RP5: Effekts of acute stress on cue reactivity and implicit cognitive mechanisms in buying-shopping disorder and social-networks-use disorder

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Cue reactivity and craving, or the strong desire to consume a substance, are considered to be underlying mechanisms in the development and maintenance of substance use disorders. Implicit cognitive mechanisms are described as further key components of an addictive behavior, including attentional bias for a substance and implicit associations with substance intake. The I-PACE (Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution) model provides a theoretical framework describing key concepts of the development and maintenance of an addictive behavior, which also encompasses the interplay of cue reactivity, craving, and implicit cognitions. It is assumed that stress may influence affective and cognitive responses in individuals with behavioral addictions, including those with Internet use disorder. One of the most significant changes to the buying-shopping environment is the migration of traditional acquisition of goods to the online retail market, potentially contributing to nowadays predominantly online buying-shopping disorder. Communication behaviors are also changing, and a growing number of individuals are suffering from negative consequences and diminished control due to overuse of online communication applications. With the inclusion of gaming disorder in the ICD-11 as a disorder due to addictive behavior, buying-shopping disorder and social network use disorder are discussed as further specific types of Internet use disorders. Previous studies mainly show the relevance of cue reactivity and craving in both addictive behaviors, and of implicit cognitions in buying-shopping disorder. Research on implicit cognitions in social network use disorder, effects of acute stress, and the interaction of these aspects in both specific Internet use disorders are lacking. The research project addresses the predictive role of acute psychosocial stress for cue reactivity, craving, and addiction-related implicit cognitive processes in four groups, namely women with 1) buying-shopping disorder and 2) social network use disorder, compared to women with 3) non-problematic buying-shopping behavior and 4) non-problematic use of social networks. Besides the surveys and structured interviews for the diagnostics and the experimental and neuropsychological tasks of the core battery, an Implicit Association Test and a dot-probe task with addiction-related stimuli will be administered. The role of acute stress will be investigated using the standardized Trier Social Stress Test compared to a non-stressful control condition. The research project is strongly linked to RP2 and RP4, since these projects will examine effects of acute stress on cue reactivity in buying-shopping disorder (RP2), gaming disorder, and pornography use disorder (RP4). Further synergy effects are expected with RP8, addressing implicit cognitions in social network use disorder, and with RP7, addressing implicit associations in different addictive behaviors as well.