities arises, leading researchers to suggest that excessive Internet users are engaged in specific activities rather than ‘generalized’ Internet use. The present study aimed to partially replicate and expand these findings by addressing four research questions regarding (i) participants' preferred online activities, (i) possible expected changes in online behavior in light of hypothetical scenarios, (iii) perceived quality of life when access to Internet was not possible, and (iv) how participants with self-diagnosed Internet addiction relate to intensity and frequency of Internet use. A cross-sectional design was adopted using convenience and snowball sampling to recruit participants. A total of 1057 Internet users with ages ranging from 16 to 70 years (Mage = 30 years, SD = 10.84) were recruited online via several English-speaking online forums. Most participants indicated that their preferred activities were (i) accessing general information and news, (ii) social networking, and (iii) using e-mail and/or online chatting. Participants also reported that there would be a significant decrease of their Internet use if access to their preferred activities was restricted. The study also found that 51% of the total sample perceived themselves as being addicted to the Internet, while 14.1% reported that without the Internet their life would be improved. The context in which the Internet is used appears to determine the intensity and the lengths that individuals will go to use this tool. The implications of these findings are further discussed.
Abstract
Recent research has examined the context in which preference for specific online activities arises, leading researchers to suggest that excessive Internet users are engaged [...]
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Confirmatory factor analysis of the Spanish version of the Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire in a sample of Argentinean gamblers
. Angelina Pilatti, . Marcos Cupani, F. Tuzinkievich, . Walter Winfree

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 4 pp. 44-50

Abstract
Introduction: Cognitive distortions are related to gambling frequency and gambling severity. Having a culturally sensitive measure to assess cognitive distortions will facilitate the early detection of people who might be at risk of developing problematic gambling behaviors. The Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire was translated into Spanish (GBQ-S) but no previous study explored the structure of the GBQ-S in a non-US sample with different levels of gambling involvement. Aim: The present study examined the factor structure of the GBQ-S in a community sample of gamblers from Argentina. It also analyzed the association between cognitive distortions and type of gambling activity and frequency of gambling behaviors and the predictive utility of the GBQ-S on gambling severity. Participants: 508 youth and adults completed the GBQ-S. Results: The CFA showed an overall acceptable fit to the data confirming the proposed two-factor model. Scores of the two GBQ sub-scales were positively and significantly correlated with scores on gambling severity. Cognitive distortions have a significant effect on gambling severity after controlling for frequency of engagement in gambling activities. Luck and perseverance, but not illusion of control, was positively related to gambling severity. Discussion: scores measured by the GBQ-S exhibit adequate psychometric properties for the accurate assessment of cognitive distortions across adults and youth from the general community of Argentina.
Abstract
Introduction: Cognitive distortions are related to gambling frequency and gambling severity. Having a culturally sensitive measure to assess cognitive distortions will facilitate [...]
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People Control Their Addictions : No matter how much the “chronic” brain disease model of addiction indicates otherwise, we know that people can quit addictions – with special reference to harm reduction and mindfulness
S. Peele

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
The world, led by the United States, is hell bent on establishing the absence of choice in addiction, as expressed by the defining statement that addiction is a “chronic relapsing brain disease” (my emphasis). The figure most associated with this model, the director of the American National Institute on Drug Abuse, Nora Volkow, claims that addiction vitiates free will through its effects on the brain. In reality, while by no means a simple task, people regularly quit their substance addictions, often by moderating their consumption, usually through mindfulness-mediated processes (Peele, 2007). Ironically, the brain disease models ascendance in the U.S. corresponds with epidemic rises in opiate addiction, both painkillers (Brady et al., 2016) and heroin (CDC, n.d.), as well as heroin, painkiller, and tranquilizer poisoning deaths (Rudd et al., 2016). More to the point, the conceptual and treatment goal of eliminating choice in addiction and recovery is not only futile, but iatrogenic. Indeed, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholisms epidemiological surveys, while finding natural recovery for both drug and alcohol disorders to be typical, has found a decline in natural recovery rates (Dawson et al., 2005) and a sharp increase in AUDs (Grant et al., 2015).
Abstract
The world, led by the United States, is hell bent on establishing the absence of choice in addiction, as expressed by the defining statement that addiction is a “chronic [...]
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Effects of evaluative context in implicit cognitions associated with alcohol and violent behaviors
E. M. Obasi, . Lucia Cavanagh, D. M. Pittman, J. J. Brooks

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
A large body of literature has substantiated the relationship between alcohol use and violent behaviors, but little consideration has been given to implicit interactions between the two. This study examines the implicit attitudes associated with alcoholic drinks and violent behaviors, and their relationship to explicit reports of problematic behaviors associated with alcohol use. The Go/No-Go Association Task (GNAT, Nosek & Banaji, 2001) was used to test the effect of distracters (noise) on implicit cognitions associated with alcoholic drinks and violent behaviors. Data was collected from 148 students enrolled in a Midwestern university. Irrespective of contextual distractions, participants consistently exhibited negative implicit cognitions associated with violent behaviors. However, context impacted the valence of cognitions associated with alcoholic beverages. Implicit cognitions associated with alcoholic beverages were negative when nonalcoholic beverages were used as distracters, but were positive when licit and illicit drugs were used as distracters. Implicit cognitions associated with alcoholic drinks were correlated with implicit cognitions associated with violent behaviors and explicit measures of problem drinking, problem drug-related behaviors, and measures of craving, to name a few. Evaluative context can have an effect on the expressed appraisal of implicit attitudes. Implications, limitations, and future directions for using the GNAT in addictions research are discussed.
Abstract
A large body of literature has substantiated the relationship between alcohol use and violent behaviors, but little consideration has been given to implicit interactions between [...]
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Internet use and adolescent binge drinking: Findings from the Monitoring the Future study
K. J. Mu, S. E. Moore, K. Z. LeWinn

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 61-66

Abstract
To investigate the relation between Internet use and binge drinking during early and middle adolescence. This is a cross-sectional study of a sub-sample of 8th and 10th graders from the Monitoring the Future (MtF) study, which annually surveys a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth on their attitudes, behaviors, and values. This study includes data from 21, 170 8th and 24, 362 10th graders who participated between 2007 and 2012 and were asked questions about Internet use and binge drinking. In fully adjusted models, we found a dose response relation between hours of recreational Internet use (i.e. outside work or school) and binge drinking which was stronger for 8th than 10th graders. Compared to < 1 h of Internet use per week, odds ratios estimates for 1–5 h/week, 6–19 h/week, and 20 or more h/week were 1.24 (99% CI: 0.85, 1.82), 1.83 (1.28, 2.61), and 2.78 (1.99, 3.87) for 8th graders, respectively. For 10th graders, this same association was attenuated [estimated OR = 1.06 (99% CI: 0.96, 1.16), 1.20 (1.03, 1.40), and 1.30 (1.07, 1.58), respectively]. Drawing on a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth, we find a significant, dose–response relation between Internet use and binge drinking. This relation was stronger in 8th graders versus 10th graders. Given that alcohol is the most abused substance among adolescents and binge drinking confers many health risks, longitudinal studies designed to examine the mediators of this relation are necessary to inform binge drinking prevention strategies, which may have greater impact if targeted at younger adolescents.
Abstract
To investigate the relation between Internet use and binge drinking during early and middle adolescence. This is a cross-sectional study of a sub-sample of 8th and 10th graders [...]
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Exploring the alcohol-behaviour link: Myopic self-enhancement in the absence of alcohol consumption as a function of past alcohol use
A. Moss, I. P. Albery, . Khaleda Rahman

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 4 pp. 37-43

Abstract
Dual process accounts of the alcohol-behaviour link hypothesise that differences in drinking patterns will moderate the effects of exposure to alcohol-related cues on behaviour, such as when a placebo is administered. We test this hypothesis by adapting a paradigm used in alcohol myopia research to examine the effects of alcohol-related priming on self-enhancement behaviour amongst social drinkers. Participants were asked to engage in a computerised self-rating task prior to being exposed to alcohol related and/or motivational primes. A staged computer error then occurred, and participants were then asked to complete their self ratings again – this method allowed for an immediate assessment of the impact of alcohol and motivational primes on self enhancement. As predicted by alcohol myopia theory, the overall effect of priming with alcohol-related cues was not significant irrespective of response-conflict manipulations. However, drinker type moderated this effect such that heavier drinkers self-enhanced more after exposure to alcohol-related cues, but only in high-conflict conditions. This suggests that the efficacy of a placebo may be significantly moderated by individual differences in reactions to alcohol-related stimuli, and that dual process accounts of the effects of alcohol on behaviour better explains this variation than alcohol myopia theory.
Abstract
Dual process accounts of the alcohol-behaviour link hypothesise that differences in drinking patterns will moderate the effects of exposure to alcohol-related cues on behaviour, [...]
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‘Neknomination’: Predictors in a sample of UK university students
A. C. Moss, M. Spada, . Jamila Harkin, I. P. Albery, . Nicola Rycroft, A. V. Nikčević

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).

Abstract
To identify prevalence and predictors of participation in the online drinking game ‘neknomination’ amongst university students. A convenience sample of 145 university students participated in a study about drinking behaviours, completing a questionnaire about their participation in neknomination, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and the Resistance to Peer Influence Scale. Out of 145 students sampled, 54% took part in neknomination in the previous month. Mann–Whitney U tests revealed significantly higher scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and significantly lower scores on the Resistance to Peer Influence Scale, for those who had participated in neknomination. A significant correlation was also shown between specific peer pressure to neknominate, and engagement in neknomination. A logistic regression analysis indicated that scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, but not the Resistance to Peer Influence Scale, predicted classification as an individual who participated in neknomination. We found that over half of respondents had participated in a neknomination game in the past month, with almost all male respondents having done so. Participation in neknomination was strongly associated with general hazardous drinking behaviour but not with resistance to peer influence. Further research is needed to understand the role of engagement with social media in drinking games and risky drinking.
Abstract
To identify prevalence and predictors of participation in the online drinking game ‘neknomination’ amongst university students. A convenience sample of 145 university [...]
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The importance of analogue zeitgebers to reduce digital addictive tendencies in the 21st century
. Christian Montag, . Christopher Kannen, . Bernd Lachmann, . Rayna Sariyska, . Éilish Duke, . Martin Reuter, . Alexander Markowetz

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 23-27

Abstract
Analogue zeitgebers such as wristwatches and alarm clocks are essential for structuring everyday life. Since the dawn of the digital revolution – particularly since the advent of the smartphone – mobile phones have increasingly replaced analogue zeitgebers as a means of telling time. This functionality may prove problematic, in that it may contribute to the overuse of digital media (e.g. when checking the time turns into extended use of other smartphone utilities, including Internet-based applications). Of N = 3084 participants, 45% reported wearing a wristwatch and 67% used an analogue alarm clock. We observed that participants who reported using analogue zeitgebers used their mobile-/smartphone significantly less. Use of analogue zeitgebers may prove a practical tool for therapeutic and preventative interventions for problematic Internet use in an increasingly digital age.
Abstract
Analogue zeitgebers such as wristwatches and alarm clocks are essential for structuring everyday life. Since the dawn of the digital revolution – particularly since the [...]
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Internet use and problematic Internet use among adolescents in Japan: A nationwide representative survey
. Satoko Mihara, . Yoneatsu Osaki, . Hideki Nakayama, . Hiroshi Sakuma, . Maki Ikeda, . Osamu Itani, . Yoshitaka Kaneita, . Hideyuki Kanda, . Takashi Ohida, S. Higuchi

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 4 pp. 58-64

Abstract
Japan is assumed to have serious health and social problems due to Internet overuse, but little is known about the actual conditions. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of problematic Internet use (PIU) and associated Internet use in adolescents in Japan. A nationwide survey of adolescent Internet use was conducted in 2012 and 2013. The participants were 100, 050 students from randomly selected junior and senior high schools nationwide who gave valid responses to a self-reported questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on Internet use and the Japanese version of the Youngs Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ) as well as other questions related to lifestyle habits. Internet users were classified by gender according to three categories on the basis of their YDQ scores: adaptive use, maladaptive use, and PIU. The estimated prevalence of PIU was 6.2% in males, 9.8% in females, and 7.9% in total, it closely correlated with female gender, school grades, and number of Internet hours. The following common and gender-specific applications that conferred a risk of PIU were identified: downloading (both genders), online gaming (males), social networking services, blogs, and bulletin boards (females). A cross-sectional survey using YDQ of a large number of high school students yielded a PIU prevalence of 7.9% in Japan. This study showed that problems associated with Internet overuse have already become serious, therefore, planning and implementation of prevention and control measures is urgently required.
Abstract
Japan is assumed to have serious health and social problems due to Internet overuse, but little is known about the actual conditions. This study was conducted to investigate [...]
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Associations between social identity diversity, compatibility, and recovery capital amongst young people in substance use treatment
. E. Mawson, D. Best, . D.I. Lubman

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
This study explored associations between group memberships and recovery capital amongst 20 young adults aged 18 to 21 years in residential alcohol and drug treatment. Participants completed an interviewer administered research interview based on measures of recovery capital and a social networks assessment mapping group memberships, group substance use, and relationships between groups. Higher personal and social recovery capital was associated with lower diversity of group memberships, a higher number of positive links between groups, and greater compatibility of lower substance-using groups with other groups in the network. Higher compatibility of heavier-using groups was also associated with having a higher number of negative, antagonistic ties between groups. These findings indicate that it is higher compatibility of a lower substance-using social identity and lower-using group memberships that contributes to recovery capital. Further, positive ties between groups and lower diversity of group memberships appear to be key aspects in how multiple social identities that are held by young adults relate to personal and social recovery capital.
Abstract
This study explored associations between group memberships and recovery capital amongst 20 young adults aged 18 to 21 years in residential alcohol and drug treatment. Participants [...]
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Traits associated with internet addiction in young adults: Potential risk factors
. Michael Lyvers, . James Karantonis, M. S. Edwards, F. Arne Thorberg

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 56-60

Abstract
The present study sought to determine whether certain personality traits associated with problematic substance use may also characterize young adults who report problematic internet use. An index of internet addiction as well as measures of traits previously linked to problematic substance use were administered to a sample of 86 young adults aged 18–30 years. Measures included the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS). Results indicated that IAT scores were significantly positively correlated with TAS-20, DASS-21, SPSRQ and FIS scores, as predicted. When age, gender and negative mood were controlled in a hierarchical regression, sensitivity to punishment (SP), sensitivity to reward (SR) and FIS significantly contributed to variance in IAT in the final model. SP partially mediated the relationship between TAS-20 and IAT, whereas no such mediation was indicated for SR or FIS. Present findings suggest that alexithymia and reward sensitivity may be important risk factors for internet addiction as for problematic substance use, whereas sensitivity to punishment may account for at least part of the association between alexithymia and problematic use of the internet.
Abstract
The present study sought to determine whether certain personality traits associated with problematic substance use may also characterize young adults who report problematic [...]
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An exploration of online behaviors and social media use among hookah and electronic-cigarette users
A. Link, P. Cawkwell, D. R. Shelley, S. E. Sherman

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between social norms and attitudes towards ENDS and hookah and use of these products. We conducted surveys with hookah and ENDS users who regularly used the Internet and social media and analyzed the primary social media account (e.g. Facebook) of each participant, coding all references to nicotine or tobacco products. The survey included domains on perceived favorability, perceived vulnerability and subjective norms. We surveyed 21 ENDS users and 20 hookah users. Both groups used the Internet to look up information about their respective tobacco product (95% for hookah vs. 90% for ENDS). Seventy percent of hookah users had references to hookah on their social media profiles while 43% of ENDS users had references to ENDS on their page. The majority of both groups were exposed to content posted by friends in their social media network about their respective products online. Those who posted on social media about hookah and those who read about ENDS online had lower perceived vulnerability to the health risks associated with tobacco products. Hookah and ENDS users actively use the Internet and social media to obtain and share information about nicotine/tobacco products. Study participants who use hookah were more likely to share photos and discuss hookah related activities via social media than those who use ENDS. Social networks also represent valuable and untapped potential resources for communicating with this group about risks and harm reduction related to emerging nicotine/tobacco products.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between social norms and attitudes towards ENDS and hookah and use of these products. We conducted surveys with hookah [...]
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Daily tobacco smoking, heavy alcohol use, and hashish use among adolescents in southern Sweden: A population-based multilevel study
. Martin Lindström, . Maria Rosvall

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 6-12

Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate school contextual effects on daily tobacco smoking, heavy alcohol use and hashish use among adolescents, using multilevel analyses adjusting for individual-level factors. The 2012 public health survey among adolescents in Skåne includes pupils in ninth grade in primary school (predominantly 15–16 years old) and second grade in secondary school (gymnasium) (predominantly 17–18 years old). Multilevel logistic regressions were performed. The prevalence of all three behaviors was higher in the second grade in the gymnasium. Several sociodemographic, psychosocial and parental factors were associated with these behaviors. In the ninth grade, variance partition coefficients (VPCs) for tobacco smoking decreased from 10.2% in the empty model to 1.9% in the fully adjusted model, for heavy alcohol use from 6.5% to 6.3%, while VPCs for hashish increased from 9.9% to 11.0%. In the second grade, VPCs for daily tobacco smoking decreased from 13.6% in the empty model to 6.5% in the fully adjusted model, VPCs for heavy alcohol use decreased from 4.6% to 1.7%, and VPCs for hashish use increased from 7.3% to 8.3%. Daily tobacco smoking (in both grades) and heavy alcohol use in the second grade in the gymnasium may be preventable by actions directed against individual-level protective factors including social capital, social support and peer/parent behavior and attitude, while interventions directed at school contexts may be more important for alcohol use in the ninth grade and hashish use in both grades.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate school contextual effects on daily tobacco smoking, heavy alcohol use and hashish use among adolescents, using multilevel analyses [...]
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Evaluating the relationship between explicit and implicit drinking identity centrality and hazardous drinking
K. P. Lindgren, J. J. Ramirez, . Nauder Namaky, C. C. Olin, B. A. Teachman

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
Drinking identity strength (how strongly one views oneself as a drinker) is a promising risk factor for hazardous drinking. A critical next step is to investigate whether the centrality of drinking identity (i.e., the relative importance of drinking vs. other identity domains, like well-being, relationships, education) also plays a role. Thus, we developed explicit and implicit measures of drinking identity centrality and evaluated them as predictors of hazardous drinking after controlling for explicit drinking identity strength. Two studies were conducted (Ns = 360 and 450, respectively). Participants, who self-identified as full-time students, completed measures of explicit identity strength, explicit and implicit centrality, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Study 1a evaluated two variants of the implicit measure (short- vs. long-format of the Multi-category Implicit Association Test), Study 1b only included the long form and also assessed alcohol consumption. In Study 1a, implicit and explicit centrality measures were positively and significantly associated with AUDIT scores after controlling for explicit drinking identity strength. There were no significant differences in the implicit measure variants, but the long format had slightly higher internal consistency. In Study 1b, results replicated for explicit, but not implicit, centrality. These studies provide preliminary evidence that drinking identity centrality may be an important factor for predicting hazardous drinking. Future research should improve its measurement and evaluate implicit and explicit centrality in experimental and longitudinal studies.
Abstract
Drinking identity strength (how strongly one views oneself as a drinker) is a promising risk factor for hazardous drinking. A critical next step is to investigate whether [...]
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Mood changes after watching pornography on the Internet are linked to tendencies towards Internet-pornography-viewing disorder
. Christian Laier, . Matthias Brand

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 9-13

Abstract
Internet-pornography-viewing disorder (IPD) is considered one type of Internet-use disorder. For IPDs development, it was assumed theoretically that a dysfunctional use of Internet pornography to cope with depressive mood or stress might be considered to be a risk factor. To address the effect of Internet pornography use on mood, an online study with three measuring points with a sample of male participants was conducted. Participants were investigated regarding their tendencies towards IPD, personal use of Internet pornography, general mood, perceived stress, and their Internet pornography use motivation. Moreover, participants were asked regarding their current mood, sexual arousal, and need to masturbate before and after they watched Internet pornography self-determinedly in a private environment. Data showed that tendencies towards IPD were associated negatively with feeling generally good, awake, and calm and were correlated positively with perceived stress in daily life and using Internet pornography for excitation seeking and emotional avoidance. Self-determined use of Internet pornography in their private environment was accompanied by changes in mood and indicators of sexual arousal. Moreover, tendencies towards IPD were negatively related to mood before and after Internet-pornography use as well as an actual increase of good and calm mood. The results showed effects of watching Internet pornography on mood and sexual arousal which can be considered having reinforcing effects for the user. Thus, the results are in line with theoretical assumptions on IPDs development, in which the positive (and negative) reinforcement received by Internet-pornography use is related to cue-reactivity and craving reactions.
Abstract
Internet-pornography-viewing disorder (IPD) is considered one type of Internet-use disorder. For IPDs development, it was assumed theoretically that a dysfunctional use of [...]
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Hangover resistance in a Canadian University student population
L. Kruisselbrink, A. C. Bervoets, S. de Klerk, A. Loo, J. C. Verster

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 14-18

Abstract
Resistance to alcohol hangover may be a risk factor for alcohol use disorder. Previous research to establish the prevalence of hangover resistance in a drinking population has either not used comparable intoxication levels or has considered hangover resistance over a limited time frame. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of lifetime hangover negative (LHN) drinkers across comparable eBAC values ranging from 0 to 500 mg/dl. Students at an eastern Canadian university were surveyed about their heaviest drinking episode in the past month and indicated whether they had ever experienced a hangover in their lifetime (LHN) and, if they had, the hangover severity they experienced the next day. eBACs were calculated and the percentage of LHN drinkers was computed at each 10 mg/dl eBAC increment from 0 to 500 mg/dl. Most LHN drinkers (58% female, 71% male) had an eBAC on their heaviest drinking occasion below 80 mg/dl. Above eBACs of 80 mg/dl, 5.8% of female and 5.1% of male drinkers were lifetime hangover negative. The results suggest that only a small percentage of heavy drinkers lay claim to being lifetime hangover negative.
Abstract
Resistance to alcohol hangover may be a risk factor for alcohol use disorder. Previous research to establish the prevalence of hangover resistance in a drinking population [...]
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Impact of binge alcohol on mortality among people who inject drugs
. Cheyenne Johnson, . Huiru Dong, . Keith Ahamad, . Kanna Hayashi, . M.J. Milloy, . Thomas Kerr, . Evan Wood

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 28-32

Abstract
While the impacts of illicit drug use on mortality have been well described, the impact of poly-substance that includes alcohol has received less attention. We examined the impact of binge alcohol use on mortality among a cohort of people who inject drugs (PWID) in a Canadian setting. Using data derived from a prospective cohort study of PWID in Vancouver, Canada recruited between May 1996 and November 2013. We ascertained dates and causes of death through a confidential linkage with the provincial registry and examined the impact of binge alcohol use. The primary outcome of interest was all-cause mortality. We used Cox proportional hazard regression to determine factors associated with mortality, including socio-demographic characteristics, drug use patterns and other risk behaviours. During the study period, 2550 individuals were followed (844 of whom were HIV positive at baseline) for a median of 75.4 months (interquartile range 37.9–113.2). Of these, 795 (31%) participants reported binge alcohol use at some time during the study period. In multivariable analyses, binge alcohol use remained independently associated with all-cause-mortality (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.06–1.88) after adjustment for other drug use patterns. Binge alcohol use was associated with time to all-cause mortality among PWID in this setting. Since alcohol use is often overlooked as a risk factor for mortality among this population, these findings highlight the continued need to incorporate addiction treatment and public health interventions and policies that address binge alcohol use to reduce alcohol related-harms.
Abstract
While the impacts of illicit drug use on mortality have been well described, the impact of poly-substance that includes alcohol has received less attention. We examined the [...]
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Booze and butts: A content analysis of the presence of alcohol in tobacco industry lifestyle magazines
N. Jiang, D. K. Cortese, M. Jane Lewis, P. M. Ling

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 14-20

Abstract
Advertising influences peoples health behaviors. Tobacco companies have linked tobacco and alcohol in their marketing activities. We examined how depictions of alcohol were placed in lifestyle magazines produced by tobacco companies, and if these references differed depending on the magazine’s orientation, if it was towards men, women, or if it was unisex. Content analysis of 6 different tobacco industry lifestyle magazines (73 issues), including 73 magazine covers, 1558 articles, 444 tobacco ads, and 695 non-tobacco ads. 14 of 73 (19%) magazine covers featured alcohol, 581 of 1558 (37%) magazine articles mentioned alcohol, 119 of 444 (27%) tobacco ads showed alcohol images, and 57 of 695 (8%) non-tobacco ads portrayed alcohol. Male-oriented magazines (Unlimited, CML, and Real Edge) contained the most alcohol references, and the references were mainly beer, mixed drinks, and liquor or spirits. Female-oriented magazines (All Woman and Flair) contained the fewest alcohol references, and wine and mixed drinks were the major types of alcoholic beverage portrayed. For the unisex magazine (P.S.), the frequency of alcohol references fell between the male- and female-oriented magazines, and the magazine most frequently mentioned mixed drinks. Frequent depictions of smoking and drinking in tobacco industry lifestyle magazines might have reinforced norms about paired use of tobacco and alcohol among young adults. The pairing of tobacco and alcohol may particularly target young men. Anti-tobacco interventions need to address the co-use of tobacco and alcohol, change the social acceptability of smoking in social settings, and tailor anti-tobacco messaging by gender.
Abstract
Advertising influences peoples health behaviors. Tobacco companies have linked tobacco and alcohol in their marketing activities. We examined how depictions of alcohol were [...]
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Do online assessed self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity-related constructs predict onset of substance use in adolescents?
T. Janssen, . Helle Larsen, . Margot Peeters, W. Boendermaker, W. Vollebergh, R. W. Wiers

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).

Abstract
To prospectively predict the onset of use of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana among Dutch adolescents, using behavioral and self-report measures of impulsivity-related facets. Specifically, we investigated whether behavioral measures of impulsivity predicted the onset of substance use above and beyond self-report measures of impulsivity and sensation seeking in an online sample. Self-report and behavioral data from 284 adolescents (195 girls, mean age = 14.8 years, SD = 1.26) were collected at four time points over a period of two years, using an online survey system. Impulsivity-related facets were assessed at time point 1 with the Delay Discounting Task, the Balloon Analogue Risk Task and the Passive Avoidance Learning Task. We conducted logistic regression analysis to examine whether behavioral and self-report measures uniquely predicted onset of alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking, smoking and marijuana use. Onset of cigarette smoking was associated with behavioral assessment of impulsive decision making, but not after controlling for self-reported impulsivity and sensation seeking. Behavioral measures were sometimes associated with, but appeared not to prospectively predict, the onset of substance use in this online sample after controlling for self-report measures. Based on the present results, the added value of online behavioral assessment of impulsivity-related factors in the prediction of onset of substance use was not confirmed. We suggest that factors specific to each behavioral task underlie their lack of prediction and suggest that future research addresses limitations of current behavioral tasks to increase their validity in online testing.
Abstract
To prospectively predict the onset of use of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana among Dutch adolescents, using behavioral and self-report measures of impulsivity-related facets. [...]
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Sociodemographic predictors of latent class membership of problematic and disordered gamblers
R. J.E. James, . Claire O'Malley, R. J. Tunney

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 61-69

Abstract
This paper reports a series of analyses examining the predictors of gambling subtypes identified from a latent class analysis of problem gambling assessment data, pooled from four health and gambling surveys conducted in Britain between 2007 and 2012. Previous analyses have indicated that gambling assessments have a consistent three class structure showing quantitative and potentially qualitative differences. Bringing this data together is useful for studying more severe problem gamblers, where the small number of respondents has been a chronic limitation of gambling prevalence research. Predictors were drawn from sociodemographic indicators and engagement with other legal addictive behaviours, namely smoking and alcohol consumption. The pooled data was entered into a multinomial logistic regression model in which class membership was regressed along a series of demographic variables and survey year, based on previous analyses of gambling prevalence data. The results identified multiple demographic differences (age, general health, SES, being single, membership of ethnic minority groups) between the non-problem and two classes endorsing some problem gambling indicators. Although these two groups tended to share a sociodemographic profile, the odds of being male, British Asian and a smoker increased between the three groups in line with problem gambling severity. Being widowed was also found to be associated with the most severe gambling class. A number of associations were also observed with other addictive behaviours. However these should be taken as indicative as these were limited subsamples of a single dataset. These findings identify specific groups in which gambling problems are more prevalent, and highlight the importance of the interaction between acute and determinant aspects of impulsivity, suggesting that a more complex account of impulsivity should be considered than is currently present in the gambling literature.
Abstract
This paper reports a series of analyses examining the predictors of gambling subtypes identified from a latent class analysis of problem gambling assessment data, pooled from [...]
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Do addicts have free will? An empirical approach to a vexing question
G. M. Heyman

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 85-93

Abstract
This paper addresses two overlapping questions: Do addicts have the capacity to voluntarily quit drugs? And do individuals knowingly pursue courses of action that they realize are bad for them, such as excessive drug use? I propose two testable versions of free will. First, the observation that activities differ in the degree to which they are susceptible to the influence of their consequences (e.g., costs and benefits) has proven a useful criterion for classifying behavior as voluntary or involuntary. Thus, we can ask if drug use in addicts is influenced by its consequences. For instance, do laws that promise legal sanctions for drug use reduce drug use in addicts? Second, the philosopher Harry Frankfurt proposed a definition of free will that takes into account desires and self-reflection. I propose that addicts who do not want to desire drugs and successfully stop craving drugs pass his test. Dependence on illicit drugs typically ends after about four to six years. Dependence on cigarettes and alcohol persists for much longer, but most smokers and alcoholics eventually voluntarily quit using. Smokers and heroin addicts can voluntarily regulate their drug cravings as a function of the availability of their drug of choice. They have the capacity to pass Frankfurts test of free will. Addicts have free will as defined by the capacity to voluntary quit using drugs and to voluntarily regulate their cravings.
Abstract
This paper addresses two overlapping questions: Do addicts have the capacity to voluntarily quit drugs? And do individuals knowingly pursue courses of action that they realize [...]
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The importance of social identities in the management of and recovery from ‘Diabulimia’: A qualitative exploration
. Amy Hastings, N. McNamara, . Jacqueline Allan, M. Marriott

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 4 pp. 78-86

Abstract
A significant barrier to recovery for individuals with co-morbid eating disorders and type 1 diabetes is the way in which group members self-categorise. Nonetheless, identity issues are neglected during the recovery process. The aim of this paper is to explore how group memberships (and the associated identities) both contribute to and hinder recovery in this cohort. Transcripts from five online focus groups with 13 members of an online support group for individuals with ‘Diabulimia’ were thematically analysed. Findings suggested that those with whom one shares a recovery identity can be well placed to provide psychological resources necessary for successful recovery although such connections can be damaging if group norms are not managed. Members recognised that other important relationships (including family and friends and health professionals) are also key to recovery, these other group memberships (and the associated identities) can be facilitated through the recovery identity group membership, which allows for external validation of the recovery identity, provides encouragement to disclose the illness to supportive others, and provides information to facilitate positive service interactions. While clinical interventions typically focus on eliminating disordered behaviours, we suggest that these should also include strengthening important group memberships that promote recovery.
Abstract
A significant barrier to recovery for individuals with co-morbid eating disorders and type 1 diabetes is the way in which group members self-categorise. Nonetheless, identity [...]
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Young adult smokers' neural response to graphic cigarette warning labels
A. E. Green, . Darren Mays, E. B. Falk, . Donna Vallone, . Natalie Gallagher, . Amanda Richardson, K. P. Tercyak, D. B. Abrams, R. S. Niaura

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
The study examined young adult smokers' neural response to graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packs using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Nineteen young adult smokers (M age 22.9, 52.6% male, 68.4% non-white, M 4.3 cigarettes/day) completed pre-scan, self-report measures of demographics, cigarette smoking behavior, and nicotine dependence, and an fMRI scanning session. During the scanning session participants viewed cigarette pack images (total 64 stimuli, viewed 4 s each) that varied based on the warning label (graphic or visually occluded control) and pack branding (branded or plain packaging) in an event-related experimental design. Participants reported motivation to quit (MTQ) in response to each image using a push-button control. Whole-brain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional images were acquired during the task. GWLs produced significantly greater self-reported MTQ than control warnings (p < .001). Imaging data indicate stronger neural activation in response to GWLs than the control warnings at a cluster-corrected threshold p < .001 in medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, medial temporal lobe, and occipital cortex. There were no significant differences in response to warnings on branded versus plain cigarette packages. In this sample of young adult smokers, GWLs promoted neural activation in brain regions involved in cognitive and affective decision-making and memory formation and the effects of GWLs did not differ on branded or plain cigarette packaging. These findings complement other recent neuroimaging GWL studies conducted with older adult smokers and with adolescents by demonstrating similar patterns of neural activation in response to GWLs among young adult smokers.
Abstract
The study examined young adult smokers' neural response to graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packs using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Nineteen young [...]
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Effects of repetitive imagination of alcohol consumption on craving in alcohol-dependent patients: A pilot study
. Olga Geisel, . Julia Behnke, . Michael Schneider, K. Wernecke, C. Müller

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 4 pp. 51-57

Abstract
In the majority of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), the clinical course is characterized by multiple relapses to drinking, frequently preceded by intense craving for alcohol. The present pilot study aimed to assess the effects of a repetitive imaginary cue-exposure protocol in reducing craving in recently abstinent alcohol-dependent patients. Sixty-four patients were randomly assigned to six intervention groups and were instructed to repetitively imagine: i) drinking a glass of their preferred alcoholic drink (low vs. high number of repetitions), or ii) drinking a glass of water (low vs. high number of repetitions), or iii) performing an analogous movement or performed no imagination. Additionally, 10 healthy controls were instructed to repetitively imagine drinking a glass of their preferred alcoholic drink (high number of repetitions). The levels of craving before and after intervention were measured using the Alcohol Urge Questionnaire (AUQ) and the Visual Analogue Scale for Craving (VASC). Repetitive imagination of alcohol consumption did not lead to a significant decrease in craving in alcohol-dependent patients as measured by the AUQ and VASC. In contrast, healthy controls showed a nearly significant decrease of the urge to drink alcohol after applying the protocol with a high number of repetitions. The findings of this pilot study might indicate an aberrant ability to habituate to alcohol-related stimuli in patients with AUD compared to healthy subjects. Future studies in larger samples are needed to further explore the effectiveness of imaginary cue-exposure interventions in alcohol dependence.
Abstract
In the majority of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), the clinical course is characterized by multiple relapses to drinking, frequently preceded by intense craving [...]
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Rasch model of the GAIN substance problem scale among inpatient and outpatient clients in the city of São Paulo, Brazil
H. Claro, M. Oliveira, I. Fernandes, J. Titus, R. Tarifa, T. Rojas, P. Hayasi Pinho

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 55-60

Abstract
This study used the Rasch model to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Substance Problem Scale (SPS) of the “Global Appraisal of Individual Needs - Initial” for use in Brazil. The SPS measures alcohol and drug problem severity within a DSM-IV-TR framework. The goal of the Rasch analysis was to assess scale dimensionality, item severity, and differential item functioning (DIF). Data was collected from 40 inpatients and 70 outpatients in São Paulo, Brazil. The Rasch model fit and DIF by gender and level of care were examined. The SPS fit the Rasch model, with no items distorting the measure. Only three of the sixteen items performed differently between men and women and three performed differently by level of care. The results were compatible with those from Rasch analyses of the American English and Canadian English versions of the scale. The Portuguese version of the SPS is, thus, valid for use in Brazil, both with men and women in inpatient and outpatient programs.
Abstract
This study used the Rasch model to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Substance Problem Scale (SPS) of the “Global Appraisal of Individual [...]
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Implicit and explicit drinker identities interactively predict in-the-moment alcohol placebo consumption
D. Frings, . Lucinda Melichar, I. P. Albery

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 86-91

Abstract
Having an identity as a ‘drinker’ has been linked to increased alcohol-related harm, self-reported consumption and self-reported intention to engage in risky drinking behavior. These effects have been observed when identities have been measured using explicit measures (e.g. via questionnaires) and implicitly (e.g. using Implicit Association Tests [IATs] adapted to measure identity). Little research has used actual behavioral measures to measure alcohol consumption in-the-moment, nor compared the effects of implicit and explicit identities directly. Participants' (n = 40) implicit and explicit identities associated with being a drinker were measured. Attitudes towards ones own drinking were measured explicitly. Participants completed a Pouring Taste Preference Task [PTPT] involving the consumption and rating of non-alcoholic wine. This provided a behavioral measure of intention (pouring), a behavioral measure of consumption and a measure of the implementation of intention into behavior. Results showed an interactive effect of implicit and explicit identities on attitudes and behavior. Explicit identities predicted attitudes towards drinking, but not behavior. Neither identity predicted the amount poured. Implicit identities predicted the amount consumed. A greater proportion of wine poured was predicted by higher implicit identities when explicit identities were absent. These results suggest that explicit identities may be associated more with those beliefs about drinking that one is aware of than behavioral intention. In addition, explicit identities may not predict behavioral enactment well. Implicit identity shows effects on actual behavior and not behavioral intention. Together this highlights the differential influence of reflective (explicit) and impulsive (implicit) identity in-the-moment behavior.
Abstract
Having an identity as a ‘drinker’ has been linked to increased alcohol-related harm, self-reported consumption and self-reported intention to engage in risky drinking [...]
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A test of the Social Identity Model of Cessation Maintenance: The content and role of social control
D. Frings, . Michael Collins, . Gavin Long, I. R. Pinto, I. P. Albery

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 77-85

Abstract
Engagement with self-help groups is a predictor of positive outcomes for those attempting to control their addictive behaviours. In common with other groups, self-help groups have to manage non-normative (‘deviant’) behaviour to ensure the social values of the group remain preserved, and the group can fulfil its aims. These processes may protect group members from relapse. Drawing on the Social Identity Model of Cessation Maintenance, the current study asked a number (n = 44) of attendees of fellowship (AA/NA/CA) and of SMART groups to list behaviours they saw as normative and deviant, and rate a variety of responses to deviant behaviours. Costs of relapse to both the self and the group were also measured alongside self-efficacy regarding cessation and identity as both an active addict and as a member of a self-help group. Results suggest that social control responses to deviance grouped into education, punishment and avoidant type responses. More social control was perceived by highly identifying self-help group members. Educational responses were seen as used by groups more extensively than other responses. Punishment responses were mediated by the perceived costs an individuals relapse incurred on the rest of the group. These findings inform our understanding of what standards of normative and deviant behaviour self-help groups hold, and how they react to violations of such norms. They also have a number of implications for practitioners and facilitators in regard to using social identities as part of the treatment process.
Abstract
Engagement with self-help groups is a predictor of positive outcomes for those attempting to control their addictive behaviours. In common with other groups, self-help groups [...]
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Pharmacogenomics-guided policy in opioid use disorder (OUD) management: An ethnically-diverse case-based approach
E. B. Ettienne, . Edwin Chapman, . Mary Maneno, . Adaku Ofoegbu, . Bradford Wilson, B. Settles-Reaves, . Melissa Clarke, . Georgia Dunston, . Kevin Rosenblatt

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 6 pp. 8-14

Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is characterized by a problematic pattern of opioid use leading to clinically-significant impairment or distress. Opioid agonist treatment is an integral component of OUD management, and buprenorphine is often utilized in OUD management due to strong clinical evidence for efficacy. However, interindividual genetic differences in buprenorphine metabolism may result in variable treatment response, leaving some patients undertreated and at increased risk for relapse. Clinical pharmacogenomics studies the effect that inherited genetic variations have on drug response. Our objective is to demonstrate the impact of pharmacogenetic testing on OUD management outcomes. We analyzed a patient who reported discomfort at daily buprenorphine dose of 24 mg, which was a mandated daily maximum by the pharmacy benefits manager. Regular urine screenings were conducted to detect the presence of unauthorized substances, and pharmacogenetic testing was used to determine the appropriate dose of buprenorphine for OUD management. At the 24 mg buprenorphine daily dose, the patient had multiple relapses with unauthorized substances. Pharmacogenetic testing revealed that the patient exhibited a cytochrome P450 3A4 ultrarapid metabolizer phenotype, which necessitated a higher than recommended daily dose of buprenorphine (32 mg) for adequate OUD management. The patient exhibited a reduction in the number of relapses on the pharmacogenetic-based dose recommendation compared to standard dosing. Pharmacogenomic testing as clinical decision support helped to individualize OUD management. Collaboration by key stakeholders is essential to establishing pharmacogenetic testing as standard of care in OUD management.
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is characterized by a problematic pattern of opioid use leading to clinically-significant impairment or distress. Opioid agonist treatment is an [...]
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Predicting early onset of intoxication versus drinking—A population-based prospective study of Norwegian adolescents
F. Enstad, . Willy Pedersen, . Wendy Nilsen, T. von Soest

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 6 pp. 1-7

Abstract
Recent research suggests that early onset of intoxication (EOI) may be of greater importance for a wide range of subsequent adverse outcomes than early drinking experiences without intoxication. However, research on antecedents of EOI is scarce. The present study identifies predictors of EOI and whether they differ from those of early onset of drinking (EOD). Data was drawn from the prospective Tracking Opportunities and Problems (TOPP) study of Norwegian families (n = 382), which followed up mothers and their children with six data collections from childhood (age 1.5) to adolescence (age 14.5). Self-reports from the adolescents (parenting practices, adolescents conduct problems and friends' deviant behaviour) and their mothers (adolescent temperament, socio-economic factors and household alcohol problems) were used to identify predictors of EOI and EOD. A variety of temperamental, socio-economic, and family factors predicted EOI, whereas EOD was predicted of substantially fewer variables. Particularly, when controlling for relevant covariates, low levels of shyness, own conduct problems and having friends with deviant behaviour prospectively predicted EOI, but not EOD. Future research and prevention efforts should take into consideration that EOI and EOD without getting drunk appear to be predicted by different risk factors in childhood and adolescence.
Abstract
Recent research suggests that early onset of intoxication (EOI) may be of greater importance for a wide range of subsequent adverse outcomes than early drinking experiences [...]
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Development and validation of a short Italian UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale
. Isabella D'Orta, . Jonathan Burnay, . Daniela Aiello, . Cinzia Niolu, . Alberto Siracusano, . Lucia Timpanaro, . Yasser Khazaal, . Joël Billieux

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 19-22

Abstract
Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct that plays a prominent role in the development, maintenance, and relapse of addictive disorders. The UPPS-P model of impulsivity, which distinguishes between five impulsivity components (positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation, sensation seeking), has been increasingly investigated during the last decade in relation to addictive and risky behaviors. Unfortunately, it currently lacks a validated scale that allows Italian researchers and clinicians to measure impulsivity based on the UPPS-P model. The current study fills this gap by testing the psychometric properties of a short 20-item Italian scale used to assess the five dimensions of the UPPS-P model in 188 volunteer participants from the community. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a model of five distinct, but interrelated, impulsivity components. The results indicated good internal consistency (Cronbachs α ranges from .73 to .84). Construct validity was evidenced by specific relations with measures of addictive behaviors and depressive symptoms. On the whole, this study demonstrated that the Italian short UPPS-P has good psychometric properties.
Abstract
Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct that plays a prominent role in the development, maintenance, and relapse of addictive disorders. The UPPS-P model of impulsivity, [...]
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Drinking game participation, gender performance and normalization of intoxication among Nigerian university students
E. Dumbili, . Clare Williams

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 1-8

Abstract
Most research on drinking games (DGs) and the associated risks focuses on Western countries. In the Nigerian context, DGs activity has not attracted scholarly attention but growing media reports indicate that Nigerian youths play DGs, and that a number of gamers have died during or immediately after game-playing. Drawing on gender performance scripts, we explored the performance of gender through DGs practices and the factors that motivate DGs participation. Thirty-one in-depth interviews were conducted with male and female college students (aged 19–23 years) at a university in south-eastern Nigeria. The participants discussed the popularity of the DGs that students play on this campus, identifying the spaces where each game is played and the motivations for game-playing. Collective, contextual constructions of gender identities through ‘Fastest-Drinker’ DG were identified, and the participants also performed gender through ‘Truth-or-Dare’ and ‘Endurance’ DGs. Men dominated ‘First-to-Finish’ DGs, which are played at parties and bars, and consumed beer or stout, while women, who mainly played Truth-or-Dare games, drank spirits or sweetened alcoholic beverages. Boredom and fun seeking provoked game-playing among women while adherence to masculinity norms, which engendered the public performance of masculinity and gambling activities, motivated men to play DGs. To avoid ‘collective shame’, mens friendship groups provided support/care for inebriated game-playing members, but the immediacy of this support/care varied according to DGs type. DGs appear to normalize heavy drinking and the culture of intoxication on this campus. Measures to monitor alcohol sales outlets around campuses and interventions that target students' leisure spaces should be developed.
Abstract
Most research on drinking games (DGs) and the associated risks focuses on Western countries. In the Nigerian context, DGs activity has not attracted scholarly attention but [...]
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Experimentally induced states of mind determine abstinent smokers' level of craving in reaction to smoking-cues
. Arie Dijkstra, . Karin Menninga

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 81-88

Abstract
The present study aims to contribute to our knowledge on the causes of variations in experienced craving of (ex)smokers. The general idea is tested that when (ex)smokers are exposed to a smoking-cue, their level of craving is determined by the momentary state of mind through which the smoking-cue is interpreted. A cue-reactivity paradigm in temporary abstinent smokers is applied to trigger craving responses under different experimentally induced states of mind. Craving is assessed with a three-item self-report measure. In study 1 (N = 120) a self-affirmation procedure is applied right before abstinent smokers were exposed to their own smoking paraphernalia. In study 2 (N = 140) abstinent smokers received bogus feedback inducing a high or low self-efficacy and strong or weak positive outcome expectations. Study 1 showed a significant interaction: When involvement was high, self-affirmation increased the level of craving but when involvement was low self-affirmation lowered craving. Study 2 also showed a significant interaction: Only when the positive outcome expectation of smoking were high, self-efficacy lowered the level of craving. All analyses were controlled for the number of cigarettes smoked a day and number of past quit attempts. The present studies provide experimental evidence that levels of craving can be determined by momentary states of mind. This theoretical perspective can be integrated in existing conditioning and social cognitive learning perspectives on craving and substance use.
Abstract
The present study aims to contribute to our knowledge on the causes of variations in experienced craving of (ex)smokers. The general idea is tested that when (ex)smokers are [...]
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Prevalence and characteristics of addictive behaviors in a community sample: A latent class analysis
J. Deleuze, . Lucien Rochat, . Lucia Romo, M. Linden, . Sophia Achab, . Gabriel Thorens, . Yasser Khazaal, . Daniele Zullino, . Pierre Maurage, . Stéphane Rothen, . Joël Billieux

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 49-56

Abstract
While addictions to substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs have been extensively investigated, interest has been growing in potential non-substance-related addictive behaviors (e.g., excessive gambling, buying or playing video games). In the current study, we sought to determine the prevalence and characteristics of a wide range of addictive behaviors in a general population sample and to identify reliable subgroups of individuals displaying addictive behaviors. Seven hundred seventy participants completed an online survey. The survey screened for the presence and characteristics of the main recognized substance and behavioral addictions (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, other drugs, gambling, compulsive shopping, intensive exercise, Internet and mobile phone overuse, intensive work involvement, and overeating) in a three-month period. Key aspects of addiction were measured for each reported behavior, including negative outcomes, emotional triggers (positive and negative emotional contexts), search for stimulation or pleasure, loss of control, and cognitive salience. Latent class analysis allowed us to identify three theoretically and clinically relevant subgroups of individuals. The first class groups problematic users, i.e., addiction-prone individuals. The second class groups at-risk users who frequently engage in potentially addictive behaviors to regulate emotional states (especially overinvolvement in common behaviors such as eating, working, or buying). The third class groups individuals who are not prone to addictive behaviors. The existence of different groups in the population sheds new light on the distinction between problematic and non-problematic addiction-like behaviors.
Abstract
While addictions to substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs have been extensively investigated, interest has been growing in potential non-substance-related addictive [...]
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Self-control, future orientation, smoking, and the impact of Dutch tobacco control measures
. Michael Daly, . Liam Delaney, R. F. Baumeister

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 89-96

Abstract
The pronounced discrepancy between smokers' intentions to quit and their smoking behavior has led researchers to suggest that many smokers are time inconsistent, have self-control problems, and may benefit from external efforts to constrain their consumption. This study aims to test whether self-control and future orientation predict smoking levels and to identify if these traits modify how cigarette consumption responds to the introduction of tobacco control measures. A sample of Dutch adults (N = 1585) completed a measure of self-control and the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFCS) in 2001 and indicated their tobacco consumption each year from 2001 to 2007. In 2004, a workplace smoking ban and substantial tax increase on tobacco was introduced in the Netherlands. To identify the potential impact of these tobacco control measures we examined whether participants smoked or were heavy smokers (20 + cigarettes per day) each year from 2001 to 2007. Participants with high self-control and CFCS scores showed lower rates of smoking across the seven year period of the study. The 2004 smoking restrictions were linked with a subsequent decline in heavy smoking. This decline was moderated by self-control levels. Those with low self-control showed a large reduction in heavy smoking whereas those with high self-control did not. The effects were, however, temporary: many people with low self-control resumed heavy smoking 2–3 years after the introduction of the tobacco restrictions. The immediate costs which national tobacco control measures impose on smokers may assist smokers with poor self-control in reducing their cigarette consumption.
Abstract
The pronounced discrepancy between smokers' intentions to quit and their smoking behavior has led researchers to suggest that many smokers are time inconsistent, have self-control [...]
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Free will in addictive behaviors: A matter of definition
W. Miles Cox, . Eric Klinger, J. Fadardi

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 94-103

Abstract
Certain people are at risk for using alcohol or other drugs excessively and for developing problems with their use. Their susceptibility might arise from a variety of factors, including their genetic make-up, brain chemistry, family background, personality and other psychological variables, and environmental and sociocultural variables. Moreover, after substance use has become established, there are additional cognitive-motivational variables (e.g., substance-related attentional bias) that contribute to enacting behaviors consistent with the persons motivation to acquire and use the substance. People who are at such risk are likely to choose to use addictive substances even though doing so entails negative consequences. In the sense of complete freedom from being determined by causal factors, we believe that there is no such thing as free will, but defined as ability to make choices from among multiple options, even though the choices are ultimately governed by natural processes, addicted individuals are free to choose. Although they might appear unable to exercise this kind of free will in decisions about their substance use, addictive behaviors are ultimately always goal-directed and voluntary. Such goal pursuits manifest considerable flexibility. Even some severely addicted individuals can cease their use when the value of continuing the use abruptly declines or when the subjective cost of continuing the use is too great with respect to the incentives in other areas of their lives. Formal treatment strategies (e.g., contingency management, Systematic Motivational Counseling, cognitive training) can also be used to facilitate this reversal.
Abstract
Certain people are at risk for using alcohol or other drugs excessively and for developing problems with their use. Their susceptibility might arise from a variety of factors, [...]
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Desire thinking as a mediator of the relationship between novelty seeking and craving
G. Caselli, . Chiara Manfredi, . Annalisa Ferraris, . Francesca Vinciullo, M. Spada

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 2-6

Abstract
The construct of craving has been shown to play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors. Both novelty seeking and desire thinking have been identified, respectively, as important temperamental and cognitive predictors of craving. In the present study we aimed to explore the relative contribution of novelty seeking and desire thinking towards craving, hypothesizing a sequence of multiple mediating relationships starting from novelty seeking and moving onto imaginal prefiguration, verbal perseveration and craving in serial fashion. A convenience sample of 270 individuals completed measures assessing novelty seeking, desire thinking, and craving relating to a chosen activity. Findings showed that, controlling for age and gender, desire thinking components predicted craving over and above novelty seeking. The indirect effect from novelty seeking to craving, via desire thinking components, was significant thus supporting a multiple-mediational sequence. Finally, the relationship between imaginal prefiguration and craving was found to be partially mediated by verbal perseveration. The findings provide support for the conceptualization of desire thinking as an independent construct in predicting craving over and above novelty seeking.
Abstract
The construct of craving has been shown to play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors. Both novelty seeking and desire thinking have been [...]
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Satisfying needs through Social Networking Sites: A pathway towards problematic Internet use for socially anxious people?
. Silvia Casale, . Giulia Fioravanti

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 34-39

Abstract
Following the theoretical frameworks of the dual-factor model of Facebook use and the Self Determination Theory, the present study hypothesizes that the satisfaction of unmet needs through Social Networking Sites (SNSs) may represent a pathway towards problematic use of Internet communicative services (GPIU) for socially anxious people. Four hundred undergraduate students (females = 51.8%, mean age = 22.45 + 2.09) completed three brief scales measuring the satisfaction via SNSs of the need to belong, the need for self-presentation and the need for assertiveness, the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale. Structural equation modeling was performed separately for males and females. A direct effect of social anxiety on GPIU was found among both genders. Socially anxious males and females tend to use SNSs for self-presentation purposes, as well as for the opportunity to be more assertive. The association between social anxiety and GPIU was partially mediated by the need for self-presentation only among males. The present results extend our understanding of the development of problematic use of Internet communicative services, based on the framework of the dual factor model of Facebook use and the Self Determination Theory. The fulfillment of an unmet need for self-presentation (i.e. the desire to create a positive impression of ones self in others) through SNSs could be one of the possible pathways to GPIU for socially anxious males.
Abstract
Following the theoretical frameworks of the dual-factor model of Facebook use and the Self Determination Theory, the present study hypothesizes that the satisfaction of unmet [...]
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The moderating role of smoking amount per day on the relations between anxiety sensitivity, smoking dependence, and cognitive–affective aspects of smoking among treatment seeking smokers
C. P. Brandt, . Jafar Bakhshaie, . Lorra Garey, N. B. Schmidt, A. M. Leventhal, M. J. Zvolensky

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015).

Abstract
The current study examined the moderating effects of smoking amount per day on the relation between anxiety sensitivity and nicotine dependence, cigarette smoking outcome expectancies, and reasons for quitting smoking among 465 adult, treatment-seeking smokers (48% female, Mage = 36.6, SD = 13.5). Smoking amount per day moderated the relation between anxiety sensitivity and nicotine dependence, smoking expectancies for negative consequences and appetite control as well as intrinsic reasons for quitting. However, no moderating effect was evident for negative reinforcement expectancies. The form of the significant interactions indicated across dependent variables lower levels of smoking amount per day suppressed the relation between anxiety sensitivity and smoking related dependent variable, such that the positive relation of anxiety sensitivity to smoking dependence and cognitive–affective aspects of smoking is weaker in heavier smokers and more robust in lighter smokers.
Abstract
The current study examined the moderating effects of smoking amount per day on the relation between anxiety sensitivity and nicotine dependence, cigarette smoking outcome [...]
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Which facets of impulsivity predict binge drinking?
. Ragnhild Bø, . Joël Billieux, N. Inge Landrø

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016).

Abstract
Impulsive binge drinking is a serious public health issue, and to reveal predisposing factors to this consumption pattern is, therefore, required. Impulsivity-related traits are important predictors of alcohol use and abuse. Nonetheless, previous research in binge drinking has been confounded by various definitions and cut-off scores, implying that existing studies contributed to limited comprehension on the specific role of different impulsivity facets. The current study thus disentangles the role of impulsivity facets in binge drinking by adopting a dimensional approach, considering the condition on a continuum, to avoid relying on debatable and non-definitive criteria. 162 students underwent assessment of alcohol consumption, including drinking patterns and impulsive traits, as captured in the UPPS-P framework (i.e., negative urgency, positive urgency, sensation seeking, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation). Multiple regression analyses were utilized in order to investigate the predictive role of each impulsivity facet in binge drinking. Binge drinking was associated with sensation seeking. However, when statistically controlling for gender, age and global alcohol consumption, this effect disappeared, and negative urgency remained the only impulsivity component that significantly predicted binge drinking. We found the severity of binge drinking to be associated with negative urgency, suggesting that the binge drinking pattern is displayed in reaction to negative emotional states, and can be conceptualized as a maladaptive and short-term emotional coping. The study calls for prevention and treatment interventions designed to improve self-control, and more adaptive emotion regulation strategies.
Abstract
Impulsive binge drinking is a serious public health issue, and to reveal predisposing factors to this consumption pattern is, therefore, required. Impulsivity-related traits [...]
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Categories of alcohol outcome expectancies and their relationships to alcohol related consequences
A. W. Blume, B. L. Guttu

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 64-67

Abstract
Extensive research has generally supported a significant and positive relationship of positive outcome expectancies with the amount of alcohol consumed among young adult drinkers, a group generally considered at high risk. Researchers have also naturally been interested in the relationships between these beliefs about drinking and the negative consequences experienced among those who abuse alcohol. Interestingly, those studies found significant positive associations of the number of alcohol outcome expectancies with drinking related consequences, independent of the amount of alcohol being consumed, suggesting that some consequences may be a function of beliefs rather than chemical effects. In addition, there has been evidence that age related differences may exist in the experience of positive outcome expectancies and their associations with consumption. One area that has not been examined is how different categories of alcohol outcome expectancies may be associated with different types of consequences among young adults. Young adults between ages 18–30 were assessed for different categories of alcohol outcome expectancies as well as different types of alcohol consequences. Study hypotheses were partially supported in that specific categories of expectancies were significantly associated with different types of consequences in multiple regression models, but not in the pattern that was predicted from a review of the literature. Expectancies with themes of personal power were consistently found to be significantly and positively associated with various types of consequences after controlling for alcohol consumption. The paper discusses the clinical relevance of these findings with regard to young adult drinkers.
Abstract
Extensive research has generally supported a significant and positive relationship of positive outcome expectancies with the amount of alcohol consumed among young adult drinkers, [...]
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“I cannot stand the boredom.” Binge drinking expectancies in adolescence
. Roberta Biolcati, . Stefano Passini, . Giacomo Mancini

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 70-76

Abstract
Introduction: The main aim of this study is to improve our knowledge on binge drinking behavior in adolescents. In particular, we tested a model of predictors of binge drinking focusing on boredom proneness, we also examined the predictive and mediating role of drinking expectancies on binge drinking. Methods: A questionnaire designed to assess current drinking behavior, such as binge drinking, drinking expectancies and boredom proneness, was administered to 721 Italian adolescents (61% females) aged between 13 and 19 years (M = 15.98, SD = 1.61). Results: Structural equation modeling confirmed the evidence on drinking expectancies as predicted by boredom proneness and as predictive of adolescents' binge drinking. Interestingly, disinhibition and relief from pain seem to play a more important mediating role between boredom and alcohol outcome. Conversely, no mediation was found for interpersonal and social confidence expectancies on binge drinking. Conclusions: In general, the results suggest that preventative interventions on alcohol misuse should focus on personality traits and underlying drinking expectancies.
Abstract
Introduction: The main aim of this study is to improve our knowledge on binge drinking behavior in adolescents. In particular, we tested a model of predictors of binge drinking [...]
- 1
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Exercise addiction in CrossFit: Prevalence and psychometric properties of the Exercise Addiction Inventory
M. Beck Lichtenstein, T. Tang Jensen

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 33-37

Abstract
CrossFit is a mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercise regimes with the stated goal of improving fitness and physical performance. It is growing in popularity and has a strong community known to motivate and push the participants to maximal performance. The negative consequences of these extreme exercise patterns have rarely been described. The prevalence of injuries in CrossFit is high but exercise addiction and harmful exercise attitudes have not yet been assessed. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of exercise addiction in CrossFit and to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) in a CrossFit population. We invited crossfitters to participate in an online survey using Facebook groups. A total of 603 regular crossfitters completed the EAI and additional questions concerning exercise amounts and negative exercise attitudes and beliefs. We used principal component analyses and structural equation models to test the psychometric properties of the EAI and to describe the characteristics of the addicted crossfitters. We found that 5% of the crossfitters were addicted to exercise and that young males had a higher risk. The EAI had good internal reliability (0.73) and construct validity. Thus we found significant positive associations between exercise addiction and the tendency to exercise in spite of injury, feelings of guilt when unable to exercise, passion turning into obsession and taking medication to be able to exercise. Exercise addiction is prevalent in CrossFit and needs further exploration. The EAI is recommended for research in CrossFit communities and applied settings.
Abstract
CrossFit is a mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercise regimes with the stated goal of improving fitness and physical performance. It is growing in popularity and has a strong [...]
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Gender differences in felt stigma and barriers to help-seeking for problem gambling
. Alison Baxter, . Christina Salmon, . Kristen Dufresne, . Alexandra Carasco-Lee, F. I. Matheson

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 3 pp. 1-8

Abstract
Men and women differ in their patterns of help-seeking for health and social problems. For people experiencing problem gambling, feelings of stigma may affect if and when they reach out for help. In this study we examine mens and womens perceptions of felt stigma in relation to help-seeking for problematic gambling. Using concept mapping, we engaged ten men and eighteen women in group activities. We asked men and women about their perceptions of the pleasurable aspects and negative consequences of gambling, they generated a list of four hundred and sixteen statements. These statements were parsed for duplication and for relevance to the study focal question and reduced to seventy-three statements by the research team. We then asked participants to rate their perceptions of how much felt stigma (negative impact on ones own or familys reputation) interfered with help-seeking for gambling. We analyzed the data using a gender lens. Men and women felt that shame associated with gambling-related financial difficulties was detrimental to help-seeking. For men, the addictive qualities of and emotional responses to gambling were perceived as stigma-related barriers to help-seeking. For women, being seduced by the ‘bells and whistles’ of the gambling venue, their denial of their addiction, their belief in luck and that the casino can be beat, and the shame of being dishonest were perceived as barriers to help-seeking. Efforts to engage people who face gambling problems need to consider gendered perceptions of what is viewed as stigmatizing.
Abstract
Men and women differ in their patterns of help-seeking for health and social problems. For people experiencing problem gambling, feelings of stigma may affect if and when [...]
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Addiction, cigarette smoking, and voluntary control of action: Do cigarette smokers lose their free will?
R. F. Baumeister

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017).

Abstract
Opinions differ widely as to whether addicts lose the ability to control their behavior and employ free will. This article reviews empirical findings regarding multiple questions relevant to the issue of free will among addicted smokers: Is smoking voluntary behavior? Can people quit smoking? Why don't people quit smoking? Why do smokers relapse when they try to quit? Do addicted smokers suffer from irresistible cravings? Are there some people who cannot quit? Are there conditions that make resistance impossible? Why would they smoke knowing it can kill them? The evidence reviewed here seems most consistent with the view that smokers retain control over their actions but cannot easily stop having frequent desires to smoke.
Abstract
Opinions differ widely as to whether addicts lose the ability to control their behavior and employ free will. This article reviews empirical findings regarding multiple questions [...]
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Hopelessness and alcohol use: The mediating role of drinking motives and outcome expectancies
. Laura Baines, . Andrew Jones, . Paul Christiansen

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2016). Vol. 4 pp. 65-69

Abstract
Heavy drinking is a considerable public health concern. There is a broad evidence-base examining the separate contributions of personality characteristics, motives and alcohol-expectancies on subsequent alcohol use to identify those at risk. However, little is known about the complex relationships by which these variables may interact to predict drinking behavior. Feelings of hopelessness and anxiety sensitivity are hypothesized to be distal predictors of alcohol use, with outcome expectancies and drinking motives more proximal. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine whether hopelessness and anxiety sensitivity influenced alcohol use via drinking to cope and alcohol - outcome expectancies. We recruited 230 participants to complete an online questionnaire consisting of the brief drinking motives questionnaire, the Substance Use Risk Profile scale and Brief Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol scale. We conducted path analyses using structural equation modelling. We demonstrated a significant direct effect of anxiety sensitivity on alcohol use, and a significant serial indirect effect of hopelessness through coping motives and alcohol outcome expectancies. These findings suggest feelings of hopelessness may predict alcohol consumption through a complex pathway and future research should use these findings to identify individuals at risk of increased alcohol use.
Abstract
Heavy drinking is a considerable public health concern. There is a broad evidence-base examining the separate contributions of personality characteristics, motives and alcohol-expectancies [...]
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Testing a frequency of exposure hypothesis in attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli amongst social drinkers
I. P. Albery, . Dinkar Sharma, . Simon Noyce, . Daniel Frings, A. Moss

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 1 pp. 68-72

Abstract
To examine whether a group of social drinkers showed longer response latencies to alcohol-related stimuli than neutral stimuli and to test whether exposure to 1) an alcohol-related environment and 2) consumption related cues influenced the interference from alcohol-related stimuli. A 2 × 2 × 2 × 5 factorial design with Exposure Group (high, low) and Consumption Group (high, low) as between-participant factors and Word Type (alcohol, neutral) and Block (1–5) as within-participant factors was used. Forty-three undergraduate university students, 21 assigned to a high exposure group and 22 to a low exposure group, took part in the experiment. Exposure Group was defined according to whether or not participants currently worked in a bar or pub. Consumption Group was defined according to a median split on a quantity–frequency measure derived from two questions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire. A modified computerised Stroop colour naming test was used to measure response latencies. Exposure and consumption factors interacted to produce greater interference from alcohol-related stimuli. In particular, the low consumption group showed interference from alcohol-related stimuli only in the high exposure condition. Exposure did not affect the magnitude of interference in the high consumption group. Attentional bias is dependent upon exposure to distinct types of alcohol-related cues.
Abstract
To examine whether a group of social drinkers showed longer response latencies to alcohol-related stimuli than neutral stimuli and to test whether exposure to 1) an alcohol-related [...]
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Epidemiology of alcohol use in the general population of Togo
K. Agoudavi, . F. Dalmay, . S. Legleyle, . K. Kumako, . P.M. Preux, . J.P. Clément, . B. Falissard, . P. Nubukpo

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2015). Vol. 2 pp. 1-5

Abstract
Alcohol use is responsible for a high level of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. The WHO global strategy recommends that the detrimental effects of alcohol use be reduced. The objective of this paper was to investigate, using data from the 2010 Togo STEPS survey, alcohol use and other health-related factors in the general population of Togo. This epidemiological investigation using the STEPwise approach was undertaken from December 1st, 2010, to January 23rd, 2011, throughout the five regions of Togo. Togo is a low-income country (World Bank) located in West Africa. The study involved 4800 people aged 15 to 64 who were representative of the population of Togo and who were selected using the one-stage cluster sampling method. The sample was young and predominantly male. Approximately one-third of the respondents were alcohol abstainers, with the majority of these being women. Approximately the same proportion of current drinkers (daily consumption) by gender was observed. The reported daily average consumption of alcohol was 13 g of pure alcohol for men and 9 g for women. The mean number of heavy drinking days over the previous 30 days was higher for men (3 days), and this included 37.5% of the men who drink. We suggest a comparative analysis of the prevalence of harmful alcohol use in Togo and the WHO African region.
Abstract
Alcohol use is responsible for a high level of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. The WHO global strategy recommends that the detrimental effects of alcohol use [...]
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Social determinants of HIV/HCV co-infection: A case study from people who inject drugs in rural Puerto Rico
R. Abadie, . Melissa Welch-Lazoritz, B. Khan, K. Dombrowski

Addictive Behaviors Reports (2017). Vol. 5 pp. 29-32
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A new strategy for thevulnerability study of buildings exposed to open-airexplosions
. F. Zárate, . V.E. Cardoso, A. Barbat, . S. Botello

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
In this paper, a new methodology is described to evaluate the effect of open air explosions on equivalent structures to the facades of buildings. The structural damage is defined by vulnerability surfaces that are a function of the explosion magnitude, the distance to the structure and the detonation damage index developed in this article. The proposed index considers the structural load capacity degradation, the fracturing and the loss material due to the explosion. The structure is modeled by means of discrete elements (DEM) which allows describing the multifracturing state. The load capacity of the structure is quantified by a virtual compression test on the damaged structure. The forces on the structure caused by the explosion are modeled by a semi-empirical methodology, which avoids the fluid-dynamic analysis and reduces the computation time.
Abstract
In this paper, a new methodology is described to evaluate the effect of open air explosions on equivalent structures to the facades of buildings. The structural damage is [...]
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Assesment of the behavior factor prescribed by the Ecuadorian Construction Code for steel framed structures
. J.C. Vielma, . M.A. Cando

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) has been applied lately in order to evaluate the maximum lateral strength of buildings under variable seismic intensity. This variation on intensity is achieved by means of the progressive scaling of the amplitudes of the dynamic signal imposed to the models of the buildings. This numerical procedure was used in order to assess the seismic performance, via the assessment of the behavior factor q (used in many seismic codes worldwide) of the recent version of the Ecuadorian Construction Code. Likewise, the used approach is based on the adaptation of the FEMA P-695 Methodology including issues like the seismic input selection and the definition of the collapse threshold. In order to perform the above mentioned assessment, a set of archetypes representatives of the design space have been defined. These archetypes were designed according three different procedures: acceleration-based and displacement-based procedures and an energy-based alternative procedure. Results depict that some of the adopted values for the behavior factor does not fulfill the requirements of the methodology used, so the design is not able to guarantee an adequate performance of the buildings when they withstand destructive earthquakes.
Abstract
Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) has been applied lately in order to evaluate the maximum lateral strength of buildings under variable seismic intensity. This variation [...]
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Numerical analysis of an anomalous diffusion with a bimodal flux distribution
. J.F.V. Vasconcellos, G. Marinho, J. Zani

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
A numerical study of unidimensional and steady state bimodal flux diffusion equation has been developed using the Finite Volume Method. In addition, with the Ficks flux, this equation has another flux named retention or secondary flux. The influence of each flux has been analysed in this work. The influence of several different parameters, such as boundary conditions or amplitude and frequency of the solution, in the numerical errors has been studied. Numerical results show the performance of the proposed model.
Abstract
A numerical study of unidimensional and steady state bimodal flux diffusion equation has been developed using the Finite Volume Method. In addition, with the Ficks flux, this [...]
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MOHID platform automaticcalibration employing a stochastic optimization method and realdata from an extreme climate event in Nova Friburgo‐RJ: Part2–sensitivity analysis and hydrological parameters estimation
. W.R. Telles, . P.P.G.W. Rodrigues, A. Silva Neto

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
This is the second of two complementary articles that deal with the implementation of an automatic calibration routine coupled to a simulation model of runoff and hydraulic behavior of the drainage system of a watershed during flood events, built in the water Modeling System MOdelo HIDrodinâmico (MOHID). As a case study two watersheds located in the city of Nova Friburgo, State of Rio de Janeiro were analysed. This second article discusses the pertinent aspects related to the inverse problem technique and the coupling of MOHID platform to Luus‐Jaakola optimization method, aiming to estimate some of the key parameters required for modeling the drainage in watersheds and the flow in channels. The adopted strategy proved very effective in its ability to estimate the parameters which led to a satisfactory agreement between simulated and observed water levels at stations located along the studied rivers.
Abstract
This is the second of two complementary articles that deal with the implementation of an automatic calibration routine coupled to a simulation model of runoff and hydraulic [...]
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MOHID platform automatic calibration employing a stochastic optimization method and real data from an extreme climate event in Nova Friburgo‐RJ: Part1–digital terrain model preparation and processing of rainfall and level experimental data
. W.R. Telles, . P.P.G.W. Rodrigues, A. Silva Neto

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
This is the first of two complementary articles that deal with the implementation of an automatic calibration routine coupled to a simulation model of runoff and the flow of two urban watersheds, both located in the city of Nova Friburgo, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The models were built in the MOHID Waters Modelling System. This first part presents the methodology of the construction of the Digital Terrain Model–DTM and the drainage network of the studied watersheds, made in the MOHID platform, as well as the acquisition of actual rainfall data and water levels through the site of the Instituto Estadual do Ambiente–INEA. The results were compared with ArcMap software and showed a good agreement regarding the delimitation of watersheds and the drainage network.
Abstract
This is the first of two complementary articles that deal with the implementation of an automatic calibration routine coupled to a simulation model of runoff and the flow [...]
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Evaluation of structural stress method and master curve for fatigue life prediction of a welded joint
. J.A. Silveira, . G.P. Mezzomo, F. Goedel

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
This paper presents a study on the structural hot spot stress method and the master curve method (Battelle) for evaluating the fatigue life of a T‐shaped welded joint. Both methods are based on the concept of structural stress, which is usually determined using finite element models. Using different types of shell finite element models, the results obtained by the two methods were compared to experimental data, verifying significant differences between the studied methods. The loading level had a great deal of influence over the accuracy of both methodologies, but on the other hand the hot spot method revealed to be more precise for the analyzed joint. The main differential for the Batelle method was the correction of the stress amplitude into an equivalent structural stress parameter, since, without this correction, the stresses on the weld toe were very similar between the Battelle and the hot spot methods. Comparing the master curve for the fatigue behavior of the Battelle method to the fatigue curve of hot spot method, with both curves expressed in terms of the nominal stress applied in the experiment, it was verified that the hot spot method is conservative. Among the different modeling techniques used, only one provided results that are not in agreement with the others. Using the Battelle method, the behavior of the bending stress component varied considerably according to the employed numerical model, indicating that can be a greater variability in the expected fatigue life for joints under more complex loading configuration.
Abstract
This paper presents a study on the structural hot spot stress method and the master curve method (Battelle) for evaluating the fatigue life of a T‐shaped welded joint. Both [...]
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Analysis of columns with shear deformation using finite element method and equivalent distributed loads
. J.L. Romero, . E.M. López, . M.A. Ortega, O. Río

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
This paper describes a procedure based on the concept of Equivalent Distributed Loads (EDL) applied to the Finite Elements Method (FEM) based on displacements and exact nodal solution of columns subject to shear deformation in accordance with the Timoshenko beam theory. The results obtained using this “EDL-FEM” methodology, in the cases studied, show that a high level of exactness in displacements, rotations as well as shear force and bending moment is obtained with a very small number of elements (one or two in the examples developed). Other methodologies based on displacements, such as reduced integration, require on the order of 40 elements to achieve similar results. The stability functions and buckling load for the Timoshenko beam are also determined in a direct and systematic way from the FEM with exact nodal solution.
Abstract
This paper describes a procedure based on the concept of Equivalent Distributed Loads (EDL) applied to the Finite Elements Method (FEM) based on displacements and exact nodal [...]
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Simulation of a cross-flow air classifier at high solid feed rates
. H.A. Petit, . M.R. Barbosa

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
The cross-flow air classifier is a dry process device. The use of such separators is being evaluated to replace the wet classification methods in the production of manufactured sand. The influence of the solid feed rate is critical for the correct design of the process. One method to analize the influence of the feed is by using numerical simulation. In this work, the powder classification process is simulated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The particle-particle interaction is modeled with a discrete element method (DEM). Simulations are optimized to better represent the experimental data by choosing between two turbulence models and two models for the injection of solids. Dust classification at three different solid rates is simulated. It is established that the amount of solids has a great influence in the classification process. This fact indicates that the solids content is a critical parameter for a proper design of the device.
Abstract
The cross-flow air classifier is a dry process device. The use of such separators is being evaluated to replace the wet classification methods in the production of manufactured [...]
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Computational fluid dynamics simulation of cooling system for copper smelter gases by Teniente Converter with evaporative cooler
. S. Pérez-Cortes, . Y. Aguilera-Carvajal, . J. Hurtado-Cruz, . J.P. Vargas-Norambuena

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
In the copper sulfides smelting process, the Teniente-type converter generates highly corrosive and toxic gases, which is why treating them is crucial in order to avoid environmental damage. The present study proposes a new methodology to simulate the capture and cooling system of smelting gases through the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to the gases that emanate from a Teniente-type converter, where a series of assumptions that allow the adaptation of the physical model for the CFD simulation are proposed along with the validation of the results using real industrial-scale instruments. By applying this method, it is possible to obtain a behavioral simulation model of the smelting gases with an acceptable relative error. In practical terms, this means that the tendencies that metallurgical gases show in the simulation flowing through the bell and the cooling chamber can be trusted to predict the thermal behavior of the gases contained in the gas management network.
Abstract
In the copper sulfides smelting process, the Teniente-type converter generates highly corrosive and toxic gases, which is why treating them is crucial in order to avoid environmental [...]
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Analysis of the coating integrity during a coronary stent deployment
. O. Pérez-Acosta, . E. Lorenzo-Bonet, . B. Verhegghe, . M. Rodríguez-Madrigal, . T. Rodríguez-Moliner

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
The cardiovascular diseases constitute one of the main causes of death worldwide. One of the main diseases is atherosclerosis, which causes narrowing of the arterial lumen. In order to solve this condition, several treatments have been developed, and Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) with the placement of stent have gained relevancy. Many of these devices are currently coated to increase the biocompatibility and to decrease the restenosis risks. The biomechanical studies of the stent-coating interface behavior are necessary given the associated risks to possibility of failures or breakages of the coating during stent deployment. In this study the possible occurrence of coating delamination during stent deployment and the influence of parameters as the thickness and material were studied. The study starts by obtaining a geometric model of a stent unit of the Sirius Carbostent stent for the further processing by the Finite Element Method. The simulation was developed by applying restrictions so that the modeled stent hinge simulates his behavior during stent deployment. Considering these aspects it was possible to evaluation the coating integrity. With this model it was possible to predict the occurrence of delamination during stent deployment and to determine that the delamination risks increases with increasing the coating thickness. Finally, it was obtained a general function that allows to determine the maximal contact stress for a stent hinge with an U shape.
Abstract
The cardiovascular diseases constitute one of the main causes of death worldwide. One of the main diseases is atherosclerosis, which causes narrowing of the arterial lumen. [...]
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Comparative analysis between the maxent and the weighted least square shape functions in a collocation meshless method
. F. Perazzo, . F. Marchant

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
In this article the behavior of a shape function based on the maximum entropy principle (maxent) is analyzed in a meshless collocation method, compared with a traditional fixed weighted least square shape function (FWLS). The maxent shape function used in this work has certain properties that are desired in a meshless collocation method, for example the positivity, the smooth and uniform aspect for different discretizations. Further, in the boundary, the approximation not depends of the shape function of the interior nodes, this property is know as a reduction of the shape function on the boundary. To compare this type of function, it was developed examples that include the solution of eliptical second order equations in 1D and 2D. The numerical results shown a better behavior of the maxent shape function compared with the FWLS, particularly in terms of the convergence and stability of the meshless collocations method that result.
Abstract
In this article the behavior of a shape function based on the maximum entropy principle (maxent) is analyzed in a meshless collocation method, compared with a traditional [...]
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Numerical analysis of gas-solids flow hydrodynamics and heat transfer in two outlet configuration industrial riser using mesoscale theory to predict the interfacial drag
. I. Paz-Paredes, . J.G. Barbosa-Saldaña, . E. Arce-Medina, . L.A. Moreno-Pacheco, . P. Quinto-Diez

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
In the FCC process two configurations riser are numerically analyzed varying the upper outlet orientation using a 2 D CFD model which includes the Two Fluid Model (TFM), Kinetic Theory of Granular Flow (KTGF), and Energy Minimization Multi-Scale (EMMS) theory as drag model. This model is solved using the ANSYS Fluent® 14.5 software, solving the governing equations of mass, momentum, and energy balance, and the constitutive equations to calculate interfacial interaction, wall-solid phase interaction, and granular phase properties. The model proposed in this work properly predicts the gas-solid flow behavior, predicting different solid flow patterns in radial and axial riser directions, as well as concentrated and diluted zones at risers top and bottom respectively. The radial and axial solids concentration and velocities profiles fluctuations observed are produced by the high radial solid mix which is higher near the riser walls due to drag force considered by the model used. On the other hand, a rapid radial and axial thermal stabilization is observed reaching the steady state rapidly. The profiles obtained from riser configurations analyzed are very similar, so in future works other riser outlets configurations will be analyzed to try to improve the solid concentration and velocity profiles.
Abstract
In the FCC process two configurations riser are numerically analyzed varying the upper outlet orientation using a 2 D CFD model which includes the Two Fluid Model (TFM), Kinetic [...]
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Study of the process of combustion in a high swirl engine using computational fluid dynamics
D. Mora, . J.M. Mantilla

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
The numerical simulation of spark ignition engines has uncertainties that compromise the reliability of the results due to the interrelationship between chemical dynamics and flow kinematics within the combustion chamber. This work evaluated the effect of using different reaction mechanisms applied to a G-equation combustion model and its interaction with the velocity field inside the combustion chamber of a CFR engine, which has special technical characteristics (high swirl and low rpm) that allowed the study of this phenomenon. The research was carried out numerically by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques: using a G-equation combustion model (with and without reaction kinetics) and a RANS -k − ϵ- RNG turbulence model. The numerical simulation was compared and validated against reported experimental pressure indicator diagram. The influence of reaction mechanisms and swirl in the development of the flame front and associated variables within the combustion chamber was studied. Finally slight discrepancies were found between reaction mechanisms used in this study that could be important in simulations of spark ignited engines that are different from the one studied. It was noted that an increase in the intensity swirl yields a flame development deviation from the theoretical models. The current codes and simulation techniques require tuning of various parameters, and thus, the validation against experimental data is needed before drawing conclusions from the numerical cases.
Abstract
The numerical simulation of spark ignition engines has uncertainties that compromise the reliability of the results due to the interrelationship between chemical dynamics [...]
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A Lagrangian PFEM approach for non-Newtonian viscoplastic materials
A. Larese

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
This paper presents the application of a stabilized mixed Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM) to the solution of viscoplastic non-Newtonian flows. The application of the proposed model to the deformation of granular non-cohesive material is analysed. A variable yield threshold modified Bingham model is presented, using a Mohr Coulomb resistance criterion. Since the granular material is expected to undergo severe deformation, a Lagrangian approach is preferred to a fixed mesh one. PFEM is the adopted technique. The detail of the discretization procedure is presented and the Algebraic Sub-Grid Scale (ASGS) stabilization technique is introduced to allow for the use of equal order interpolations for velocity and pressure in a consistent way. The matrix form of the problem is given. Finally, the differences between the regularized Bingham and the variable yield models are discussed in some examples.
Abstract
This paper presents the application of a stabilized mixed Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM) to the solution of viscoplastic non-Newtonian flows. The application of the [...]
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A stabilized mixed explicit formulation for plasticity with strain localization
. N. Lafontaine, M. Cervera, R. Rossi, M. Chiumenti

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
This paper presents the application of stabilized mixed explicit strain/displacement formulation (MEX-FEM) [23, 24] for solving non-linear plasticity problems in solid mechanics with strain localization. In order to use the same linear interpolation order for displacements and strains, the formulation uses the variational subscales method. Compared to the standard irreducible formulation, the proposed formulation yields improved strain and stress fields, and it is capable of addressing nearly incompressible situations. This work investigates the effects of the improved strain and stress fields in problems involving strain softening and localization leading to failure for the Mohr-Coulomb and Drucker Prager plasticity models. Numerical examples validate the ability of the proposed formulation to correctly predict failure mechanisms with localized patterns of strain, virtually free of mesh dependence and without using tracking algorithm.
Abstract
This paper presents the application of stabilized mixed explicit strain/displacement formulation (MEX-FEM) [23, 24] for solving non-linear plasticity problems in solid mechanics [...]
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Comparison of the estimated modal parameters of structures from classical and operational modal analysis with mass changes
L. Villa García

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
The lack of standardization in vibration mode results has constituted the main shortcoming of operational modal analysis, subsequently resolved by means of the mass modification method. This is a major drawback for civil works, as it interrupts traffic on site, significantly increasing testing time and costs. The purpose of this study is to achieve a balance between traditional modal analysis (accompanied by numerical simulations of mass modification) and operational modal analysis (in conjunction with the mass modification method), thereby obtaining more optimal results with a narrower range of error, even when the signal has a high level of noise. It will thus be possible to reliably determine the modal parameters of the structure and their alteration due to mass modification. For this purpose, the proposed methodology is applied to a large span metal bridge, unique for its slenderness, with a span/depth ratio of 56.6, the lowest recorded on a bridge, as figured in the Guinness Book of Records since 2007.
Abstract
The lack of standardization in vibration mode results has constituted the main shortcoming of operational modal analysis, subsequently resolved by means of the mass modification [...]
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Change point algorithms applied to the detection of vortex structures in turbulent flows
J. Di Leo, . M.V. Calandra, . J.S. Delnero

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
The present work shows the application of a change point model (CPM) algorithm, based on non-parametric tests, to turbulent structures detection in an airflow. It seeks to detect the vortices generated in the wake of an airfoil, equipped with a passive flow control device (Gurney mini flap) in its trailing edge. By applying CPM models to the sample data, this paper seeks to determine the possible changes to the velocity fluctuations and compare the models effectiveness to traditional methods. The main objective of this study is to detect the characteristic frequencies of the turbulent structures immersed in the airflow. The results show that the CPM methodology, based on the Cramer- von Mises (CPM-CvM) test, produces results that coincide with values predicted by traditional methods (less than 9.5% of mismatch), validating its use as a real time alternative tool for the analysis of these types of flows. Finally, this work shows a new application of CPM for detecting changes in a time-dependent random signal, which has an a priori unknown distribution.
Abstract
The present work shows the application of a change point model (CPM) algorithm, based on non-parametric tests, to turbulent structures detection in an airflow. It seeks to [...]
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Estimation of modal parameters ofcivil structures from frequency response function
. M. Cacho-Pérez, . N. Frechilla, . A. Lorenzana

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
This paper focuses on estimating the modal parameters of the dynamic system that constitutes the pedestrian footbridge of the Science Museum of the city of Valladolid (Spain). The work consists not only of calculating natural frequencies and damping factors associated to each of the estimated modes, as many commercial software provide from acceleration measurements of tests OMA (Operational Modal Analysis) and/or EMA (Experimental modal Analysis), but the aim of this paper is to calculate the generalized masses corresponding to each of the estimated modes of the structure. For this purpose, firstly a representation of the dynamic system is obtained in the state space by SSI technique (Stochastic Subspace Identification), and secondly, vibration modes are scaled from the estimation of the residues of the decomposition in partial fractions of the frequency response function (FRF) measurements. This method gets accurate estimations in the results whose vibration modes are excited, allowing the simulation of the dynamic response of the structure without the need for updating a finite element model of the structure under study.
Abstract
This paper focuses on estimating the modal parameters of the dynamic system that constitutes the pedestrian footbridge of the Science Museum of the city of Valladolid (Spain). [...]
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Analysis of structure withdissipator spectra under design and control
. R. Aguiar, D. Mora, . M. Rodríguez

Rev. int. métodos numér. cálc. diseño ing. (2017). Vol. 33, (4)

Abstract
The structures of Quito, Ecuador, are designed for the spectrum of the Ecuadorian code of 2015, or using the study of microzoning of the city of 2012. These spectra consider in general the effect of the blind reverse faults belonging to the city area. In this article, it is pointed out the importance of checking the design for the deterministic control spectra developed for Quito in 2015 based on earthquakes simulated in the blinds faults. In this paper we considered two models of extended plasticity for the structural elements and one model of plasticity for the ADAS and TADAS devices. Then, the technique of multimodal pushover is described, as well as the method of the capacity spectrum used to calculate the performance point of the structure. This structure was initially calculated by using design spectra and it had to be reinforced with ADAS devices in order to avoid its collapse for the control spectrum which has higher ordinates than the design one.
Abstract
The structures of Quito, Ecuador, are designed for the spectrum of the Ecuadorian code of 2015, or using the study of microzoning of the city of 2012. These spectra consider [...]
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