A discriminant analysis model of psychosocial predictors of problematic Internet use and cannabis use disorder in university students.

Researchers have found similarities and differences between behavioral and drug addictions. The present study was designed to explore which of a series of psychosocial predictors of addictive behaviors could differentiate problematic Internet use (PIU) and Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) in a sample of University students. A total of 144 participants (76 males, mean age = 23.03 years ± 2.83) were separated into three groups: those presenting with PIU (18 females, Mean age = 22.27 years), those presenting with CUD (22 female, Mean age = 22.73 years), and a control group (28 female, Mean age = 24.04 years). Participants completed the Internet Abusive Use Questionnaire (IAUQ), the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), the Multidimensional Distress Tolerance Scale (MDTS), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), and the Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire-10 (RTQ-10). The classification analysis results showed that 68.8% of the control group, 70.8% of the PIU group, and 81.3% of the CUD group were correctly classified in their respective groups. In addition, the results of the discriminant function analysis showed that there was a significant difference between members of the PIU and CUD groups in the degree of family support (0.45), significant other (0.33), tolerance of physical discomfort (0.30), reappraisal (0.42), and cognitive confidence (0.35). The findings provide evidence that specific psychosocial predictors can discriminate PIU from CUD.

Metacognitions as a predictor of online gaming in adolescents: Psychometric properties of the metacognitions about online gaming scale among Iranian adolescents.

The Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale (MOGS) measures maladaptive metacognitions about online gaming. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the MOGS, including its factor structure, reliability, and predictive validity among Iranian adolescents. The scale was administered to 769 Iranian adolescents (577 male, mean age = 16.39 ± 1.68 years) with an age range of 15-19 years. The participants completed the Persian-translated version of the MOGS, the Big Five Inventory-10, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21, the Video-Game Related Cognitions Scale, the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire, and the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire. The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis (n = 350) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (n = 419) confirmed three-factors similar to the parent version, including "negative metacognitions about uncontrollability of online gaming" (N-MOGU), "negative metacognitions about dangers of online gaming" (N-MOGD), and "positive metacognitions about online gaming" (P-MOG). The Persian MOGS's reliability showed a suitable internal consistency for the P-MOG, the N-MOGU, the N-MOGD, and the total score in both confirmatory and exploratory samples (range 0.79 to 0.93). A hierarchical regression analysis showed that the Persian MOGS predicted 33.9% of the variance in problematic online gaming independently of personality traits, anxiety, depression, stress, and both gaming-related cognitions and gaming motives. Furthermore, the results of analyses of variance with follow-up Bonferroni pairwise comparisons showed that interaction between the factors of MOGS and types of game and tools of gaming was significant. The findings provide evidence that the Persian MOGS among Iranian adolescents appears psychometrically appropriate to be used by researchers and practitioners dealing with the prevention and treatment of problematic online gaming.

Developing and validation of identifying people in risk of addiction questionnaire (I.p.R.a).

BACKGROUND: Drug addiction is considered as a problem of the new century which has destructive consequences for both family and society. This ominous phenomenon resulted from many factors. Present research aimed at recognition of inter-personal factors related to addiction and were conducted through a questionnaire to identify the youths at risk of addiction. OBJECTIVES: Present research aimed at recognition of inter-personal factors related to addiction and were conducted through a questionnaire to identify the youths at risk of addiction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The design of the present research is correlational analytic. The population consists of all young addicted or non-addicted people between the ages 18 to 35 and the sample consists of 82 addicted and 223 non-addicted young people in Tehran who were selected randomly and simply. The initial form included 120 questions which were administered on the sample in three stages. The data was analyzed through descriptive statistic and factor analysis. RESULTS: In this questionnaire four factors of depression and miserableness, having a positive attitude to drug, stress and anxiety and finally seeking high levels of excitement were respectively the strongest factors in predicting the risk of drug-abuse and addiction. The validity of the questionnaire which consists of 75 questions in the final form was calculated through internal consistency. Cronbach alpha of the whole questionnaire was 0.97, which that of the factor of depression and miserableness was 0.96, the factor of a positive attitude to drug was 0.93, the factor of stress and anxiety was 0.90 and the factor of high excitement-seeking was 0.80. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of the questionnaire for identifying the individuals in the risk of addiction showed that the questionnaire benefits from appropriate validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used in preventive fields and research. Moreover, by illuminating interpersonal factors that are effective in drug abuse, proper strategies can be used to prevent drug addiction.