Understanding the Role of Adversity, Trauma and Emotion Dysregulation in Behavioral Addictions
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 498
Special Issue Editors
Interests: clinical psychology; emotional regulation; trauma; dissociation; psychoanalysis; behavioral addiction
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Over the past two decades, the growth rates of addictive behaviors have steadily increased, becoming an issue affecting individuals, groups and societies worldwide. Addictive behaviors are a heterogenous group of impulsive–compulsive behaviors, comprising, among others, problematic online behaviors (i.e., gaming disorder, problematic social media use, cyberbullying, online pornography), gambling, compulsive buying and compulsive sexual behavior. The ‘Internet era’, along with a major access to online worlds via mobile devices, has made less clear the nature and boundaries of these addictive behaviors and some scholars have proposed that the Internet (or a smartphone) simply constitutes the medium through which people engage in their favorite activities (e.g., gaming, shopping, sex) in a more easy and accessible way. There is increasing evidence that addictive behaviors—online or not—are distinct psychopathological entities, sharing similar underlying dynamics, but also having their own specificities. For example, there is a wealth of research indicating a link between adverse experiences, emotional regulation and development and maintenance of several forms of addictive behaviors, suggesting that the latest are a maladaptive coping strategy frequently used to manage trauma-related dysregulated mental and bodily states. Additionally, recent reviews and meta-analytic findings show a great influence of socio-demographic (e.g., age, gender), cultural–geographic and individual (e.g., personality) issues, indicating the possibility of different developmental pathways.
Therefore, there is a need to progress our understanding of these disorders, both to support individuals and their families and to shape support pathways and public policy that can cater for the complex prevention and intervention needs associated with these disorders.
This Special Issue in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) will focus on the topic of addictive behaviors and their links with adverse experiences, trauma and/or emotional dysregulation. This Issue is open to submissions on different types of addictive behaviors and we will accept manuscripts from different disciplines, as long as they address the core topics of the Issue.
New research papers, reviews, meta-analyses and expert opinions are welcome. Here are some examples of topics that could be addressed in this Special Issue:
- The links between adverse experiences, distress and addictive behaviors
- The influence of trauma in the onset and maintenance of addictive behaviors
- The bidirectional link between emotional dysregulation and addictive behaviors
- Neurobiological, psychological and interpersonal correlates of addictive behaviors
- Prevention and intervention strategies to tackle addictive behaviors.
Dr. Fanny Guglielmucci
Dr. Daniela Di Basilio
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- addictive behaviors
- behavioral addiction
- emotional dysregulation
- alexithymia
- trauma
- adversity and distress
- gaming disorder
- gambling disorder
- health
- body image and exercise addiction
- shopping addiction
- hypersexuality
- sex addiction
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