Psychometric properties of the Reward Deficiency Syndrome Questionnaire among a non-clinical sample and its relationship with the characteristics of potentially addictive behaviors

Background and aims: The addiction literature conceptualizes problematic substance use and addictive behaviors (e.g., gambling disorder, gaming disorder) as having shared etiologies and phenomenologies. The reward deficiency syndrome (RDS) model proposes blunted responses to natural rewards that potentially contribute to the development of addictive behaviors. The Reward Deficiency Syndrome Questionnaire (RDSQ-29) was developed to assess RDS-related psychological-behavioral characteristics. The aim of the present study was to validate the Hebrew version of the RDSQ-29 and to provide empirical evidence for the relevance of RDS in addictive behaviors and related psychological features. Methods: The sample included 961 Jewish Israeli young adults from the general community (age 19–27 years; M = 23.40 years [SD = 1.95]) who were assessed for personality characteristics‏ (attachment styles, RDS, compulsive personality), internet gaming disorder (IGD), problematic use of social media use (PUSM), compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD), and gambling disorder (GD). Results: The analysis confirmed the validity and factor structure of the RDSQ-29. RDSQ-29 scores showed a significant but weak association with anxiety, avoidance, and compulsive personality. Also, weak to modest relationships were found between RDSQ-29 scores and the severity of the four potential behavioral addictions. Discussion: The findings suggest that the Hebrew translation of the RDSQ-29 is a psychometrically sound instrument to assess RDS. Given that different potentially addictive and other problematic behaviors are associated with RDS, its assessment might be useful in prevention or screening.