Argentine tango: Another behavioral addiction?

Background: Behavioral addiction is an emerging concept based on the resemblance between symptoms or feelings provided by drugs and those obtained with various behaviors such as gambling, etc. Following an observational study of a tango dancer exhibiting criteria of dependence on this dance, we performed a survey to assess whether this case was unique or frequently encountered in the tango dancing community. Methods: We designed an online survey based on both the DSM-IV and Goodman's criteria of dependence; we added questions relative to the positive and negative effects of tango dancing and a self-evaluation of the degree of addiction to tango. The questionnaire was sent via Internet to all the tango dancers subscribing to “ToutTango”, an electronic monthly journal. The prevalence of dependence was analyzed using DSM-IV, Goodman's criteria and self-rating scores separately. Results: 1,129 tango dancers answered the questionnaire. Dependence rates were 45.1, 6.9 and 35.9%, respectively, according to the DSM-IV, Goodman's criteria and self-rating scores. Physical symptoms of withdrawal were reported by 20% of the entire sample and one-third described a strong craving for dancing. Positive effects were high both in dependent and non-dependent groups and were markedly greater than negative effects. Long practice of tango dancing did not modify the dependence rate or reduce the level of positive effects. Conclusions: Tango dancing could lead to dependence as currently defined. However, this dependence is associated with marked and sustained positive effects whilst the negative are few. Identifying the precise substratum of this dependence needs further investigation

Zinc and other metals deficiencies and risk of type 1 diabetes: an ecological study in the high risk Sardinia island

Type 1 diabetes incidence presents a decreasing gradient in Europe from the Nordic countries to the Mediterranean ones. Exception to this gradient is represented by Sardinia, the second largest Mediterranean island whose population shows the highest incidence in Europe, after Finland. The genetic features of this population have created a fertile ground for the epidemic of the disease, however, as well as being strikingly high, the incidence rate has suddenly presented a continuous increase from the '50s, not explainable by accumulation of new genetic variants. Several environmental factors have been taken into account, possibly interacting with the genetic/epigenetic scenario, but there are no strong evidences to date

Behavioural addiction and substance addiction should be defined by their similarities not their dissimilarities

Following the recent changes to the diagnostic category for addictive disorders in DSM-5, it is urgent to clarify what constitutes behavioural addiction to have a clear direction for future research and classification. However, in the years following the release of DSM-5, an expanding body of research has increasingly classified engagement in a wide range of common behaviours and leisure activities as possible behavioural addiction. If this expansion does not end, both the relevance and the credibility of the field of addictive disorders might be questioned, which may prompt a dismissive appraisal of the new DSM-5 subcategory for behavioural addiction. We propose an operational definition of behavioural addiction together with a number of exclusion criteria, to avoid pathologizing common behaviours and provide a common ground for further research. The definition and its exclusion criteria are clarified and justified by illustrating how these address a number of theoretical and methodological shortcomings that result from existing conceptualizations. We invite other researchers to extend our definition under an Open Science Foundation framework

Problematic gaming exists and is an example of disordered gaming

Background: The recent paper by Aarseth et al. (2016) questioned whether problematic gaming should be considered a new disorder particularly because “Gaming Disorder” (GD) has been identified as a disorder to be included in the next (11th) revision of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Methods: This study uses contemporary literature to argue why GD should be included in the ICD-11. Results: Aarseth and colleagues acknowledge that there is much literature (including papers by some of the authors themselves) that some individuals experience serious problems with video gaming. How can such an activity be seriously problematic yet not disordered? Similar to other addictions, gaming addiction is relatively rare and is in essence a syndrome (i.e., a condition or disorder characterized by a set of associated symptoms that tend to occur under specific circumstances). Consequently, not everyone will exhibit exactly the same set of symptoms and consequences, and this partly explains why those working in the problematic gaming field often disagree on symptomatology. Conclusions: Research into gaming is not about pathologizing healthy entertainment, but about pathologizing excessive and problematic behaviors that cause significant psychological distress and impairment in an individual’s life. These are two related, but (ultimately) very distinct phenomena. While being aware that gaming is a pastime activity which is enjoyed non-problematically by many millions of individuals worldwide, it is concluded that problematic gaming exists and that it is an example of disordered gaming

An empirical investigation of dance addiction

Although recreational dancing is associated with increased physical and psychological well-being, little is known about the harmful effects of excessive dancing. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychopathological factors associated with dance addiction. The sample comprised 447 salsa and ballroom dancers (68% female, mean age: 32.8 years) who danced recreationally at least once a week. The Exercise Addiction Inventory (Terry, Szabo, & Griffiths, 2004) was adapted for dance (Dance Addiction Inventory, DAI). Motivation, general mental health (BSI-GSI, and Mental Health Continuum), borderline personality disorder, eating disorder symptoms, and dance motives were also assessed. Five latent classes were explored based on addiction symptoms with 11% of participants belonging to the most problematic class. DAI was positively associated with psychiatric distress, borderline personality and eating disorder symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression model indicated that Intensity (ß=0.22), borderline (ß=0.08), eating disorder (ß=0.11) symptoms, as well as Escapism (ß=0.47) and Mood Enhancement (ß=0.15) (as motivational factors) together explained 42% of DAI scores. Dance addiction as assessed with the Dance Addiction Inventory is associated with indicators of mild psychopathology and therefore warrants further research

Tra selva normativa e schedature di massa: i procedimenti di epurazione degli insegnanti di scuola secondaria

Il presente contributo intende indagare un tema finora per nulla esplorato dagli storici: l\u2019epurazione del personale scolastico (presidi, direttori didattici, ispettori, docenti), scegliendo come caso di studio la citt\ue0 di Padova. Essa rappresenta un ottimo osservatorio in quanto sede del ministero dell\u2019educazione nazionale durante gli anni repubblichini e perch\ue9 citt\ue0 non solo perfettamente allineata con le direttive emanate in ambito scolastico, ma anche particolarmente attiva sul fronte delle iniziative, dei convegni, delle attuazioni pratiche. Presso il locale Archivio di Stato sono conservati i fascicoli dei soggetti (insegnanti, presidi, funzionari) deferiti presso la commissione provinciale di epurazione nel biennio 1945-46: una documentazione preziosa e inedita che consente di ricostruire le vicende processuali di quegli insegnanti accusati di aver svolto un ruolo attivo durante il fascismo. L\u2019Archivio Casrec (Centro di Ateneo per la storia della Resistenza e dell\u2019et\ue0 contemporanea) dell\u2019Universit\ue0 di Padova raccoglie, invece, le carte del provveditorato agli Studi, informato sull\u2019attivit\ue0 della commissione e soggetto attivo nell\u2019opera di epurazione. L\u2019obiettivo del saggio \ue8 pertanto quello di ricostruire il contesto entro il quale operarono la commissione provinciale di epurazione e la sottocommissione ministeriale che la sostitu\uec nel 1946, cercando di fare chiarezza sulla normativa vigente, assai complessa, e di offrire un primo tassello alla ricostruzione di un mosaico ancora tutto da comporre.The present paper wants to study a theme not explored by historians so far: the defascistisation of school teacher, choosing the city of Padua as a study case. It is an excellent observatory because in Padua was located the headquarter of the Ministry of National Education and because it was a town very aligned with fascist guidelines. The State Archive of Padua preserves the dossier of all the people (teachers, headmasters, school inspectors, etc.) referred by the provincial commission for the defascistisation during the years 1945-46: a valuable and unpublished documentation that allows to reconstruct the procedural events of those teachers accused of having played an active role during fascism. The Casrec Archive (Centro di Ateneo per la storia della Resistenza e dell\u2019et\ue0 contemporanea) of Padua University preserves the documents of the Provveditorato agli studi (board education), an office informed about the activity of the commission and an active subject in the defascistisation process. The aim of the essay is therefore to reconstruct the context within which the provincial purification commission and the ministerial subcommission that followed in 1946 operated, trying to shed some light on the very complicated regulations, and to present the main actors involved in the defascistisation process

Road traffic pollution and childhood leukemia: a nationwide case-control study in Italy

Background The association of childhood leukemia with traffic pollution was considered in a number of studies from 1989 onwards, with results not entirely consistent and little information regarding subtypes. Aim of the study We used the data of the Italian SETIL case-control on childhood leukemia to explore the risk by leukemia subtypes associated to exposure to vehicular traffic. Methods We included in the analyses 648 cases of childhood leukemia (565 Acute lymphoblastic–ALL and 80 Acute non lymphoblastic-AnLL) and 980 controls. Information on traffic exposure was collected from questionnaire interviews and from the geocoding of house addresses, for all periods of life of the children. Results We observed an increase in risk for AnLL, and at a lower extent for ALL, with indicators of exposure to traffic pollutants. In particular, the risk was associated to the report of closeness of the house to traffic lights and to the passage of trucks (OR: 1.76; 95% CI 1.03–3.01 for ALL and 6.35; 95% CI 2.59–15.6 for AnLL). The association was shown also in the analyses limited to AML and in the stratified analyses and in respect to the house in different period of life. Conclusions Results from the SETIL study provide some support to the association of traffic related exposure and risk for AnLL, but at a lesser extent for ALL. Our conclusion highlights the need for leukemia type specific analyses in future studies. Results support the need of controlling exposure from traffic pollution, even if knowledge is not complete