Conceptualizing Excessive Behaviour Syndromes: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Debates about EBs (gambling, Internet use, shopping, working, exercising, eating, video game playing and sex) have gained momentum among researchers, clinicians, and the media. Controversy exists in the scientific literature about whether EBs are primary psychiatric disorders and, if so, where they fit into current and emerging diagnostic classification systems. The lack of consensus and associated confusion was the impetus for this systematic review.The key search terms were: abuse/misuse, dependence, addiction, impulse control, compulsivity, pathological, and excessive, in combination with: buying/shopping, work, gaming/video games, exercise, Internet, sex, eating, and gambling. 361 articles were analyzed according to their conceptualization. In total, 47% adopted an addiction conceptualization, 9% adopted an impulse control conceptualization, and 2% an obsessive compulsive spectrum conceptualization. Alternative or blended conceptualizations were utilized by 27% and 16% did not specify a particular conceptualization. The findings were also broken down by excessive behaviour. Almost half of the articles were review articles (49%), 34% were empirical articles, and the remaining 17% were commentaries.There was a general lack of agreement regarding conceptualization and a lack of consistency in nomenclature, definitions, and use of language. The addiction conceptualization was most prevalent consistent with the common use of the term behavioural addiction, and in line with proposed changes to the DSM-5.

Problem Drinking, Gambling and Eating Among Undergraduate University Students. What are the Links?

“…There is increasing interest in the commonalities among addictive behaviours (Mudry et al 2011;Potenza 2009;Shaffer 2012), including substance use disorders and behavioural addictions such as gambling. Because they share etiologic and phenomenological features, substance use disorders and gambling disorder are now classified together in the Substance-related and Other Addictive Disorders section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) (American Psychiatric Association 2013).…”

“…Because they share etiologic and phenomenological features, substance use disorders and gambling disorder are now classified together in the Substance-related and Other Addictive Disorders section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) (American Psychiatric Association 2013). Disordered eating, such as binge eating disorder, is often conceptualized from an addiction perspective (Mudry et al 2011;Cassin and von Ranson 2007;Wilson 2010). We previously explored the links between drinking and gambling among university students (Hodgins and Racicot 2013).…”

The world of gambling: the National Gambling Experiences series

“…Interest in this area more generally has also expanded dramatically [2]. The strength of the evidence for an addiction conceptualization of gambling problems influenced decisions concerning the DSM-5, in which the diagnosis of pathological gambling (included in the DSM since 1980) was renamed gambling disorder and was moved to a new ' Addictions and Related Disorders' section of the manual [3].…”

Excessive internet use in the general and ultra-orthodox Jewish communities: Internet addiction or a medium to fuel other addictions?

“…Investigators testing for similarities with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) [5] seem to be following a "me too" approach. In addition, there is a general lack of agreement regarding how excessive behavior syndromes are defined and described [6]. Substance and behavior addictions may seem to effect behavioral patterns, emotions and physiology in a similar manner.…”