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The following is a summary of “Self-Control Abilities in Specific Types of Problematic Usage of the Internet: Findings From Clinically Validated Samples With Neurocognitive Tasks,” published in the May 2025 issue of American Journal of Psychiatry by Müller et al. 

Impaired cognitive functions have frequently been linked to reduced self-control, yet studies focusing on cognitive aspects of gaming disorders and other specific problematic usage of the Internet (PUI) remain scarce.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to compare cognitive domain performance between clinically validated groups with and without specific PUI.  

They analyzed data from a large-scale multicenter study in Germany collected between October 2021 and August 2024. The study compared 3 groups: Internet users with pathological use (N=284), risky use (N=305), and nonproblematic use (N=424). Group classification relied on structured interviews covering 4 specific PUI types (gaming, buying-shopping, pornography use, and social network use). All participants completed extensive laboratory testing, including self-report scales and standard cognitive tasks such as the Modified Card Sorting Test, Stroop test, logical reasoning test, Game of Dice Task, delay discounting task, and a go/no-go task with Internet-related stimuli.  

The results showed significant differences among groups in both behavioral (partial eta² ≤0.06) and self-report measures (partial eta² ≤0.14) of self-control. The pathological use group exhibited the lowest average performance across all tasks. Risky and nonproblematic use groups showed minimal differences in behavioral measures but differed in self-reported self-directedness and attentional impulsivity. Post hoc analyses identified significant interaction effects based on PUI type.  

Investigators concluded that PUI was linked to impairments in executive functions, decision-making, and stimulus-specific inhibitory control, with specific differences important for tailoring self-control interventions. 

Source: psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.20240486