Research

The Addiction Division pursues three main lines of research:

Impulsiveness and automatism

Our research is concerned with the common processes that lead a person to develop behaviors that could result in an addiction diagnosis. Impulsiveness and automatism are risk factors for developing and maintaining addictions. A better understanding of these conditions will help to treat people with addiction more effectively.

Behaviors related to the Internet

New technologies and their applications (online gaming, online shopping, cybersex) are potentially at-risk behaviors that could lead to addictions. The progression and rapid spread of these new technologies are giving rise to new possibilities and new concerns. Better characterizing the users and behaviors likely to be problematic is a major research challenge. These new technologies also provide an opportunity to develop new types of intervention.

Screening and quick interventions

Early detection and treatment of behaviors that could lead to an addiction developing are a public health concern. In collaboration with the WHO, the division would like to develop and have at its disposal new easily accessible and universally applicable screening tools.