PhD
PhD by Research
Our PhD by research programme is based on independent study, guided by your assigned supervisors and support system. It typically [...]
Research Project Overview
Pietro’s PhD research examines the potential relationship between problematic social media use (PSMU) and problem gambling (PG), investigating whether these behavioural addictions share underlying psychological features. Emerging evidence points to possible connections through transdiagnostic factors such as impulsivity, emotion dysregulation, and inhibitory control deficits, which could drive similar responses to variable rewards and cue reactivity. The study aims to determine if PSMU and PG represent overlapping manifestations of a broader addictive phenotype, using validated questionnaires to assess symptom severity alongside behavioural measures of cognitive function. This approach could reveal common neurocognitive vulnerabilities, ultimately informing prevention and treatment strategies for individuals at risk of co-occurring behavioural addictions.
Funders: Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar
Project Team
Project Lead: Mr Pietro Benfenati
Supervisors: Prof Zsolt Demetrovics (Primary Supervisor), Dr Andrea Czakó (Secondary Supervisor), Dr Cristina Villalba García (Third Supervisor).
This research is significant as it investigates the emerging intersection between problematic social media use (PSMU) and problem gambling (PG), an area of increasing concern in contemporary society. By employing behavioural tasks such as Go/No-Go paradigms and psychometric scales, the study aims to provide empirical evidence regarding the cognitive performance patterns associated with PSMU compared to traditional PG. Understanding these inhibitory control deficits may reveal underlying psychological mechanisms such as impulsivity and emotion dysregulation that contribute to addictive behaviours. As the worldwide population is engaging with social media platforms featuring gamified elements and variable reinforcement, this research holds the potential to inform stakeholders about the cognitive and psychological impacts of excessive digital engagement. Establishing clearer links between PSMU and PG could prompt regulatory considerations and create frameworks for responsible digital behaviour practices. Ultimately, this research seeks to make a meaningful contribution to the fields of psychology, behavioural addiction studies, and treatment by shedding light on the transdiagnostic vulnerabilities posed by modern technology-driven reward systems.
Research methods
The study employs a multi-method approach to systematically examine the potential relationship between problematic social media use (PSMU) and problem gambling (PG), two behavioural addictions increasingly prevalent in digital contexts. Validated psychometric scales such as those measuring PSMU and PG severity alongside transdiagnostic factors like impulsivity and emotion dysregulation will be analysed through structural equation modelling (SEM) to uncover latent pathways and shared psychological vulnerabilities. This will be complemented by a Go/No-Go behavioural task designed to assess inhibitory control, capturing metrics like commission errors and reaction times in response to addiction-relevant cues. Each participant session, lasting approximately 40 minutes, will include a clear procedural debrief and proceed under controlled conditions with direct researcher supervision to ensure data integrity. Responses will be meticulously recorded to facilitate robust correlations between self-reported profiles and objective cognitive performance. This integrated design generates comprehensive, convergent evidence to illuminate transdiagnostic mechanisms linking PSMU and PG, with direct implications for understanding addictive processes and developing targeted prevention strategies.
Relevance to the wider community
The implications of this research extend far beyond academic discourse, holding particular importance for the wider community, especially parents, educators, and digital platform regulators. As problematic social media use and problem gambling become increasingly intertwined in young people’s digital lives, this study illuminates shared psychological vulnerabilities that drive these behavioural addictions. By demonstrating potential cognitive and emotional parallels between excessive social media engagement and gambling, the research seeks to raise awareness of transdiagnostic risk factors, empowering parents to recognize early warning signs in their children’s online habits. Educators can integrate these findings into discussions about healthy digital behaviour and self-regulation skills within school curricula. Policymakers and social media platforms may gain evidence-based insights to inform guidelines on algorithm design, notification systems, and content moderation that exploit variable reward mechanisms. Through public engagement such as workshops, policy briefs, and community presentations this research aims to foster informed conversations that protect vulnerable populations and promote responsible digital engagement across society.
Pathways to impact
The research identifies several pathways to impact that aim to translate findings into actionable insights. Collaborations with social media platforms and digital wellness organizations could lead to the development of responsible engagement features that mitigate risks associated with algorithm-driven notifications and variable reward systems. Engaging with educators, mental health practitioners, and community organizations will facilitate workshops and seminars providing parents, young adults, and clinicians with evidence-based information about transdiagnostic risk factors in PSMU and PG, along with strategies for promoting healthy digital habits and self-regulation. Publishing results in high-impact behavioural addiction journals and presenting at international conferences will establish new baselines for understanding cognitive overlaps between these disorders and spur transdiagnostic research paradigms. Media outreach through policy briefs, practitioner guidelines, and public engagement campaigns will ensure findings reach regulators, app developers, and treatment providers. During the project, quarterly stakeholder updates and pilot interventions will be implemented; post-project, open-access publications and collaboration with responsible gaming initiatives will sustain long-term influence. Ultimately, these pathways aim not only to advance academic understanding of behavioural addiction mechanisms but also to shape platform design standards, clinical assessment protocols, and prevention policies protecting vulnerable digital users.
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