Are we overpathologizing everyday life? A tenable blueprint for behavioral addiction research
Open accessAbstract
Background: Behavioral addiction research has been particularly flourishing over the last two decades. However, recent publications have suggested that nearly all daily life activities might lead to a genuine addiction. Methods and aim: In this article, we discuss how the use of atheoretical and confirmatory research approaches may result in the identification of an unlimited list of “new” behavioral addictions. Results: Both methodological and theoretical shortcomings of these studies were discussed. Conclusions: We suggested that studies overpathologizing daily life activities are likely to prompt a dismissive appraisal of behavioral addiction research. Consequently, we proposed several roadmaps for future research in the field, centrally highlighting the need for longer tenable behavioral addiction research that shifts from a mere criteria-based approach toward an approach focusing on the psychological processes involved.
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Even when a university student rates a loss-of-control item high on a Likert scale, the answer does not necessarily have clinical relevance.
“However, even when a university student rates this type of item high on a Likert scale, the answer does not necessarily have clinical relevance (Billieux, Schimmenti, Khazaal, Maurage, & Heeren, 2015; Kardefelt-Winther, 2015).”
From Is smartphone addiction really an addiction? (2018) · cites this paper as Billieux, Schimmenti, Khazaal, Maurage, & Heeren, 2015
In “How to Create New Diagnoses Based on Old Recipes?” (page not available), the paper discusses loss-of-control items and says functional impairment and stability are necessary to define a pathological condition. This supports the point that an item response alone need not establish clinical relevance, but the paper does not address high Likert-scale ratings by university students specifically. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredPersons with CSBD present clinically and socially with a perception of out-of-control sexual behavior, extreme guilt over sexual gratification, and distress related to the adverse consequences of repetitive sexual behavior and/or the lack of satisfaction from it.
“Persons with CSBD present themselves clinically and socially with a perception of out-of-control sexual behavior, extreme guilt over sexual gratification, and distress related to the adverse consequences of repetitive sexual behavior and/or the lack of satisfaction from it.”
From Assessment and treatment of compulsive sexual behavior disorder: a sexual medicine perspective (2024) · cites this paper as [27]
The section “Behavioral Addictions – A Plague of Our Era?” lists hyper-sexuality among behaviors described as addictions and discusses loss of control as a general addiction symptom. “Syndromes Versus Processes – Clinical Implications” acknowledges psychological distress from dysfunctional involvement in activities. Neither passage describes how people with CSBD present clinically or socially, or supports the specific claims about extreme guilt and lack of satisfaction. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSocial media, as with use of many other new technologies, is overpathologized.
“We agree that social media, as with use of many other new technologies, is overpathologized (Billieux et al., 2015).”
From A mixed-methods study of problematic social media use, attention dysregulation, and social media use motives (2023) · cites this paper as Billieux et al., 2015
There is much controversy within the research field concerning both the possible overpathologising of everyday life and the most appropriate term for the phenomenon.
“Whilst referring to an ‘addiction’ terminology in this paper, it needs to be noted that there is much controversy within the research field concerning both the possible overpathologising of everyday life [47,48] as well as the most appropriate term for the phenomenon.”
From Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned (2017) · cites this paper as [47]
Current behavioral addiction research tends to be correlational and confirmatory in nature and is often based on population studies rather than clinical samples in which psychological impairments are observed.
“On the one hand, current behavioral addiction research tends to be correlational and confirmatory in nature and is often based on population studies rather than clinical samples in which psychological impairments are observed [47].”
From Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned (2017) · cites this paper as [47]
Most existing studies on PSU were conducted without a defined theoretical framework.
“According to Billieux et al. [3, 7], most existing studies on this topic were conducted without a defined theoretical framework, which might limit the possibility for a better understanding of PSU.”
From Prevalence and correlates of problematic smartphone use in a large random sample of Chinese undergraduates (2016) · cites this paper as [7]
The PCPUQ screening questionnaire was developed by directly transposing substance abuse criteria to the diagnosis of PSU, an approach criticized and susceptible to artificially inflated prevalence rates.
“It is worth noting, however, that the screening questionnaire used in the current study (PCPUQ) was developed by directly transposing substance abuse criteria to the diagnosis of PSU, an approach that has been criticized and is susceptible to artificially inflated prevalence rates [7].”
From Prevalence and correlates of problematic smartphone use in a large random sample of Chinese undergraduates (2016) · cites this paper as [7]
Debates have arisen about everyday behaviors being over-pathologized.
“However, this has led to debates about everyday behaviors being over-pathologized (Billieux, Schimmenti, Khazaal, Maurage, & Heeren, 2015).”
From Disorders due to addictive behaviors: Further issues, debates, and controversies •: Commentary to the debate: “Behavioral addictions in the ICD-11” (2022) · cites this paper as Billieux, Schimmenti, Khazaal, Maurage, & Heeren, 2015
The term 'addiction' is an inadequate construct when used as simply 'Internet addiction'.
“However, despite the existence of problematic use, it seems that the term ‘addiction’ is an inadequate construct when used as simply “Internet addiction”, because: (i) the problematic use does not depend on the mobile phone or the Internet itself, but on the activities accessed on them; (ii) the problematic use can be the symptom of other disorders, not a primary disorder in itself [10,17]; (iii)”
From Problematic Use of the Internet and Smartphones in University Students: 2006–2017 (2018) · cites this paper as [50]
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- Authors
- Billieux, J., Schimmenti, A., Khazaal, Y., Maurage, P., & Heeren, A.
- Affiliations
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (BE)
- Università degli Studi di Enna Kore (IT)
- University Hospital of Geneva (CH)
- UCLouvain (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Billieux, Joël
- Venue
- Journal of Behavioral Addictions
- Publisher
- Akademiai Kiado Zrt.
- Published
- 2015-09
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 119-123
- ISSN
- 2062-5871 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4627665
- OpenAlex
- W2154480079
- Cited by
- 920
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 96 · 2025: 69 · 2024: 60 · 2023: 90 · 2022: 96 · 2021: 101 · 2020: 138 · 2019: 81 · 2018: 72 · 2017: 51 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 23 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 78.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Behavioral Addictions (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (publishedVersion)
- Repository of the Academy's Library (Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences) (acceptedVersion)
- Open Repository and Bibliography (University of Luxembourg) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Digital Access to Libraries (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- European Commission (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF, FP7-PEOPLE-2013, 627999)
- Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
- FP7 People: Marie-Curie Actions (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF, FP7-PEOPLE-2013)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- behavioral addiction, activities of daily living, confirmatory research, diagnostic criteria, cognitive processes, research methodology critique
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Models, Theoretical, Behavior, Addictive, Behavioral Research
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