Ariane Zermatten

Impulsivity and decision making.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the links among the four facets of impulsivity (urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking) proposed by Whiteside and Lynam (2001) and decision-making processes. Thirty undergraduate students completed a self-report questionnaire evaluating impulsivity as well as a task measuring decision-making processes, the Iowa Gambling Task. Zero-order correlations and multilevel analysis revealed that only lack of premeditation was specifically linked to disadvantageous decisions on the Gambling Task. This suggests that premeditation is related to decision making influenced by somatic (or emotional) markers.

A French Adaptation of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale

Impulsivity is an important and multifaceted psychological construct. Recently, Whiteside and Lynam (2001) have developed the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale that distinguishes four dimensions of impulsivity: Urgency, lack of Premeditation, lack of Perseverance, and Sensation seeking. In the present study, we investigated the psychometric properties of a French adaptation of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Two hundred and thirty-four undergraduate students completed the UPPS Scale. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses revealed a four factors solution similar to that found in the original study. Also, the results indicated that there was good to very good internal reliability for the four subscales.

Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) : psychometric properties of the French translation and exploration of its relations with emotion regulation strategies

Over the past few years, several questionnaires have been developed to measure mindfulness. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) was created to specifically capture attention and awareness in daily life (Brown & Ryan, 2003). In this article, we present a French adaptation of the MAAS. In the 1st study, we explored the psychometric properties of this adaptation. In the 2nd study, we investigated its relation to cognitive emotion regulation and depressive symptomatology using path analysis. As in the original version of the MAAS, the French adaptation has a strong 1-factor structure. Moreover, there was a negative relationship between the MAAS and the severity of depressive symptoms, both directly and indirectly. The indirect pathway was mediated by the nonadaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy of self-blame and the adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy of positive reappraisal. In conclusion, this questionnaire represents a valid mindfulness measure for French-speaking clinicians and researchers.

Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ)

The main purpose of this study was to validate a French version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). A sample of 224 young adults completed the French translation of the CERQ and the Beck Depression Inventory II. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that a nine-factor model also explained the data collected with the French version. Internal reliability scores for each strategy ranged from .68 to .87. As in the original version, we found that the emotion regulation strategies could be grouped into adaptive and less adaptive cognitive regulation strategies. In addition, we observed that Self-blame and Rumination are key cognitive regulation strategies predicting whether high or low depressive symptoms are reported.

Motivations to Play Specifically Predict Excessive Involvement in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games: Evidence from an Online Survey

Background: Several studies have linked massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) with possible problematic usage or internet addiction. Aims: The main goal of the present study was to assess links between motivations to play in MMORPGs and addictive involvement in such types of games. Methods: A total of 696 gamers responded to an online survey. Results and Conclusion: Five distinct motivations to play were identified in gamers: achievement, socializing, immersion, relaxing and escaping. Multiple regression analysis revealed that addictive MMORPG use patterns are predicted by achievement, escapism and socializing motives. Gender was also a significant predictor of problematic involvement in MMORPGs. Moreover, addictive MMORPG use positively correlated with the weekly time devoted to playing MMORPGs.

Quality of Web-based information on depression

Background: Although some studies have already been done on the quality of websites on depression, they have mainly focused on content quality, and were mostly carried out about a decade ago. The main aim of this work was thus to examine the quality of current websites on depression through the use of several indicators. Methods: Three keywords on depression were entered into a popular search engine. Websites were evaluated on accountability, interactivity, esthetics, readability, and content quality. Moreover, the presence of the “Health on the Net” (HON) quality label and the websites affiliation were checked, and the Brief DISCERN was used as a potential content quality indicator for general consumers. Results: A total of 45 websites were analyzed. The content quality of the depression‐related websites was good. Websites with the HON label had significantly higher accountability, content quality, and Brief DISCERN scores. Moreover, websites with a high score on the Brief DISCERN scored significantly higher for accountability and content quality. Finally, the content quality of websites was significantly and positively correlated with the Brief DISCERN score, the presence of the HON label, and affiliation of the websites. Conclusion: The overall quality of websites on depression seems to be rather good. Depression and Anxiety, 2010.

Quality of Web-based information on obsessive compulsive disorder

Background The Internet is increasingly used as a source of information for mental health issues. The burden of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) may lead persons with diagnosed or undiagnosed OCD, and their relatives, to search for good quality information on the Web. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of Web-based information on English-language sites dealing with OCD and to compare the quality of websites found through a general and a medically specialized search engine. Methods Keywords related to OCD were entered into Google and OmniMedicalSearch. Websites were assessed on the basis of accountability, interactivity, readability, and content quality. The “Health on the Net” (HON) quality label and the Brief DISCERN scale score were used as possible content quality indicators. Of the 235 links identified, 53 websites were analyzed. Results The content quality of the OCD websites examined was relatively good. The use of a specialized search engine did not offer an advantage in finding websites with better content quality. A score ≥16 on the Brief DISCERN scale is associated with better content quality. Conclusion This study shows the acceptability of the content quality of OCD websites. There is no advantage in searching for information with a specialized search engine rather than a general one. Practical implications: The Internet offers a number of high quality OCD websites. It remains critical, however, to have a provider–patient talk about the information found on the Web.