Die Beziehung zwischen Symptomschwere und dem Einfluss traumatischer Kindheitserfahrungen bei Patienten mit Onlinesexsucht und Patienten mit Computerspielsucht

Purpose Online sex addiction is becoming increasingly relevant in the digital world, as easy access to sexual content allows for the gratification of sexual needs at any time, often accompanied by social isolation and real-world intimacy issues. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and the severity of symptoms in patients with online sex addiction compared to those with gaming addiction, with the hypothesis that specific traumas influence symptom severity in both disorders. Methods The study examined data from 260 male patients who presented at a specialized outpatient clinic for behavioral addictions due to suspected online sex addiction or gaming addiction. After clinical diagnostics identified the disorders, questionnaires were used to assess symptom severity and traumatic childhood experiences. The relationships between traumatic experiences and the severity of the respective addiction disorder were then analyzed. Results The results show that there were no significant differences in symptom severity of the specific addiction between the patient groups. Traumatic childhood experiences, such as emotional neglect, were found to correlate more strongly with gaming addiction, while childhood sexual abuse occurred significantly more often among those with online sex addiction and was the only factor that could predict symptom severity of the specific addiction in this group. Conclusion Both the development of online sex addiction and gaming addiction can be determined by specific traumatic childhood experiences, with sexual abuse significantly correlating with the symptom severity of online sex addiction, while emotional neglect is more strongly associated with gaming addiction. The findings suggest that different behavioral addictions require different treatment approaches to address the individual experiences and needs of those affected.