Lecture 1: An introduction to risk behavior and the development of
substance and behavioral addictions during adolescence (05/09)
Questions addressed in the lecture
1. How do we define risk behavior?
2. Which (neurological) developments take place during adolescence?
3. Why is there a peak in risk behaviors during adolescence?
4. How do we define risk behavior, psycho-active substances (drugs) and addiction?
5. Which learning principles play a role in the development of addiction?
6. Which neurobiological mechanism plays a role in the development of tolerance and
withdrawal symptoms?
7. What is the role of cognitive biases/implicit processes in substance use and addiction?
8. Which behavioral addictions are now officially recognized by diagnostic classification
systems such as the DSM-5 and the ICD-11?
9. How do we define behavioral addictions?
10. Do social media disorder symptoms lead to significant harm to adolescents’ wellbeing and
functioning, and if so, what are the exact consequences of social media disorder symptoms?
11. Why is it important to obtain official recognition for internet-related addictions by diagnostic
classification systems for DSM-5 and the ICD-11?
How do we define risk behavior?
Risk behavior: behaviors that pose a risk to a healthy physical, cognitive, psychosocial development
of adolescents:
- Substance use (e.g., smoking/vaping, alcohol use, cannabis use, use of XTC and other
party/designer drugs)
- Other risk behaviors (e.g., (online) gambling, gaming, social media use)
- → They can lead to addiction
The general developmental process of addiction: contact with a substance → experimenting with a
substance → integrated use → excessive use → addicted use
What we tend to regard as ‘risk behavior’ depends on…
- Characteristics of the particular substance or behavior
- e.g.: smoking/vaping versus gaming
- Cultural and societal norms:
- e.g.: alcohol use in western versus Islamic cultures
- Scientific knowledge:
- e.g.: knowledge on the risks of alcohol use for the cognitive development of
adolescents
, - Are you capable of? Do u have the opportunity to? Are you motivated to?
- This model is also used for behavior change interventions
Which (neurological) developments take place during adolescence?
Adolescence (ongv. 10 – 24 years):
- Early adolescence (aged 10 – 14): physical growth, sexual maturation, psychosocial
development, social identity formation (it is important to be accepted by peers). Gender
difference in development (girls are 2,5 earlier with developing)
- Mid adolescence (aged 15 – 17): experimenting with (risk) behaviors, personal identity
formation (who am I in the eyes of myself, instead of the eyes of others, you want to be more
unique)
, - Late adolescence (aged 18 – 24): practicing adult roles (getting your first job, relationship,
house)
Neurological development during adolescence:
1. Strong grow in brain volume: increase in white matter (connections), but decrease in grey
matter (nerve cells)
- Pruning (snoeien): if you don’t use it (parts of your brain), you lose it
2. High plasticity and flexibility of the brain
3. Increase in white matter: communication between brain regions strongly improves:
- Long term memory increases
- Capacity for abstract (critical) thinking and metacognition (knowledge of your own
knowledge) increases
o This is responsible for the increase in conflicts with parents
Why is there a peak in risk behaviors during adolescence?
, The speed of the development of two different brain regions differs:
- The affective-motivational system (emotional brain) develops fast
- The control system (rational brain) develops slowly
- See article by Gladwin et al. (2011) for more details
Affective-motivational system (emotional brain):
- The affective-motivational system (‘reward center’) is overactive during early and mid-
adolescence
- Adolescents experience stronger positive emotions than adults when they receive or anticipate
a reward
o This process is enhanced by testosterone
Control system (rational brain)
- The rational brain develops slowly (until about 25 years)
- The rational brain plays an important role in the development of executive functions (for
achieving long-term goals):
o Risk estimation
substance and behavioral addictions during adolescence (05/09)
Questions addressed in the lecture
1. How do we define risk behavior?
2. Which (neurological) developments take place during adolescence?
3. Why is there a peak in risk behaviors during adolescence?
4. How do we define risk behavior, psycho-active substances (drugs) and addiction?
5. Which learning principles play a role in the development of addiction?
6. Which neurobiological mechanism plays a role in the development of tolerance and
withdrawal symptoms?
7. What is the role of cognitive biases/implicit processes in substance use and addiction?
8. Which behavioral addictions are now officially recognized by diagnostic classification
systems such as the DSM-5 and the ICD-11?
9. How do we define behavioral addictions?
10. Do social media disorder symptoms lead to significant harm to adolescents’ wellbeing and
functioning, and if so, what are the exact consequences of social media disorder symptoms?
11. Why is it important to obtain official recognition for internet-related addictions by diagnostic
classification systems for DSM-5 and the ICD-11?
How do we define risk behavior?
Risk behavior: behaviors that pose a risk to a healthy physical, cognitive, psychosocial development
of adolescents:
- Substance use (e.g., smoking/vaping, alcohol use, cannabis use, use of XTC and other
party/designer drugs)
- Other risk behaviors (e.g., (online) gambling, gaming, social media use)
- → They can lead to addiction
The general developmental process of addiction: contact with a substance → experimenting with a
substance → integrated use → excessive use → addicted use
What we tend to regard as ‘risk behavior’ depends on…
- Characteristics of the particular substance or behavior
- e.g.: smoking/vaping versus gaming
- Cultural and societal norms:
- e.g.: alcohol use in western versus Islamic cultures
- Scientific knowledge:
- e.g.: knowledge on the risks of alcohol use for the cognitive development of
adolescents
, - Are you capable of? Do u have the opportunity to? Are you motivated to?
- This model is also used for behavior change interventions
Which (neurological) developments take place during adolescence?
Adolescence (ongv. 10 – 24 years):
- Early adolescence (aged 10 – 14): physical growth, sexual maturation, psychosocial
development, social identity formation (it is important to be accepted by peers). Gender
difference in development (girls are 2,5 earlier with developing)
- Mid adolescence (aged 15 – 17): experimenting with (risk) behaviors, personal identity
formation (who am I in the eyes of myself, instead of the eyes of others, you want to be more
unique)
, - Late adolescence (aged 18 – 24): practicing adult roles (getting your first job, relationship,
house)
Neurological development during adolescence:
1. Strong grow in brain volume: increase in white matter (connections), but decrease in grey
matter (nerve cells)
- Pruning (snoeien): if you don’t use it (parts of your brain), you lose it
2. High plasticity and flexibility of the brain
3. Increase in white matter: communication between brain regions strongly improves:
- Long term memory increases
- Capacity for abstract (critical) thinking and metacognition (knowledge of your own
knowledge) increases
o This is responsible for the increase in conflicts with parents
Why is there a peak in risk behaviors during adolescence?
, The speed of the development of two different brain regions differs:
- The affective-motivational system (emotional brain) develops fast
- The control system (rational brain) develops slowly
- See article by Gladwin et al. (2011) for more details
Affective-motivational system (emotional brain):
- The affective-motivational system (‘reward center’) is overactive during early and mid-
adolescence
- Adolescents experience stronger positive emotions than adults when they receive or anticipate
a reward
o This process is enhanced by testosterone
Control system (rational brain)
- The rational brain develops slowly (until about 25 years)
- The rational brain plays an important role in the development of executive functions (for
achieving long-term goals):
o Risk estimation
