Littérature scientifique sur le sujet « Studyholism »

Studyholism (or obsession toward study) is a new potential clinical condition that, in contrast with Study Engagement, is associated with negative outcomes. However, previous studies showed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment due to study. Therefore, we analyzed the role of social anxiety and interpretation bias as predictors of Studyholism and Study Engagement in 541 adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.59; 66% girls). We performed a path analysis model, MANOVAs, and Mann–Whitney tests. Among the main findings, social anxiety is a positive predictor of both Studyholism and Study Engagement. Hence, this provides further support to the conceptualization of Studyholism as an OCD-related disorder (or as an internalizing disorder) and suggests the need of screening socially anxious adolescents for the presence of Studyholism and engaged students for the presence of high social anxiety. Moreover, Studyholism is predicted by a negative interpretation style in non-social situations, while a positive interpretation style predicts Study Engagement in social and non-social situations. Hence, Studyholism and social anxiety are two different diagnoses, even if social anxiety might fuel Studyholism. Moreover, interventions to reduce Studyholism should decrease the tendency to interpret non-social situations negatively or neutrally.

Studyholism (or obsession toward study) is a new potential clinical condition that, in contrast with Study Engagement, is associated with negative outcomes. However, previous studies showed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment due to study. Therefore, we analyzed the role of social anxiety and interpretation bias as predictors of Studyholism and Study Engagement in 541 adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.59; 66% girls). We performed a path analysis model, MANOVAs, and Mann–Whitney tests. Among the main findings, social anxiety is a positive predictor of both Studyholism and Study Engagement. Hence, this provides further support to the conceptualization of Studyholism as an OCD-related disorder (or as an internalizing disorder) and suggests the need of screening socially anxious adolescents for the presence of Studyholism and engaged students for the presence of high social anxiety. Moreover, Studyholism is predicted by a negative interpretation style in non-social situations, while a positive interpretation style predicts Study Engagement in social and non-social situations. Hence, Studyholism and social anxiety are two different diagnoses, even if social anxiety might fuel Studyholism. Moreover, interventions to reduce Studyholism should decrease the tendency to interpret non-social situations negatively or neutrally.

This study aims to deepen the analysis of Studyholism (or obsession toward study) on a sample of 793 Italian adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.73; 53% boys). A path analysis model including potential antecedents (i.e., worry, study-related perfectionism, perfectionistic strivings and concerns, overstudy climate, type of school) and outcomes (e.g., grade point average, time spent studying, psychological well-being) of Studyholism was tested. In line with previous findings on college students, this study supported the conceptualization of problematic overstudying as an OCD-related disorder, since worry is the strongest predictor of Studyholism. Moreover, among the main findings, it confirmed that Studyholism is associated with negative academic outcomes, while Study Engagement predicts positive academic outcomes. Finally, it also confirmed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment. In conclusion, preventive interventions to favor students’ academic success and well-being should reduce perfectionistic concerns and study-related perfectionism and enhance time management skills (in Engaged students too). For reducing Studyholism, instead, the primary target should be trait worry. Finally, preventive interventions should be implemented across all the school types and possibly during childhood or pre-adolescence to avoid the increase in psychological and social impairment that has been found to be associated with Studyholism in youths. It is also essential to detect potential early risk indicators (especially among individual factors) of Studyholism in childhood.

Loscalzo and Giannini (Loscalzo, Y., & Giannini, M. [2017]. Studyholism or Study Addiction? A comprehensive model for a possible new clinical condition. In A. M. Columbus (Ed.), Advances in psychological research, (Vol. 125, pp. 19-37). Hauppauge, NY, USA: Nova Science) recently proposed a theoretical model for a new potential clinical condition: Studyholism, or obsession toward studying. This study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the instrument that has been created based on their theory, namely the Studyholism Inventory (SI-10). The participants are 1296 Italian college students aged between 19 and 55 years. We analyzed its factor structure, as well as its convergent and divergent validity, and we proposed the cut-off scores of the SI-10. Moreover, we investigated some demographic and study-related differences in studyholism and study engagement and the correlations with academic indicators. The results showed that the SI-10 is a ten-item (2 fillers) and 2-factor instrument (GFI = .98, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .07) with good psychometric properties. The SI-10 could be used in future research to analyze the features and correlates of studyholism, and for both clinical and preventive purposes, pointing to favor students’ well-being and academic success.

Defense mechanisms are unconscious processes that protect a person from excessive anxiety. They are part of everyday functioning, and mature defenses are associated with positive outcomes. However, the excessive use of defenses or the use of immature defenses is associated with psychopathology. The present study aims to analyze the defense mechanisms that characterize two types of heavy study investment: Studyholism and Study Engagement. We performed a path analysis, MANOVAs, and binary logistic regressions on 422 Italian college students (Mage = 22.56 ± 2.87; 63.5% females). Among the main findings, the strongest (and positive) predictor of Studyholism is regression (maladaptive defense), while for Study Engagement, it is task-orientation (adaptive defense). Hence, Studyholism might be defined as a new potential clinical condition. Additionally, a critical analysis of all the defense mechanisms predicting Studyholism supports the appropriateness of the OCD-related framework for conceptualizing Studyholism. Regarding Study Engagement, even if generally associated with a positive defense style, the finding that it is positively predicted by projection confirms previous studies suggesting that, for some students, it might constitute a coping strategy with paranoid symptoms (and social anxiety and anxiety). Hence, we recommend screening engaged students for social impairment and clinically relevant symptoms that might be hidden by hard studying.

Studyholism (or obsession toward study) is a new potential obsessive-compulsive (OCD)-related disorder recently introduced in the literature. According to its theorization, there are two types of Studyholic: Engaged and Disengaged Studyholics, which are characterized, respectively, by high and low levels of Study Engagement. This study aims to shed light on the role of internalizing and externalizing features as antecedents and outcomes of Studyholism and Study Engagement. Moreover, it aims to analyze the differences in psychopathology and sensation seeking between students demonstrating Disengaged and Engaged Studyholism. We performed four path analyses, MANOVAs, and Mann–Whitney tests on 1,223 Italian college students (Mage = 22.56 ± 3.53). Among the main findings, Studyholism is associated with psychological and academic impairment, while Study Engagement predicts better mental health and academic functioning; though, the β values are lower for Study Engagement. Moreover, Studyholism is positively predicted by internalizing symptoms and negatively predicted by externalizing variables. Finally, students showing Engaged Studyholism have lower levels of obsessive-compulsive symptoms than those demonstrating Disengaged Studyholism. In conclusion, this study shows the critical importance of implementing preventive interventions aimed at reducing Studyholism levels in college students. Moreover, it provides support to the conceptualization of problematic overstudying as a new potential OCD-related disorder and to the value of distinguishing between Engaged and Disengaged Studyholics for tailored clinical interventions. Finally, it highlights the need to use two different theorizations and operationalizations for problematic overworking and overstudying. However, the literature on problematic overstudying is too scant to reach any firm conclusion. Hence, future studies should deepen the analysis of problematic overstudying, possibly using longitudinal designs, to unveil its internalizing and/or externalizing nature.

IntroductionCompulsive overstudying, known as studyholism, is an emerging behavioral addiction. In this study, we examine the prevalence of, and the relationships between, insomnia, study engagement, studyholism, bedtime procrastination among undergraduate students.MethodsThe Studyholism (SI-10), Athens Insomnia (AIS), and bedtime procrastination scales were administered to a convenience sample of 495 university students.ResultsOur findings indicate that the prevalence of insomnia was 75.31%, high studyholism was found in 15.31% of the sample, and increased study engagement was detected in 16.94%. Gender differences analysis revealed that females reported higher studyholism and bedtime procrastination than males. Fifth-year students had higher levels of studyholism than internship (p < 0.001), first-year (p < 0.01), and sixth-year students (p < 0.05). Insomnia was positively related to studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Furthermore, insomnia can be positively predicted by studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Participants with a medium level of studyholism were twice as likely to experience insomnia as those with a low level. Studyholics were six times more susceptible to insomnia than students with low studyholism levels. Compared to individuals with low bedtime procrastination levels, those with medium and high bedtime procrastination were twice as likely to report insomnia.ConclusionOur study highlights the interplay between insomnia, studyholism, and bedtime procrastination. Further, the findings indicate the need to increase awareness of insomnia.

The main aims of the present thesis are to analyze the antecedents and the outcomes of a new potential clinical disorder related to overstudying, namely Studyholism (or obsession toward study), to analyze the prevalence in Italian College students, and to gain some insights about the internalizing or externalizing nature of this new construct. The literature about problematic overstudying is recent; however, there is not agreement about its definition as an addiction (externalizing nature) or as an obsession (internalizing nature) related to study. Atroszko, Andreassen, Griffiths, and Pallesen (2015) introduced the term Study Addiction and suggested that it is a behavioral addiction characterized by the seven core components of substance addiction. Loscalzo and Giannini (2017) suggested instead defining problematic overstudying as Studyholism and they stressed, in line with the recent critical papers about behavioral addiction studies, that we should go beyond the addiction framework and avoid overpathologizing a common behavior such as studying. For these reasons, they suggested defining Studyholism in the Heavy Study Investment framework (a construct derived from the Workaholism literature, Snir & Harpaz, 2012) and distinguishing among different heavy study investors: disengaged studyholics, engaged studyholics, engaged students. Finally, they suggested that Studyholism is more similar to an obsession than to an addiction to studying. I conducted four studies on a total sample of 5217 Italian College students aged between 18 and 60 years (M age = 22.68±2.85). First, I performed correlations and regression analyses on 300 students aiming to select some of the Studyholism antecedents and outcomes proposed by Loscalzo and Giannini (2017). Next, Study 2 analyzed a Structural Equation Model, more specifically a path analysis, on 1958 Italian College students, in order to test the direct effects that I hypothesized based on the Workaholism, Study Addiction, and Studyholism literatures. As I hypothesized that Studyholism and Study Engagement have opposite relationships with the same outcomes, I also entered Study Engagement in the model. Moreover, I analyzed by means of Multivariate and Univariate Analyses of the variance (MANOVAs and ANOVAs) whether there are some demographic differences (e.g., age, civil status, also being involved in work beside studying) on Studyholism and Study Engagement, and if there are some differences on the antecedents and outcomes that I analyzed by means of the path analysis among the four kinds of students. Study 3 analyzed instead the prevalence of Studyholism and the four kinds of students in a merged sample of 5217 Italian College students. Finally, Study 4 addressed psychopathology as a possible antecedent and outcome of Studyholism on 392 Italian students by means of correlation and regression analyses. Among the main results of this thesis, I found that worry is a strong positive predictor of Studyholism. Furthermore, Studyholism predicts psychological and physical health impairment and it is an important risk factor for dropping out of University, while Study Engagement is a protective factor. Regarding social relationships, Studyholism does not predict aggressive behaviors at the University, while it predicts higher levels of family and friends’ complaints and social relationship impairment due to study. In addition, Study Engagement also positively predicts social impairment. Moreover, there are differences in antecedents and outcomes among the four kinds of students. Finally, as hypothesized, almost all the internalizing symptoms that I analyzed by means of Study 4 positively predict Studyholism, with Obsessive-Compulsive symptoms and Anxiety symptoms being the strongest predictors. The results about the negative consequences of Studyholism are important especially taking into account that I found that Studyholism is quite widespread, and that there are more Engaged studyholics than Disengaged studyholics, and that the lowest percentage of students belongs to the Engaged student type. This thesis has both theoretical and clinical implications. First, it provides support for the definition of Studyholism as an internalizing disorder, or as an Obsessive-Compulsive related disorder. Regarding preventive and clinical interventions, the results suggest that worry should be the primary target of interventions aiming to reduce Studyholism; however, Perfectionism Concerns and Study-related perfectionism should also be addressed both to favor academic success and students’ wellbeing. Moreover, preventive interventions that aim to enhance students’ wellbeing should be addressed to engaged students too, in order to teach them how to manage their time so as to leave some time free for friends, family, and leisure activities. Finally, in the area of clinical interventions, it is particularly important to distinguish between engaged and disengaged studyholics in order to provide a tailored intervention.