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Cited by 21Impact of Technology on AdolescentsGambling Behavior and TreatmentsNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Stimuli-Specific Inhibitory Control in Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviours: A Review of Current Evidence and Discussion of Methodological Challenges

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Antons, Stephanie, Müller, Silke M., Neumann, Paul, Müller, Astrid, Steins-Loeber, Sabine·2023·Current Addiction Reports
DOI 10.1007/s40429-023-00517-z
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Abstract

Purpose of Review: This systematic review focuses on stimuli-specific inhibitory control as measured with variations of Go/No-Go, Stroop, and Stop-Signal tasks including addiction-related cues. We aimed to identify whether individuals with tendencies towards behavioural addictions show stimulus-specific reductions in inhibitory control as assumed by recent theoretical models. Recent Findings: The systematic literature search yielded 31 studies eligible for inclusion. Most studies focused on gaming disorder and problematic social networks use. Variants of the Go/No-Go task were most frequently used measures of inhibitory control. Findings on stimuli-specific reductions in inhibitory control are mixed. The studies differ considerably regarding used measures, sample characteristics, and study designs. Summary: The large methodological heterogeneity across studies makes it almost impossible to draw any clear conclusions. Study designs, task characteristics, stimuli, and diagnostic instruments should be more standardised and used more consistently. We recommend to recruit clinical samples for studying stimuli-specific inhibitory control in behavioural addictions.

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  • Rather than global impairments to inhibitory control in PSMU, habitual negative online behaviors may be associated with diminished inhibitory control and perpetuate maladaptive behaviors across the addiction cycle.

    “Rather than global impairments to inhibitory control in PSMU, habitual negative online behaviors may be associated with diminished inhibitory control and perpetuate maladaptive behaviors across the addiction cycle (Antons et al., 2023).”

    From Problematic social media use and inhibitory control among post-secondary students (2025) · cites this paper as Antons et al., 2023

    The Introduction (page unavailable) says people with addictive behaviours need not have generally reduced inhibitory control, but may show cue-specific reductions that contribute to habitual behaviour despite negative consequences in later stages. That supports the proposed mechanism, but the review does not establish it specifically for problematic social media use: the Samples section (page unavailable) reports non-significant results for social-networks use. It also places the proposed habitual-behaviour mechanism in later stages, not across the entire addiction cycle. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Authors
Antons, S., Müller, S. M., Neumann, P., Müller, A., & Steins-Loeber, S.
Affiliations
  • Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DE)
  • University of Duisburg-Essen (DE)
  • Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (DE)
Corresponding author
Antons, Stephanie
ORCID
Venue
Current Addiction Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2023-10-16
Volume
10
Issue
4
Pages
749-769
ISSN
2196-2952 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1007/s40429-023-00517-z
OpenAlex
W4387668280
Cited by
21
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 1
FWCI
9.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
Current Addiction Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Universität Duisburg-Essen
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
inhibitory control, behavioral addiction, go/no-go task, Stroop task, stop-signal task, gaming disorder, methodological heterogeneity

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