Sleep Quality and Self-Stigma Mediate the Association Between Problematic Use of Social Media and Quality of Life Among People With Schizophrenia in Taiwan: A Longitudinal Study

Objective@#Problematic use of social media (PUSM) may affect sleep quality and self-stigma in people with schizophrenia and consequently reduce their quality of life (QoL). This longitudinal study investigated if sleep quality and self-stigma mediated relationships between PUSM and QoL. @*Methods@#One-hundred-and-ninety-three outpatients with schizophrenia were recruited from a psychiatric center in Taiwan from April 2019 to August 2021 and participated in a longitudinal study at intervals of three months between measurements. QoL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire Brief Version; sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; self-stigma using the Self-Stigma Scale-Short; and PUSM using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Via SPSS 20.0, general estimating equation models assessed temporal associations between variables. Via R software, mediating effects of self-stigma and sleep quality were examined through Monte Carlo simulations with 20,000 repetitions. @*Results@#Mean scores of physical, psychological, social and environmental QoL ranged from 11.86 to 13.02. Mean scores of sleep quality and self-stigma were 9.1±4.5 and 2.2±0.8, respectively. Sleep quality and self-stigma were directly related to QoL (p<0.001) and mediated indirect relationships between PUSM and all components of QoL with a range of 95% confidence intervals spanning from -0.0591 to -0.0107 for physical QoL; -0.0564 to -0.0095 for psychological QoL; -0.0292 to -0.0035 for social QoL; and -0.0357 to -0.0052 for environmental QoL. @*Conclusion@#Sleep quality and self-stigma mediated relationships between PUSM and QoL in people with schizophrenia. Developing interventions targeting PUSM, sleep, and self-stigma may help improve QoL in people with schizophrenia.

Reliability, Validity, and Unidimensionality of the Korean Version of the Pornography Craving Questionnaire Based on the Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory

Objective@#This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Pornography Craving Questionnaire (K-PCQ) using classical test theory and item response theory. @*Methods@#The goodness of fit test and differential item functioning (DIF) analysis based on the Rasch model, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and correlation analysis were used to test its reliability and validity. @*Results@#Response data from 226 students were analyzed. According to the goodness of fit test, the outfit mean square value of only one item, Item 11, was greater than 2. The CFA results revealed that all items of the K-PCQ measured a single construct. The EFA results revealed that the K-PCQ had excellent internal reliability. The DIF analysis results showed that the measurement of pornography craving using the K-PCQ did not differ based on gender. The result of Poly-DIMTEST supported the unidimensionality of the K-PCQ. The cut-off value of pornography craving was suggested as a measure of -0.0908 which corresponds to 46 (54.8%) out of a maximum score of 84. @*Conclusion@#The items of the K-PCQ are unidimensional and have good reliability and validity. The K-PCQ will be useful in clinical practice and research as a screening tool for pornography craving.

Reliability, Validity, and Unidimensionality of the Korean Version of the Pornography Craving Questionnaire Based on the Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory

Objective@#This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Pornography Craving Questionnaire (K-PCQ) using classical test theory and item response theory. @*Methods@#The goodness of fit test and differential item functioning (DIF) analysis based on the Rasch model, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and correlation analysis were used to test its reliability and validity. @*Results@#Response data from 226 students were analyzed. According to the goodness of fit test, the outfit mean square value of only one item, Item 11, was greater than 2. The CFA results revealed that all items of the K-PCQ measured a single construct. The EFA results revealed that the K-PCQ had excellent internal reliability. The DIF analysis results showed that the measurement of pornography craving using the K-PCQ did not differ based on gender. The result of Poly-DIMTEST supported the unidimensionality of the K-PCQ. The cut-off value of pornography craving was suggested as a measure of -0.0908 which corresponds to 46 (54.8%) out of a maximum score of 84. @*Conclusion@#The items of the K-PCQ are unidimensional and have good reliability and validity. The K-PCQ will be useful in clinical practice and research as a screening tool for pornography craving.

Reorganization of Substance Use Treatment and Harm Reduction Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Survey

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people with substance use disorders (SUDs) worldwide and healthcare systems have reorganized their services in response to the pandemic. MethodsOne week after the announcement of the COVID-19 as a pandemic, in a global survey, 177 addiction medicine professionals described COVID-19-related health responses in their own 77 countries in terms of SUD treatment and harm reduction services. The health response is categorized around (1) managerial measures and systems, (2) logistics, (3) service providers and (4) vulnerable groups. ResultsRespondents from over 88% of countries reported that core medical and psychiatric care for SUDs had continued; however, only 56% of countries reported having had any business continuity plan, and, 37.5% of countries reported shortages of methadone or buprenorphine supplies. Participants of 41% of countries reported partial discontinuation of harm-reduction services such as needle and syringe programs and condom distribution. 57% of overdose prevention interventions and 81% of outreach services also having been negatively impacted. ConclusionsParticipants reported that SUD treatment and harm reduction services had been significantly impacted globally early during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on our findings, we provide a series of recommendations to support countries to be prepared more efficiently for future waves or similar pandemics to 1) help policymakers generate business continuity plans, 2) maintain use of evidence-based interventions for people with SUDs, 3) be prepared for adequate medication supplies, 4) integrate harm reduction programs with other treatment modalities and 5) have specific considerations for vulnerable groups such as immigrants and refugees. HighlightsO_LICOVID-19 negatively impacted services for PWSUD globally. C_LIO_LIAddiction medicine downgraded more than other psychiatry services. C_LIO_LIBusiness continuity plan for PWSUD services reported only in about half of the countries. C_LIO_LIRefugees & migrants had more negative impact compared to other vulnerable groups. C_LIO_LIHarm reduction services discontinued partially or totally during pandemic. C_LI

A global survey on changes in the supply, price and use of illicit drugs and alcohol, and related complications during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Background and aimsCOVID-19 has infected more than 13 million people worldwide and impacted the lives of many more, with a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable populations, including people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Quarantines, travel bans, regulatory changes, social distancing and lockdown measures have affected drug and alcohol supply chains and subsequently their availability, price and use patterns, with possible downstream effects on presentations of SUDs and demand for treatment. Given the lack of multicentric epidemiologic studies, we conducted a rapid global survey within the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) network in order to understand the status of substance-use patterns during the current pandemic. DesignCross-sectional survey. SettingWorldwide. ParticipantsStarting on April 4th, 2020 during a 5-week period, the survey received 185 responses from 77 countries. MeasurementsTo assess addiction medicine professionals perceived changes in drug and alcohol supply, price, use pattern and related complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. FindingsParticipants reported (among who answered "decreased" or "increased", percentage of those who were in majority is reported in the parenthesis) a decrease in drug supply (69.0%), and at the same time an increase in price (95.3%) globally. With respect to changes in use patterns, an increase in alcohol (71.7%), cannabis (63.0%), prescription opioids (70.9%), and sedative/hypnotics (84.6%) use was reported while the use of amphetamines (59.7%), cocaine (67.5%), and opiates (58.2%) was reported to decrease overall. ConclusionsThe global report on changes in the availability, use patterns and complications of alcohol and drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered in making new policies and in developing mitigating measures and guidelines during the current pandemic (and probable future ones) in order to minimize risks to SUDs. Competing interestAuthors claimed no competing interest

Transitions in Problematic Internet Use: A One-Year Longitudinal Study of Boys

OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal studies may help elucidate the factors associated with Problematic Internet Use (PIU); however, little prospective research has been conducted on the subject. The aim of the current study was to prospectively examine PIU in children/adolescents and identify the possible risk factors associated with transitions in PIU severity. METHODS: 650 middle-school boys were surveyed at two points one year apart and assessed for PIU using the Internet Addiction Proneness Scale for Youth (KS-II) and on other psychological characteristics. RESULTS: We found that 15.3% at baseline and 12.4% at one year met the criteria for at-risk/high-risk PIU (ARHRPIU). Both the persistent-ARHRPIU and emerging-ARHRPIU groups revealed greater depressive, motor impulsive, and smart-phone-addiction tendencies than the remitting-ARHRPIU group or the persistent low-risk group. In addition, we found that individuals exhibiting higher hyperkinetic attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) scores were less likely to remit from ARHRPIU, and that individuals exhibiting more ADHD-related cognitive dysfunction and reporting fewer Internet-game-free days were more likely to demonstrate an emergence of ARHRPIU. CONCLUSION: The present findings support previous studies in that specific negative-health features are linked to transitions in ARHRPIU. Furthermore, these findings suggest that intervention is needed and may be best targeted at specific groups of youths.