Prof. Susana Jiménez-Murcia

Susana Jiménez-Murcia, Specialist in Clinical Psychology and Associate Professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (University of Barcelona, Spain). She has been the Director of the Pathological Gambling and Behavioral Addictions Unit at the University Hospital Bellvitge (Barcelona, Spain) and currently the Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology at the same Hospital and Director of the Territorial Mental Health Plan MetroSud. She is the Co-Chair of Group CIBERobn (Excellent Spanish Research Network for Obesity and Nutrition) and of the IDIBELL Group on Psychoneurobiology of Eating and Addictive Behaviors. She obtained her PhD in Psychology in 2004 at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Master’s in clinical psychology and behavioral medicine in 1992 and her BP in 1988 (Clinical Psychology) all at the same university. She has published more than 400 articles in peer review journals with impact factor. She has given more than 300 invited lectures in International/National Conferences. Over 35 competitive research projects achieved in both National and European agencies.

The widespread integration of digital technologies has transformed how individuals communicate, seek entertainment, and cope with stress. Increasing evidence suggests that excessive engagement with screen-based activities can evoke addictive patterns comparable to those observed in substance-related disorders. This presentation examines the mental health impact of digital environments, focusing on behavioral addictions such as online sports betting (OSB) and Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), and their association with suicidal behavior.

Research from our group shows that online behaviors can act as powerful reinforcers due to their constant accessibility, rapid feedback, social anonymity, and immersive design. In OSB, a marked rise in treatment-seeking individuals has been observed in recent years. These patients often present a distinctive profile characterized by younger age, earlier gambling onset, higher psychological distress, elevated impulsivity, and greater comorbidity with substance use. Latent-class analyses highlight that online bettors are a heterogeneous population; the most clinically affected subgroup displays severe psychopathology, and specific personality trait vulnerabilities.

Parallel findings in IGD reveal similar vulnerabilities. Individuals with IGD frequently report high impulsivity, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and reduced self-regulation (factors associated with relapse and treatment non-adherence). Personality dimensions again consistently emerge as obstacles to successful outcomes. Despite these challenges, cognitive-behavioral therapy yields promising results when interventions are adapted to the patient’s psychological and behavioral profile.

A striking cross-cutting finding across behavioral addictions is the presence of suicidal ideation and attempts. In a large-scale analysis of more than 4,000 clinical cases, suicidal behavior was found to be highly prevalent among individuals with gambling disorder, buying–shopping disorder, and sex addiction, and present (though less frequently) among those with gaming disorder. Contributing factors include depressive symptoms, unemployment, financial debt, limited family support, female gender (in specific disorders), and an elevated overall psychopathological burden. These data underscore that digital behavioral addictions extend beyond functional impairment and can escalate into life-threatening outcomes.

Overall, the accumulated evidence suggests that certain screen-based behaviors may function as "new substances," capable of inducing addictive patterns, emotional dysregulation, and severe clinical consequences. Understanding the psychological mechanisms involved, the heterogeneity of affected individuals, and the digital features that potentiate engagement is critical for developing effective prevention, early detection, and personalized treatment strategies in a highly digitized society.

• Valenciano-Mendoza E, Mora-Maltas B, <..> & Jiménez-Murcia S. (2023). Clinical Correlates of Sports Betting: A Systematic Review. Journal of Gambling Studies, 39, 579–624. doi: 10.1007/s10899-023-10196-0.
• Granero R, Jiménez-Murcia S, et al. (2020). Gambling Phenotypes in Online Sports Betting. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 482. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00482.
• Mestre-Bach G, Granero R, <..> & Jiménez-Murcia S. (2022). Sports-betting-related gambling disorder: Clinical features and correlates of cognitive behavioral therapy outcomes. Addictive Behaviors, 133, 107371. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107371.
• Valenciano-Mendoza E, Fernández-Aranda F, <..> Jiménez-Murcia S. (2021). Prevalence of Suicidal Behavior and Associated Clinical Correlates in Patients with Behavioral Addictions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11085. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111085.