Operationalization and measurement of compulsivity across video gaming and gambling behavioral domains

Muela, Ismael ; Navas, Juan F. ; Barrada, Juan R. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; López-Guerrero, José ; Rivero, Francisco J. ; Brevers, Damien ; Perales, José C.

Resumen: Background
Compulsivity is the hallmark of addiction progression and, as a construct, has played an important role in unveiling the etiological pathways from learning mechanisms underlying addictive behavior to harms resulting from it. However, a sound use of the compulsivity construct in the field of behavioral addictions has been hindered to date by the lack of consensus regarding its definition and measurement. Here we capitalize on a previous systematic review and expert appraisal to develop a compulsivity scale for candidate behavioral addictions (the Granada Assessment for Cross-domain Compulsivity, GRACC).
Methods
The initial scale (GRACC90) consisted of 90 items comprising previously proposed operationalizations of compulsivity, and was validated in two panel samples of individuals regularly engaging in gambling and video gaming, using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and convergence analyses.
Results
The GRACC90 scale is unidimensional and structurally invariant across samples, and predicted severity of symptoms, lower quality of life, and negative affect, to similar degrees in the two samples. Additionally, poorer quality of life and negative affect were comparably predicted by compulsivity and by severity of symptoms. A shorter version of the scale (GRACC18) is proposed, based on selecting the 18 items with highest factor loadings.
Conclusions
Results support the proposal that core symptoms of behavioral addictions strongly overlap with compulsivity, and peripheral symptoms are not essential for their conceptualization. Further research should clarify the etiology of compulsive behavior, and whether pathways to compulsivity in behavioral addictions could be common or different across domains.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01439-1

Año: 2023

Publicado en: BMC Psychology 11, 407 (2023), 1-15
ISSN: 2050-7283

Factor impacto JCR: 2.7 (2023)

Categ. JCR: PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY rank: 52 / 219 = 0.237 (2023) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 3.9 - Psychology (all) (Q2)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.954 - Psychology (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICIN/FPU21/00462
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2020-116535GB-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PRE2018-085150
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN PRE2021-100665

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Psicolog.Evolut.Educac (Dpto. Psicología y Sociología)