The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The DRAM 3(5) - Addiction and Technology − Reliability of Online Alcohol Use Assessments

Compared to traditional paper and pencil methods, online studies can benefit from the convenience, lower cost, reduced time to completion, access to larger samples, and reduced self-presentation biases offered by the Internet (Miller, 1997; Schmidt, 1997). Reducing the extent that participants bias their self-presentation can benefit addiction-related research. Until now, researchers have not studied the reliability or validity of commonly used addiction-related surveys administered via the Internet. This week’s DRAM reviews a study that, in part, compares the reliability of web-based addiction-related surveys to traditional paper and pencil surveys. Miller, E.T., Neal, D.J., Roberts, L.J., Baer, J.S., Cressler, S.O., Metrik,... Read more →

The WAGER 12(5) - Addiction and Technology - VLTreatment: Can changing features of Video Lottery Terminals decrease erroneous beliefs and gambling behavior?

Video lottery terminals (VLTs) are electronic devices that allow gamblers to play a variety of games, including card games, roulette, and spinning reel games. Multiple U.S. states and most Canadian provinces have legalized VLTs, and recent studies have indicated that disordered gamblers prefer VLTs to other games (e.g., Ladouceur, Sylvain, Boutin, & Doucet, 2002). Certain features of VLTs (e.g., lights and sounds, the speed at which players can go from game to game, and the ability to stop the reels) might increase cognitive errors and lead to increased gambling (Cloutier, Ladouceur, & Sevigny, 2006; Griffiths, 1993; Ladouceur & Sevigny, 2005).... Read more →

STASH Vol. 3(4) - Addiction and Technology - Websites about Ecstasy: Which Sources of Information are Drug Users Using?

The Internet is a plentiful source of information about illicit drugs. In the last issue of STASH (3(3)), we reported a study which examined Internet sites offering to sell non-prescription opioids. The Internet also can be a source of information about illicit drugs. This week’s STASH reviews a study of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, i.e., ecstasy) users’ perceptions about the accuracy of available sources of educational MDMA information. Investigating information that might influence a decision to take an illicit drug can shed light on how best to create effective public health interventions to prevent and minimize harms associated with such drug use.... Read more →

Addiction & the Humanities Vol. 3(4) - Addiction and Technology– From Sex to Drugs: Considering Evolution and Addiction

With his book The Origin of the Species, Charles Darwin offered two fundamental scientific postulates: the first suggests that all living things on earth are descendents of earlier species (i.e., evolution); and, the second suggests that natural selection is the architect of evolution. Natural selection drives evolution through adaptations to environmental challenges. Organisms that develop beneficial adaptations, increasing the likelihood that they will survive, are more likely to pass on these adaptive genes to their offspring than organisms that fail to develop beneficial adaptations. Consequently, over time, the organisms that fail to adapt and survive contribute fewer genes and become... Read more →

ASHES Vol. 3(4) - Addiction and Technology - Good help is hard to find: Why quitting smoking might be easier than finding smoking cessation resources on the Internet

During 2002, more than 73 million Americans accessed the Internet in search of health information (Fox & Rainie, 2002). As more people gain access to computers, the Internet is becoming a more viable outlet for doing large scale smoking cessation interventions. The anonymity of e-mail and chat rooms helps people feel more comfortable; thus, they might be more likely to talk to counselors and others about smoking and quitting. The Internet offers convenience by allowing users to move at their own pace when attempting to quit. Bock et al., (2004) recently reviewed and evaluated smoking cessation treatment on the Internet.... Read more →