The Unfabulous Four: Maladaptive Personality Functioning, Insecure Attachment, Dissociative Experiences, and Problematic Internet Use Among Young Adults

Schimmenti, Adriano; Musetti, Alessandro; Costanzo, Antonino; Terrone, Grazia; Maganuco, Noemi R.; Rinella, Cosimo Aglieri; Gervasi, Alessia M.

doi:10.1007/s11469-019-00079-0

Cited by 41 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…However, in some cases, this may represent a maladaptive strategy that might foster a dysfunctional feedback loop reinforcing lonely individuals' anxiety in the specific pandemic circumstance. Accordingly, problematic social media use has already been evidenced as a dysfunctional emotional-regulation strategy (117)(118)(119), although it is frequently used to control mood (120)(121)(122)(123)(124). Thus, despite this excessive social media use denoting individuals' efforts to face their sense of loneliness and isolation, it might also foster more negative outcomes if forced by the situation and prolonged in time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facing Loneliness and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Isolation: The Role of Excessive Social Media Use in a Sample of Italian Adults

et al. 2020

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The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prompted people to face a distressing and unexpected situation. Uncertainty and social distancing changed people's behaviors, impacting on their feelings, daily habits, and social relationships, which are core elements in human well-being. In particular, restrictions due to the quarantine increased feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Within this context, the use of digital technologies has been recommended to relieve stress and anxiety and to decrease loneliness, even though the overall effects of social media consumption during pandemics still need to be carefully addressed. In this regard, social media use evidence risk and opportunities. In fact, according to a compensatory model of Internet-related activities, the online environment may be used to alleviate negative feelings caused by distressing life circumstances, despite potentially leading to negative outcomes. The present study examined whether individuals who were experiencing high levels of loneliness during the forced isolation for COVID-19 pandemic were more prone to feel anxious, and whether their sense of loneliness prompted excessive social media use. Moreover, the potentially mediating effect of excessive social media use in the relationship between perceived loneliness and anxiety was tested. A sample of 715 adults (71.5% women) aged between 18 and 72 years old took part in an online survey during the period of lockdown in Italy. The survey included self-report measures to assess perceived sense of loneliness, excessive use of social media, and anxiety. Participants reported that they spent more hours/day on social media during the pandemic than before the pandemic. We found evidence that perceived feelings of loneliness predicted both excessive social media use and anxiety, with excessive social media use also increasing anxiety levels. These findings suggest that isolation probably reinforced the individuals' sense of loneliness, strengthening the need to be part of virtual communities. However, the facilitated and prolonged access to social media during the COVID-19 pandemic risked to further increase anxiety, generating a vicious cycle that in some cases may require clinical attention.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facing Loneliness and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Isolation: The Role of Excessive Social Media Use in a Sample of Italian Adults

et al. 2020

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“…Finally, maladaptive traits have been found to be associated with a range of other variables, including age [75]; gender [75,217]; general symptom distress [66,77,84,172,[218][219][220]; psychotic disorder [221,222]; dissociative experiences [223]; bipolar disorder [224]; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [225]; problematic alcohol use [66, 226•]; substance use [140,227,228]; self-harm [229]; pathological gambling [230]; internet-gaming disorder [231]; problematic internet use [223]; posttraumatic stress disorder [232, 233•]; physical illness [233•]; disability [57, [234][235][236]; quality of life [149,236]; self-esteem [150]; alexithymia [150]; empathy, self-reflection, and insight [150]; maladaptive schemas [237]; interpersonal problems [150,238,239]; pathological beliefs [240]; defensive styles [241]; emotion dysregulation [150,242]; anxiety mindset [205]; impulsivity [227]; aggression…”

Section: Convergent Validitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Brief but Comprehensive Review of Research on the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders

Zimmermann

Kerber

Kappelmann

et al. 2019

Curr Psychiatry Rep

262

212

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Purpose of Review Both the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) and the chapter on personality disorders (PD) in the recent version of ICD-11 embody a shift from a categorical to a dimensional paradigm for the classification of PD. We describe these new models, summarize available measures, and provide a comprehensive review of research on the AMPD. Recent Findings A total of 237 publications on severity (criterion A) and maladaptive traits (criterion B) of the AMPD indicate (a) acceptable interrater reliability, (b) largely consistent latent structures, (c) substantial convergence with a range of theoretically and clinically relevant external measures, and (d) some evidence for incremental validity when controlling for categorical PD diagnoses. However, measures of criterion A and B are highly correlated, which poses conceptual challenges. Summary The AMPD has stimulated extensive research with promising findings. We highlight open questions and provide recommendations for future research.

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“…Indeed, a growing body of research analyzed the relationship between adolescent gambling and attachment styles and found a higher incidence of insecure relationships with caregiver in gamblers and also links between alexithymia, attachment, and gambling disorder [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. More specifically, insecure attachment hinders the development of adequate regulation skills and this predisposes one to emotional maladjustment [ 20 ]; therefore, addictive behaviors can be seen as an attachment disorder [ 15 , 21 , 22 ] and as an attempt at self-medication [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Indeed, previous research showed that gambling behaviours may act as external regulators of internal emotional states [ 17 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] and insecure attachment could be a vulnerability factor for its onset [ 29 , 30 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Link between Attachment and Gambling in Adolescence: A Multiple Mediation Analysis with Developmental Perspective, Theory of Mind (Friend) and Adaptive Response

Terrone

Gori

Topino

et al. 2021

JPM

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Introduction: Several studies have supported the evidence that attachment styles are a central factor in adolescent gambling problems. On this theoretical basis, the aim of the present study is to analyze a hypothesized mediation model exploring both the direct and indirect effects of insecure attachment on gambling disorder by investigating the role of the developmental perspective, theory of mind (friend) and adaptive response in that relationship. Method: The sample consists of 178 adolescents who underwent the Measures: South Oaks Gambling Screen—Revised for Adolescents and Friends and Family Interview. Result: The mediation analysis was conducted following Hayes’ (2018) procedure, using Model 6. The results showed a significant association between insecure attachment and gambling disorder (β = 0.669; p < 0.001). The findings also highlighted a significant chained mediation model in which insecure attachment negatively influenced the developmental perspective (β = −0.742; p < 0.001), which affected the theory of mind toward one’s own best friend (β = 0.352; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results highlighted a significant role of insecure attachment in predicting the symptomatic expression of gambling among adolescents, specifically impacting the development perspective, theory of mind toward one’s best friend and adaptive response to stress, which were linked to each other by a sequential influence. Therefore, our results showed that a poor developmental self-vision predicted a dysfunctional theory of mind toward the best friend. This could hinder the formation of positive peer relationships, which are crucial for the development of one’s identity.

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The Unfabulous Four: Maladaptive Personality Functioning, Insecure Attachment, Dissociative Experiences, and Problematic Internet Use Among Young Adults

Cited by 41 publications

References 59 publications

Facing Loneliness and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Isolation: The Role of Excessive Social Media Use in a Sample of Italian Adults

Facing Loneliness and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Isolation: The Role of Excessive Social Media Use in a Sample of Italian Adults

A Brief but Comprehensive Review of Research on the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders

The Link between Attachment and Gambling in Adolescence: A Multiple Mediation Analysis with Developmental Perspective, Theory of Mind (Friend) and Adaptive Response

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