Rationale
Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is a behavioral economic index of impulsivity and numerous studies have examined DRD in relation to addictive behavior. To synthesize the findings across ...the literature, the current review is a meta-analysis of studies comparing DRD between criterion groups exhibiting addictive behavior and control groups.
Objectives
The meta-analysis sought to characterize the overall patterns of findings, systematic variability by sample and study type, and possible small study (publication) bias.
Methods
Literature reviews identified 310 candidate articles from which 46 studies reporting 64 comparisons were identified (total
N
= 56,013).
Results
From the total comparisons identified, a small magnitude effect was evident (
d
= .15;
p
< .00001) with very high heterogeneity of effect size. Based on systematic observed differences, large studies assessing DRD with a small number of self-report items were removed and an analysis of 57 comparisons (
n
= 3,329) using equivalent methods and exhibiting acceptable heterogeneity revealed a medium magnitude effect (
d
= .58;
p
< .00001). Further analyses revealed significantly larger effect sizes for studies using clinical samples (
d
= .61) compared with studies using nonclinical samples (
d
= .45). Indices of small study bias among the various comparisons suggested varying levels of influence by unpublished findings, ranging from minimal to moderate.
Conclusions
These results provide strong evidence of greater DRD in individuals exhibiting addictive behavior in general and particularly in individuals who meet criteria for an addictive disorder. Implications for the assessment of DRD and research priorities are discussed.
The Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory (FFNI) is a self-report measure of the traits linked to grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, as well as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), from a ...five-factor model perspective (FFM). In the current studies, the factor structure of the FFNI was explored and the results supported the extraction of three factors: Antagonism (e.g., Arrogance), Neuroticism (e.g., Need for Admiration), and Agentic Extraversion (e.g., Authoritativeness). In Study 2, the FFNI factors manifested convergent validity with their corresponding Big Five domains and diverging relations with measures of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, NPD, and self-esteem. Ultimately, the FFNI factors help explicate the differences between various expressions of narcissism such that all are related to Antagonism but differ with regard to Neuroticism (relevant to vulnerable narcissism and NPD) and Agentic Extraversion (relevant to grandiose narcissism and NPD). The results also highlight the complex relation between self-esteem and the traits that comprise narcissism measures.
The Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory (FFNI; Glover, Miller, Lynam, Crego, & Widiger, 2012) is a 148-item self-report inventory of 15 traits designed to assess the basic elements of narcissism from ...the perspective of a 5-factor model. The FFNI assesses both vulnerable (i.e., cynicism/distrust, need for admiration, reactive anger, and shame) and grandiose (i.e., acclaim seeking, arrogance, authoritativeness, entitlement, exhibitionism, exploitativeness, grandiose fantasies, indifference, lack of empathy, manipulativeness, and thrill seeking) variants of narcissism. The present study reports the development of a short-form version of the FFNI in 4 diverse samples (i.e., 2 undergraduate samples, a sample recruited from MTurk, and a clinical community sample) using item response theory. The validity of the resultant 60-item short form was compared against the validity of the full scale in the 4 samples at both the subscale level and the level of the grandiose and vulnerable composites. Results indicated that the 15 subscales remain relatively reliable, possess a factor structure identical to the structure of the long-form scales, and manifest correlational profiles highly similar to those of the long-form scales in relation to a variety of criterion measures, including basic personality dimensions, other measures of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, and indicators of externalizing and internalizing psychopathology. Grandiose and vulnerable composites also behave almost identically across the short- and long-form versions. It is concluded that the FFNI-Short Form (FFNI-SF) offers a well-articulated assessment of the basic traits comprising grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, particularly when assessment time is limited.
Given substantial interest in the traits conceived of as part of the "Dark Triad"-psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism-assessment of these traits is of great importance. The Dirty Dozen (DD; ...Jonason & Webster, 2010) is a brief measure of the Dark Triad constructs that uses 4 items to assess each of these constructs. In the present study, the authors examined the adequacy of the DD's Psychopathy scale by comparing it with established measures of psychopathy in a sample of undergraduates (Sample 1: N = 789) and male prisoners (Sample 2: N = 75). DD's Psychopathy subscale manifested significant correlations with established measures, but the correlations were smaller than those evinced by the existing scales. The results also demonstrated that there is important variance related to interpersonal antagonism and disinhibition that is not assessed by the DD. The authors suggest that caution should be used in relying on the DD as a measure of psychopathy.
Objective
Increasing attention has been paid to the distinction between the dimensions of narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability. We examine the degree to which basic traits underlie vulnerable ...narcissism, with a particular emphasis on the importance of Neuroticism and Agreeableness.
Method
Across four samples (undergraduate, online community, clinical‐community), we conduct dominance analyses to partition the variance predicted in vulnerable narcissism by the Five‐Factor Model personality domains, as well as compare the empirical profiles generated by vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism.
Results
These analyses demonstrate that the lion's share of variance is explained by Neuroticism (65%) and Agreeableness (19%). Similarity analyses were also conducted in which the extent to which vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism share similar empirical networks was tested using an array of criteria, including self‐, informant, and thin slice ratings of personality; interview‐based ratings of personality disorder and pathological traits; and self‐ratings of adverse events and functional outcomes. The empirical correlates of vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism were nearly identical (MrICC = .94). Partial analyses demonstrated that the variance in vulnerable narcissism not shared with Neuroticism is largely specific to disagreeableness‐related traits such as distrustfulness and grandiosity.
Conclusions
These findings demonstrate the parsimony of using basic personality to study personality pathology and have implications for how vulnerable narcissism might be approached clinically.
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes an alternative model of personality disorders (PDs) in Section III, consisting in part of a ...pathological personality trait model. To date, the 220-item Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5; Krueger, Derringer, Markon, Watson, & Skodol, 2012) is the only extant self-report instrument explicitly developed to measure this pathological trait model. The present study used item response theory-based analyses in a large sample (n = 1,417) to investigate whether a reduced set of 100 items could be identified from the PID-5 that could measure the 25 traits and 5 domains. This reduced set of PID-5 items was then tested in a community sample of adults currently receiving psychological treatment (n = 109). Across a wide range of criterion variables including NEO PI-R domains and facets, DSM-5 Section II PD scores, and externalizing and internalizing outcomes, the correlational profiles of the original and reduced versions of the PID-5 were nearly identical (rICC = .995). These results provide strong support for the hypothesis that an abbreviated set of PID-5 items can be used to reliably, validly, and efficiently assess these personality disorder traits. The ability to assess the DSM-5 Section III traits using only 100 items has important implications in that it suggests these traits could still be measured in settings in which assessment-related resources (e.g., time, compensation) are limited.
Aims
Novel methods in behavioral economics permit the systematic assessment of the relationship between cigarette consumption and price. Towards informing tax policy, the goals of this study were to ...conduct a high‐resolution analysis of cigarette demand in a large sample of adult smokers and to use the data to estimate the effects of tax increases in 10 US States.
Design
In‐person descriptive survey assessment.
Setting
Academic departments at three universities.
Participants
Adult daily smokers (i.e. more than five cigarettes/day; 18+ years old; ≥8th grade education); n = 1056.
Measurements
Estimated cigarette demand, demographics, expired carbon monoxide.
Findings
The cigarette demand curve exhibited highly variable levels of price sensitivity, especially in the form of ‘left‐digit effects’ (i.e. very high price sensitivity as pack prices transitioned from one whole number to the next; e.g. $5.80–6/pack). A $1 tax increase in the 10 states was projected to reduce the economic burden of smoking by an average of $530.6 million (range: $93.6–976.5 million) and increase gross tax revenue by an average of 162% (range: 114–247%).
Conclusions
Tobacco price sensitivity is non‐linear across the demand curve and in particular for pack‐level left‐digit price transitions. Tax increases in US states with similar price and tax rates to the sample are projected to result in substantial decreases in smoking‐related costs and substantial increases in tax revenues.
ABSTRACTBackgroundAlcohol use has been reliably associated with smaller subcortical and cortical regional gray matter volumes (GMVs). Whether these associations reflect shared predisposing risk ...factors and/or causal consequences of alcohol use remains poorly understood. MethodsData came from 3 neuroimaging samples (total n=2,423), spanning childhood/adolescence to middle age, with prospective or family-based data. First, we identified replicable GMV correlates of alcohol use. Next, we used family-based and longitudinal data to test whether these associations may plausibly reflect a predispositional liability for alcohol use, and/or a causal consequence of alcohol use. Finally, we evaluated whether GWAS-defined genomic risk for alcohol consumption is enriched for genes preferentially expressed in regions identified in our neuroimaging analyses, using heritability and gene-set enrichment, and transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) approaches. ResultsSmaller right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC; i.e., middle and superior frontal gyri) and insula GMVs were associated with increased alcohol use across samples. Family-based and prospective longitudinal data suggest these associations are genetically-conferred and that DLPFC GMV prospectively predicts future use and initiation. Genomic risk for alcohol use was enriched in gene-sets preferentially expressed in the DLPFC, and associated with replicable differential gene expression in the DLPFC. ConclusionsThese data suggest that smaller DLPFC and insula GMV plausibly represent genetically-conferred predispositional risk factors for, as opposed to consequences of, alcohol use. DLPFC and insula GMV represent promising biomarkers for alcohol consumption liability and related psychiatric and behavioral phenotypes.
Both intoxication and chronic heavy alcohol use are associated with suicide. There is extensive population‐level evidence linking per capita alcohol consumption with suicide. While alcohol policies ...can reduce excessive alcohol consumption, the relationship between alcohol policies and suicide warrants a critical review of the literature. This review summarizes the associations between various types of alcohol policies and suicide, both in the United States and internationally, as presented in English‐language literature published between 1999 and 2014. Study designs, methodological challenges, and limitations in ascertaining the associations are discussed. Because of the substantial between‐states variation in alcohol policies, U.S.‐based studies contributed substantially to the literature. Repeated cross‐sectional designs at both the ecological level and decedent level were common among U.S.‐based studies. Non‐U.S. studies often used time series data to evaluate pre–post comparisons of a hybrid set of policy changes. Although inconsistency remained, the published literature in general supported the protective effect of restrictive alcohol policies on reducing suicide as well as the decreased level of alcohol involvement among suicide decedents. Common limitations included measurement and selection bias and a focus on effects of a limited number of alcohol policies without accounting for other alcohol policies. This review summarizes a number of studies that suggest restrictive alcohol policies may contribute to suicide prevention on a general population level and to a reduction of alcohol involvement among suicide deaths.
The figure shows a shift of the distribution of population suicide risk to a favorable (lower) direction through better implementation of effective alcohol policies. By making alcohol less available at the population level, it is possible to reduce the average risk of suicide especially those where alcohol is involved. Consistent with the prevention paradox, this population‐based approach is likely to maximize public health benefit and have a long‐lasting influence on reducing suicide and related social burden.
PDF
