Background: Addictions are highly stigmatized and increasingly construed as biomedical diseases caused by genes, partly to reduce stigma by deflecting blame. However, genetic explanations may have negative effects, which have been understudied in the context of addiction. How the effects of genetic explanations might differ for substance addictions versus behavioral addictions is also unknown.
Aims: This study examined the impact of genetic explanations for addiction on measures of treatment expectancies, blame, and perceived agency and self-control, as well as whether these varied depending on whether the addiction was to a substance or a behavior.
Methods: Participants read about a person ('Charlie') with either alcohol use disorder or gambling disorder, receiving either a genetic or nongenetic explanation of Charlie's problem. They rated how much they blamed Charlie for his disorder, his likelihood of benefitting from medication or psychotherapy, and how much agency and self-control they ascribed to him.
Results: Compared to the nongenetic explanation, the genetic explanation reduced blame and increased confidence in the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy. However, it also decreased the expected effectiveness of psychotherapy and reduced ascriptions of agency and self-control.
Conclusion: Genetic explanations for addiction appear to be a 'double-edged sword', with beneficial effects that come at a cost.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693609 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020764017737573 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Tracking clonal and plasmid transmission in colistin- and carbapenem-resistant .
mSystems
January 2025
Institute for Infection Prevention and Control, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
The surveillance of mobile genetic elements facilitating the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes has been challenging. Here, we tracked both clonal and plasmid transmission in colistin- and carbapenem-resistant using short- and long-read sequencing technologies. We observed three clonal transmissions, all containing Incompatibility group (Inc) L plasmids and New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase , although not co-located on the same plasmid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA novel treatment strategy with hyperbaric oxygen of chronic osteomyelitis and pseudoarthrosis in a child with congenital hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type 4 congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis syndrome: a case report.
J Med Case Rep
January 2025
Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Background: Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is a rare but devastating hereditary disease. Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is caused by a mutation in the neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 1 gene (NRTK1). The condition is characterized by multiple injuries, recurrent infections, and mental retardation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLcProt: Proteomics-based identification of plasma biomarkers for lung cancer multievent, a multicentre study.
Clin Transl Med
January 2025
Department of Thoracic Surgery and Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou, China.
Background: Plasma protein has gained prominence in the non-invasive predicting of lung cancer. We utilised Zeolite Zotero NaY-based plasma proteomics to investigate its potential for multiple event predicting, including lung cancer diagnosis (task #1), lymph node metastasis detection (task #2) and tumour‒node‒metastasis (TNM) staging (task #3).
Methods: A total of 4703 plasma proteins were quantified from 241 participants based on a prospective cohort of 2757 participants.
Observer-rated environmental sensitivity and its characterization at behavioral, genetic, and physiological levels.
Dev Psychopathol
January 2025
School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK.
This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Highly Sensitive Child-Rating System (HSC-RS), the existence of sensitivity groups, and the characterization of sensitivity at behavioral, genetic, and physiological levels in 541 preschoolers (() = 3.56(0.27); 45%male; 87%Caucasian).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe breast cancer genetic testing experience: probing the potential utility of an online decision aid in risk perception and decision making.
BMC Cancer
January 2025
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
Background: Despite the association of pathogenic variants (PVs) in cancer predisposition genes with significantly increased risk of breast cancer (BC), uptake of genetic testing (GT) remains low, especially among ethnic minorities. Our prior study identified that a patient decision aid, RealRisks, improved patient-reported outcomes (including worry and perceived risk) relative to standard educational materials. This study examined patients' GT experience and its influence on subsequent actions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!