The Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer effect as predictor of problematic Internet gaming: Results of a longitudinal...

Recent models on the development of behavioral addictions stress the transfer from goal-directed behavior to stimulus-response habits. Administering a Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigm to individuals with risky or non-problematic gaming, we recently reported that shopping-related cues increase instrumental behavior for a shopping-related reward (i.e. shopping voucher) while gaming-related stimuli triggered instrumental behavior for the gaming-reward (i.e. gaming voucher). This was observed even after devaluation of the gaming-reward. We now investigated the predictive value of the 'Shopping-PIT'- and the 'Gaming-PIT'-effects regarding gaming disorder symptoms.

Data on symptom severity of gaming disorder six months after the baseline assessment were available for 48 individuals with risky gaming and 46 individuals with non-problematic gaming. Hierarchical regression analyses with stepwise inclusion of control variables, the 'Shopping-PIT'-effect as indicator of responding for a general reward after devaluation of the gaming reward and 'The Gaming-PIT'-effect after devaluation of the gaming reward as indicator of habitual responding as well as their interaction effects with symptom severity was calculated.

Higher gaming disorder symptoms at the six-month follow-up assessment were predicted by symptom severity at baseline and the interaction of the 'Shopping-PIT'-effect with symptom severity at baseline. The 'Gaming-PIT'-effect after devaluation did not predict symptom severity.

The finding that cue-triggered responding for a general reward contributes to future symptom severity in individuals with higher symptom severity at baseline suggests a cascade model with higher symptom severity leading to stronger cue-triggered reward-related responding which in turn leads to higher symptom severity.