Multinational comparison of internet gaming disorder and psychosocial problems versus well-being: Meta-analysis of 20 countries

Longitudinal Interactions between Problematic Internet Gaming and Symptoms of Depression Among University Students: Differentiating Anhedonia and Depressed Mood

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

This study examines the interplay between problematic internet gaming (PIG) and depressive symptoms among university students, specifically anhedonia and depressed mood. Prior studies lacked distinction between these symptoms and had limited follow-ups.

METHOD

The three-wave longitudinal study analyzed data from 1,720 university students (with an average age of 20 years and 49 % being female) using a random intercept cross-lagged panel model, which distinguished between-person and within-person effects.

RESULTS

At the between-person level, PIG was positively associated with two depressive symptoms. At the within-person level, PIG positively predicted future anhedonia. Besides, depressed mood positively predicted future PIG.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results have identified PIG as a risk factor for anhedonia and depressed mood as a risk factor for PIG among university students.

From classrooms to controllers: how school closures shaped children's video gaming habits

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19-related school closures on screen time and video gaming habits among governmental school students in Qatar and explore the prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) within this context.

METHODS

A cross-sectional approach was employed, spanning two months from June to August 2022. A random sample of students aged 8-15 years was drawn from the national electronic health record system of Qatar. Telephone interviews with parents were conducted to collect data. The Parental Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (PIGDS) was used for IGD assessment.

RESULTS

Of 428 parents, 257 (60%) confirmed their child's engagement in video gaming during school closures. Participants averaged 11 years in age with 92 (35.8%) females and 165 (64.2%) males. Nationality included 62.6% expatriates and 37.4% Qatari locals. Average weekly screen time increased significantly from 19.7 ± 10.1 h to 31.9 ± 12.6 h during closure (p < 0.001). Video gaming time rose from 8.6 ± 8.6 h to 13.0 ± 12.4 h per week (p < 0.001). The prevalence of IGD was 8.6% (95% CI 5.4-12.7). Male students, expatriates, and those reporting increased video gaming time were more likely to develop IGD than their female and local counterparts.

CONCLUSION

The observed associations between video gaming increase and IGD highlight the need for focused interventions to address potential risks and promote healthier digital habits among this population.

The Association Between Causality Orientation and Internet Gaming Disorder, and the Role of Sensation Seeking, Anxiety, and Depression

OBJECTIVE

Self-determination theory (SDT) deems that people have three causality orientations: autonomy orientation, control orientation, and impersonal orientation. Previous studies suggested that lower autonomy orientation or higher control and impersonal orientations may be associated with more addictive behaviors. Our study aimed to investigate if these associations exist in Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and if sensation seeking, anxiety, and depression could influence the associations between causality orientations and IGD symptoms.

METHODS

A total of 1,400 college students completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, General Causality Orientation Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire. Correlation, multiple linear regressions, structural equation model (SEM) analyses, and moderation analyses were conducted to explore the associations.

RESULTS

The control and impersonal orientations were positively associated with IGD symptoms, while the autonomy orientation was negatively associated with them. Moreover, SEM analyses showed that the autonomy-IGD relationship was totally mediated by anxiety and depression, the impersonal-IGD relationship was partially mediated by anxiety, and the control-IGD relationship was partially mediated by depression. Finally, the effects of causality orientations on IGD were moderated by sensation seeking.

CONCLUSION

Overall, autonomy orientation is linked to fewer gaming problems, whereas control and impersonal orientations are associated with more gaming problems. Moreover, the relationships between causality orientations and IGD symptoms are mediated by anxiety and depression and moderated by sensation seeking. Our findings inform theory on the motivations of gaming behaviors and may shed light on the prevention and intervention of IGD from the perspective of SDT.

Longitudinal Dynamic Relationships Between Videogame Use and Symptoms of Gaming Disorder and Depression Among Chinese Children and Adolescents

Although previous studies have shown a close relationship between gaming disorder and depressive symptoms, few have measured normal videogame use, symptoms of gaming disorder, and depressive symptoms concurrently. The longitudinal dynamics between these variables remain unclear. This study used two demographic cohorts to examine the longitudinal relationship between gaming and depressive symptoms: children (n = 1513, 46.9% girls, Mage ± SD = 9.63 ± 0.58 years) and adolescents (n = 1757, 48.5% girls, Mage ± SD = 12.55 ± 0.70 years). Random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) were employed to distinguish between within- and between-person levels of gaming and depressive symptoms. The RI-CLPM results showed a stable link between symptoms of gaming disorder and depression at the between-person level for both children and adolescents. At the within-person level, among children, depressive symptoms positively predicted subsequent gaming disorder symptoms, but gaming disorder symptoms were not a significant predictor of depressive symptoms at this level. Among adolescents, there was no significant cross-lagged effect between symptoms of gaming disorder and depression at the within-person level. Additionally, there was no significant cross-lagged effect between normal videogame use and depressive symptoms in either cohort. These results highlight the different effects of normal videogame use and gaming disorder symptoms associated with depressive symptoms. The different effects on children and adolescents underscore the importance of considering the different developmental stages in the study of gaming and mental health outcomes.

The Role of Self-Esteem in Protecting Against Cyber-Victimization and Gaming Disorder Symptoms Among Adolescents: A Temporal Dynamics Analysis

Previous literature has suggested that victimization is linked to low self-esteem and increases the symptoms of gaming disorder. However, little is known about the intra-individual processes, and the temporal dynamics of cyber-victimization, self-esteem, and gaming disorder symptoms. To address this gap, a three-year longitudinal study was performed using data collected at six different time points from 4206 Chinese adolescents (aged 12-17 years; 50.4% boys). Results of random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) indicated that at the within-person level, the fluctuation in self-esteem weakly predicted late cyber-victimization, and the fluctuation of cyber-victimization also weakly predicted late self-esteem. Additionally, the current study identified an interactive effect between self-esteem and gaming disorder symptoms at the within-person level. Fluctuations in self-esteem negatively predicted late gaming disorder symptoms, and vice versa. However, when combining the three variables (i.e., cyber-victimization, self-esteem, and gaming disorder symptoms) into one RI-CLPM, the results did not support the mediation of self-esteem in the relationship between cyber-victimization and gaming disorder symptoms at the within-person level. Moreover, fluctuations in self-esteem negatively predicted late gaming disorder symptoms and cyber-victimization at the within-person level in the RI-CLPM. These findings emphasize the protective role of self-esteem developed against cyber-victimization and gaming disorder symptoms among adolescents.

Developmental trajectories and predictors of Internet gaming disorder across the university years: A person-centered five-wave cohort study

With a rapid rise in internet gaming, internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become a contemporary concern. However, little is known about the long-term dynamic changes in IGD over time. Using a person-centered five-wave longitudinal design, the current study explored the heterogeneous trajectories of IGD among 5787 students during their university years, and examined the role of protective and risk factors in differentiating distinct patterns of IGD. The growth mixture modeling revealed three distinct trajectories of IGD: stable-low pattern (n = 4575, 87.42 %), increasing pattern (n = 357, 6.80 %), and decreasing pattern (n = 302, 5.78 %). Additionally, the students with high self-control and self-compassion were more likely to be in the stable-low group instead of the other risk groups. Depressive symptoms and peer conflicts, as two time-varying variables, were significant risk predictors for IGD. These findings highlight the importance of identifying high-risk groups for IGD and providing them with personalized and effective mental health services to reduce their risk of developing IGD in the future.

Screen time and addictive use of gaming and social media in relation to health outcomes

Introduction

This study examined associations between screen time and addictive use (i.e., heavy involvement and negative consequences) of gaming and social media, and their independent effects on health outcomes.

Methods

Survey data were collected from 2,265 participants (mean age = 21.57). Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Social Media Disorder (SMD) were measured with the Gaming and Social Media Questionnaire (GSMQ-9), with separate measures for heavy involvement and negative consequences. Screen time was measured by weekly hours of gaming and social media. Assessed health outcomes were psychological problems, low self-concept, social problems, sleep problems, and sleep time.

Results

Screen time and addictive use were significantly associated for both gaming and social media, with associations being stronger for symptoms of heavy involvement compared to symptoms of negative consequences. However, despite significant associations, a substantial proportion of the participants with a high screen time did not meet any or just one symptom of addiction. More importantly, it was primarily negative consequences that had independent effects on health outcomes, except for sleep. High levels of heavy involvement in gaming, were even related to lower, not higher, levels of psychological problems.

Conclusion

The present findings study show that screen time is a poor indicator of addictive use of gaming and social media. Given that it was primarily negative consequences of gaming or social media that had effects on health outcomes, our study also emphasizes the need to distinguish between different types of addictive use and to further examine the diagnostic validity of the nine IGD symptom criteria.

Psychometric properties of the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ) in a Moroccan sample of university students

BACKGROUND

The Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ) instrument consists of 18 items with a six-factor structure. This questionnaire is widely utilized to measure the degree of problematic online gaming, but the scale has not, up to date, been validated in Arabic language. This study aimed to assess POGQ scale validity and reliability in Moroccan context.

METHODS

The research was conducted from April to June 2023 using an online questionnaire. The selected sample involved Moroccan university students. Data were analyzed in two successive phases. First, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to assess the factor structure in the first sample (n1 = 143). Then, this structure was confirmed in the second sample (n2 = 313) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

RESULTS

The EFA and CFA results demonstrated that the POGQ has a six-factor structure explained 72% of the total variance. The results of this analysis provided an optimal fit to the data confirming a good performance of the measurement model (χ² = 243.6; CFI = 0.981; TLI = 0.976; RMSEA = 0.048; NFI = 0.964; IFI = 0. 981; SRMR = 0.022). The instrument showed sufficient reliability and convergent validity demonstrated by acceptable values of composite reliability (CR = 0.68-0.90), and average variance extracted (AVE = 0.50-0.75), respectively. Finally, the Arabic version of POGQ was found to have a high test-retest reliability.

CONCLUSIONS

The Arabic version of POGQ revealed adequate psychometric properties. As a result, the instrument might be used to measure the degree of problematic online gaming. The use of the POGQ is expected to further promote research on online game dependence treatment and prevention.

Internet gaming disorder and psychological well-being among university students in Egypt

BACKGROUND

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a serious rising problem affecting people of all ages. Many researchers reported that students' addictive gaming behavior resulted in the loss of function and the development of psychological problems. In this study, we aimed mainly to measure the prevalence of internet gaming disorder among Mansoura University students and find its relationship with psychological well-being.

METHODS

A cross-sectional observational study was carried out during the academic year (2021-2022) at the University of Mansoura. Students from four different faculties were included. Participants ages ranged from 18 to 25 years old. An online Google Form questionnaire gathering the tools (questionnaire of demographic and clinical data, Internet Gaming Disorder Short Form scale, Ryff's scale of psychological well-being) was distributed among them.

RESULTS

In this study, 870 students were included. The age range was 18-25 years. They were divided into three groups: 315 normal gamers (36%), 500 risky gamers (58%), and 55 disordered gamers (6%), with no significant gender difference in each group (p-value = 0.138). A negative correlation was found between IGD and psychological well-being (r = -0.303).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of IGD was 6% among Mansoura University students. Participants in the theoretical faculties who started playing internet gaming at a younger age and spent more than 2 h per week playing and more than 3 h per week thinking about playing internet games were more likely to develop IGD. Whenever IGD scores increased, psychological well-being scores were found to decrease (r = -0.303).

Longitudinal network relations between symptoms of problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems among Chinese early adolescents

OBJECTIVE

There has been growing evidence of comorbidity between problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems in young people. However, little is known about the directionality and gender differences in these longitudinal relations at the symptoms level in the framework of network theory among youth. This study estimated the longitudinal relations between the symptoms of problematic internet game use, internalizing and externalizing problems, and the gender differences of these relations in Chinese youth using cross-lagged panel network modeling (CLPN).

METHODS

A sample of 1269 Chinese youth (M age = 10.35 years) participated in this study semi-annually at two time points. CLPN analysis was used to calculate the network model of problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems to explore bridge symptoms and find transmission pathways between problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems.

RESULTS

The CLPN revealed significant gender differences. For boys, depressed mood, which leads to relationships turning sour in order to play online games, bridges the relations between internalizing symptoms and problematic internet game use. For girls, irritability is the central predictive symptom, causing a range of problems related to problematic internet game use, which can, in turn, lead to fights or feelings of worthlessness. However, the effect sizes for the pathways between problematic internet game use and internalizing/externalizing problems were relatively weak, and the comorbidity between their relations should not be over-interpreted.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings provide new evidence for understanding the directional relationship between the central characteristics of problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems in boys and girls. Gender-specific interventions targeting the central symptoms of internalizing and externalizing problems and problematic internet game use can help mitigate the vicious cycle of comorbidity among adolescents.

Generalised anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and their subjective change after the first wave of COVID-19 among gamers in Poland

Previous studies have indicated that levels of emotional distress were considerably elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, some longitudinal studies did not confirm these findings. There is a very limited number of studies on specific subpopulations, such as video gamers in this particular period. Playing video games may have either a beneficial influence on mental health by diminishing stress or a detrimental impact in terms of increasing depression and anxiety. It is, therefore, important to establish whether regular gamers differ from the general population in terms of symptoms of depression and anxiety during COVID-19. A total of 1023 participants (aged 18-50) participated in the study. The sample was composed of gamers and was representative of the Polish population. Participants completed a modified version of GAD-7, PHQ-9 online, addressing subjective change in anxiety and depressive symptoms. 25% of the sample reported clinically significant anxiety levels, and 35% mentioned depression. There were no differences in anxiety and depression levels between the investigated sample of gamers and the general population. However, up to 30% of individuals reported an increase in subjective change in anxiety or depressive symptoms during COVID-19. A further 30% reported a downward subjective change in anxiety or depressive symptoms during COVID-19. The remaining 40% declared a lack of change in the subjective change in anxiety or depressive symptoms during COVID-19. Those who reported an increase scored substantially higher in anxiety and depression than other groups. This indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted people's mental health along a syndemic-syndaimonic continuum. COVID-19 might have been harmful to those with already poorer mental health and beneficial to those with good mental health. It is also important to plan interventions targeting vulnerable individuals who report clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression - women and younger adults and those who subjectively perceive their emotional condition to deteriorate during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Gaming disorder: A summary of its characteristics and aetiology

The emergence, development, and maintenance of gaming disorder (GD) is the result of an interplay between gaming-related factors, individual factors, and environmental factors. None of these alone are sufficient to cause a disordered state, but it is the interactive co-occurrence of all these factors, which in some cases leads to GD. The goal of the present paper is to discuss in detail these three factors based on relevant and recent findings of the literature. Among gaming-related factors, we discuss online vs. offline videogames, the role of game genres, structural characteristics, game design elements, as well as some important monetization techniques. Among individual factors demographic risk factors, personality traits, motivational factors, comorbid psychopathology, genetic predisposition, and neurobiological processes are considered. Finally, among environmental factors we discuss family factors, early life experiences, the role of peers and school-related factors, as well as the broader context of culture including the popularity of esports.

Differences between recreational gamers and Internet Gaming Disorder candidates in a sample of Animal Crossing: New Horizons players

Throughout the last decade, research has considered players' gaming motives as risk and the perceived social support (PSS) as protective factors in the context of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). However, the literature is lacking diversity regarding the representation of female gamers as well as of casual and console-based games. The aim of this study was to assess IGD, gaming motives, and PSS comparing recreational gamers and IGD candidates in a sample of Animal Crossing: New Horizons players. A total of 2909 ACNH players (93.7% of them female gamers) took part in an online survey which collected demographic, gaming-related, motivational, and psychopathologic data. Using the cut-off of at least five positive answers to the IGDQ, potential IGD candidates were identified. ACNH players reported a high prevalence rate for IGD (10.3%). IGD candidates differed from recreational players regarding age, sex, and game-related, motivational, and psychopathological variables. A binary logistic regression model was computed to predict membership in the potential IGD group. Age, PSS, escapism and competition motives as well as psychopathology were significant predictors. To discuss IGD in the context of casual gaming, we consider demographic, motivational, and psychopathological player characteristics as well as game design and the COVID-19 pandemic. IGD research needs to broaden its focus concerning game types as well as gamer populations.

Network analysis of internet gaming disorder, problematic social media use, problematic smartphone use, psychological distress, and meaning in life among adolescents

Background

Few studies have examined the connections between psychological distress, meaning in life, internet gaming disorder (IGD), problematic smartphone use (PSU), and problematic social media use (PSMU).

Methods

The central and bridging nodes of IGD, PSMU, and PSU symptoms were investigated using network analysis in China among 742 adolescents ( Mage = 15.39, SD = 1.68, range = 12–19; 53.23% female). The relationships between IGD, PSMU, and PSU and associated factors were investigated using a Directed Acyclic Graphs method.

Results

The results suggested that the central symptoms were withdrawal in IGD, mood modification in PSU, and tolerance in PSMU. Mood modification in IGD, mood modification in PSU, withdrawal in PSMU, and functional impairment in PSMU were the bridge symptoms. Males were more likely to experience symptoms of IGD than females, while females were more likely to need meaning than males. Stress is the root factor, while depression, meaning confusion, meaning anxiety, and meaning avoidance were closely associated with IGD, PSMU, and PSU.

Conclusions

The current research improved the understanding of IGD, PSMU, and PSU symptoms in teenagers and demonstrated the potential of dynamic systems perspectives on problematic use behaviors and stress/meaning-focused interventions.

The Japanese version of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2): Psychometric evaluation and analysis of the theoretical model

BACKGROUND

The Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) is a self-administered questionnaire that evaluates problematic internet use (PIU) from a multidimensional perspective. We analysed the psychometric properties and adequacy of the theoretical model of Japanese version of the GPIUS2.

METHODS

This study included 291 healthy Japanese adults (median age = 25 years; interquartile range 22-43 years; 128 women) who completed the GPIUS2 and several other questionnaires evaluating the degree of PIU, self-esteem, depression, and impulsivity.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed a similar factor structure between the original and Japanese versions of the GPIUS2, with only minor differences in item composition. Higher-order confirmatory factor analyses revealed a good overall fit for the factorial model suggested by EFA, indicating adequate construct validity. The model showed acceptable internal consistency. Partial correlation analyses between GPIUS2 and other measures, with age as a control variable, revealed good convergent validity. Finally, structural equation modelling showed a good fit to the data, supporting the cognitive-behavioural model of Caplan (2010).

CONCLUSIONS

The Japanese version of the GPIUS2 has good psychometric properties and the theoretical model of the original GPIUS2 is applicable to Japanese adults.

Mental Health of Parents and Their Children: A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Parents' Negative Affect on Adolescents' Pathological Gaming

Parents' negative affect could lead to the deterioration of the mental state of their adolescent children. According to previous studies, children of parents who have symptoms of depression or anxiety are more likely to have mental problems. As one of the most important issues concerning adolescents with the rapid rise of screen time, the concern for pathological gaming among adolescents continues to intensify. Many studies have demonstrated the remarkable relationships between adolescents' pathological gaming and mental factors, but seldom examined them via longitudinal analysis. With three-year data from adolescents (N = 778) and their parents (N = 685) in South Korea, this study assessed the effects of parents' negative affect (depression and anxiety) on pathological gaming using adolescents' mental factors (i.e., aggression, ADHD, self-control). The results showed the critical role of parents' negative affect on their children's mental health, which finally leads to pathological gaming among adolescents. Depressive parents increased the degree of adolescents' aggression and ADHD, and decreased the degree of adolescents' self-control. Anxious parents increased the degree of adolescents' ADHD. Moreover, both adolescents' aggression and self-control mediated the relationship between parents' depression and adolescents' pathological gaming. Specifically, self-control was one of the most influential factors contributing to pathological gaming among adolescents.

Investigating gaming disorder and individual differences in gaming motives among professional and non-professional gamers: An empirical study

The present study investigates the relationship between Gaming Disorder (GD) and individual differences in gaming motives and how they might differ between three groups of gamers. The first group stated to be professional gamers (n = 129; 2,49%), the second group consisted of non-professional gamers, who intended to become professional gamers (n = 646; 12,45%), and the third group included the remaining non-professional gamers (n = 4,412; 85,06%). Gaming motives were assessed via the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ), and GD was assessed with the Gaming Disorder Test (GDT). Results revealed that professional gamers and those intending to become professional were very similar regarding their gaming motive expressions. In contrast, non-professional gamers without esports ambitions scored significantly lower on all gaming motives, except for the recreational motive which was comparable across all groups. Several consistent gaming motive-GD associations appeared across the three gamer groups, with the most robust finding being that higher escapism motive expressions relate to greater GDT scores. The present study sheds light on an emerging field of research attempting to better understand competitive gaming in the context of esports.

Problematic gaming risk among European adolescents: a cross-national evaluation of individual and socio-economic factors

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Previous research has identified numerous risk and protective factors of adolescent problematic gaming (PG) at the individual and social levels; however, the influence of socio-economic indicators on PG is less known. This study aimed to measure the contribution of individual and socio-economic factors involved in PG risk among adolescents from 30 European countries.

DESIGN

Multi-level logistic regression analysis of survey data from the 2019 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) cross-sectional study using self-administered anonymous questionnaires.

SETTING

Thirty European countries.

PARTICIPANTS

A representative cohort of 15-16-year-old students (n = 88 998 students; males = 49.2%).

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome measure was adolescents' (low and high) risk of PG. Individual key predictors included self-report assessments of socio-demographic characteristics, time spent gaming and family variables (parental regulation and monitoring, family support). Main country-level predictors comprised Gini coefficient for economic inequalities and benefits for families and children (% gross domestic product), retrieved from international public data sets and national thematic reports. The data analysis plan involved multi-level logistic regression.

FINDINGS

Participants who reported stronger parental regulation [odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.79-0.83] and higher family support (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.91-0.95) reported lower risk of PG. At the country-level, economic inequalities (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.03-1.07) were positively associated with the risk of PG, while benefits for families and children (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.70-0.89) were negatively correlated with the risk of PG.

CONCLUSIONS

Supportive family environments, lower country-level economic inequalities and higher government expenditures on benefits for families and children appear to be associated with a lower risk of problematic gaming among European adolescents.

Effectiveness of multimodal psychotherapeutic intervention for internet gaming disorder

BACKGROUND

Large number of studies on Internet gaming disorder (IGD) have primarily focused on ascertaining its psychological correlates. Few studies have focused on developing and assessing effectiveness of multimodal psychotherapeutic intervention programs. This intervention focused on minimizing salience, pre-occupation, conflict related to gaming and enhancing the overall quality of life, inclusive of psychological health, physical health, and environmental problems in individuals with IGD. At present, there appear to be no such studies in the Indian context.

METHODS

In this study, we developed and assessed the effectiveness of an intervention manual for IGD. The intervention program consisted of ten 60-minutes sessions with one therapist administering sessions once in each week. The interventions included motivational enhancement strategies, cognitive restructuring, behavioral strategies and relapse prevention. The outcomes from intervention were measured in terms of improvement in IGD, IAT, and overall quality of life. Our assessments, both at baseline and post-intervention consisted of Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGD-20) and the Whoqol-Bref. A total sample of 40 was selected out of which 33 individuals completed the 10 sessions of multimodal psychotherapy program and post assessments.

RESULTS

A total of 40 participants (age: M = 20.25, SD = 5.39) enrolled, out of which 33 completed the entire intervention program of 10 sessions and showed significant improvements. The IAT and IGD-20 showed significant difference in the scores for before treatment (M = 52.88, SD = 16.25) and after treatment (M = 42.87, SD = 11.31; t (32) = 5.10, p = 0.000) conditions; and right before treatment (M = 56.88, SD = 19.25) and after treatment (M = 47.87, SD = 15.31; t (32) = 6.94, p = 0.000) conditions respectively. The internet addiction and internet gaming disorder scores showed a similar degree of severity reductions on the IAT and IGD-20 respectively at the end of week 8. In addition, the participants showed significant improvements in the quality of life inclusive of physical and psychological health post the completion of intervention program.

LIMITATIONS

The sample size of the study was small and assessments for evaluation of other psychological symptoms like depression, anxiety could have been conducted.

CONCLUSION

The intervention program indicated a substantial change in the IGD scores at post- assessment. A study on a larger sample to assess the validity of the manualized multimodal psychotherapy program for IGD needs to be conducted. In addition, this manualized intervention program can be useful for administering structured intervention for IGD by mental health professionals working in the area of internet gaming disorder.

Nonattachment mediates the associations between mindfulness, well-being, and psychological distress: A meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach

Research on nonattachment, a Buddhist psychological construct closely related to mindfulness, has burgeoned since the development of the Nonattachment Scale. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to investigate the mediating role of nonattachment in the relationship between mindfulness and well-being and psychological distress using a meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach. The respective associations of nonattachment and mindfulness with well-being and psychological distress, after controlling for each other, were also examined. Forty-one independent cross-sectional data sets with 24,704 individuals were coded. Results showed that nonattachment partially mediated the associations between mindfulness and well-being and psychological distress. Nonattachment and mindfulness were both significantly positively associated with well-being and negatively associated with psychological distress after controlling for each other. Given the present findings were based on cross-sectional data, more studies with rigorous research design, such as longitudinal, experimental, and intervention studies, should be conducted to further investigate the mediating effect of nonattachment between mindfulness with well-being and distress outcomes and establish causal relations between them. Future research directions regarding nonattachment and its application in mindfulness-based interventions were discussed.

[Excessive Use Patterns and Internet Use Disorders: Effects on Psychosocial and Cognitive Development in Adolescence]

The growing availability of digital technologies has led to increased rates of using them as a part of daily recreational activity among adolescents. Despite their positive effects, there are ongoing debates of potential harm and health-related negative consequences, particularly when internet activities are performed excessively. This contribution provides an overview on negative aspects of digital technologies by presenting a selection of empirical findings. This overview focuses on a selection of recent methodologically sound studies investigating potential negative effects of digital technologies on the development of adolescents. As main constructs, effects on psychosocial and cognitive development and internet use disorders were investigated. Recently published studies point to substantial associations between internet overuse and negative consequences. Habitual, intense use of the internet is related to higher rates of internalizing symptoms, cognitive distortions, and heightened rates of internet use disorders among adolescents. Given these findings it seems recommendable to provide a close parental monitoring of adolescents discovering virtual worlds. By applying clear rules and supporting development of media literacy, functional use habits can be empowered and harmful effects prevented.The new clinical phenomenon of internet use disorder and its high prevalence among adolescents represents a new challenge for treatment services.

Systematic literature review online gaming addiction among children and young adults: A framework and research agenda

Online gaming addiction refers to a persistent and recurrent use of internet to engage in games leading to significant impairment or distress in a person's life. With the current pandemic, media reports suggest that the greater access of online devices among children and young adults has intensified online gaming addiction. However, the domain of online gaming addiction is a relatively new phenomenon with disparate studies examining various facets of it. Hence, the purpose of this research is to analyze the existing literature in order to identify the emerging trends in this area and to provide a systematic review that can be used as guidance for future research in this emerging field. Starting from the gaps that this review highlights, the proposed directions will help scholars find issues and gaps not sufficiently explored that can constitute the bases for further research pathways.

Parental Depression and Leisure Activity Engagement on Children's Gaming Disorder: A Dyadic Study

Nowadays, playing both online and offline video games is a popular leisure activity among youngsters, but excessive gaming activity engagement may lead to gaming disorder that disrupts daily functioning. Identifying risk and protective factors of this emerging problem is thus essential for devising prevention and intervention strategies. This mixed-method, cross-sectional study aimed to examine the roles of parental depressive symptoms and children’s leisure activity engagement on children’s gaming disorder symptoms. Furthermore, the moderating roles of risky and protective leisure activity engagement were investigated. The sample comprised 104 parent-child dyads recruited from a population-based survey (parents: M_age = 45.59 years, SD = 6.70; children: M_age = 11.26 years; SD = 4.12). As predicted, parental depressive symptoms and children’s gaming activity engagement were positively associated with children’s gaming disorder symptoms, whereas children’s literacy activity engagement was negatively associated with these symptoms. Moreover, engagement in these two types of leisure activity moderated the association between parental depressive symptoms and children’s gaming disorder symptoms in distinct manners, further indicating literacy activities as beneficial and gaming activities as risk-enhancing. These new findings imply that parental depressive symptoms and children’s leisure activity engagement should be considered when designing parent-based programs for gaming disorder prevention and intervention.

Social Media Addiction during COVID-19-Mandated Physical Distancing: Relatedness Needs as Motives

In the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, national lockdowns and stay-at-home orders were implemented by many countries to curb the rate of infection. An extended stay-at-home period can frustrate people’s need for relatedness, with many turning to social media to interact with others in the outside world. However, social media use may be maladaptive due to its associations with social media addiction and psychosocial problems. Our study was set at this special context to examine the associations among social media addiction, two aspects of relatedness needs (i.e., satisfaction and frustration), and two prominent psychosocial problems (i.e., depressive symptoms and loneliness). The participants were 1048 residents of the U.K. or U.S. (46% men, mean age = 44.10 years, SD = 12.59, age range: 18–65). The results indicated significant positive associations between relatedness need frustration and social media addiction as well as significant positive associations between social media addiction and the two types of psychosocial problems. More importantly, both of these significant associations were strong enough to partially explain the significant positive associations between relatedness need frustration and the two types of psychosocial problems. These findings provided some support for relatedness need frustration as a motivation of social media addiction.

Cumulative Family Risk and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Adolescents: A Serial Mediating Model of Personal Growth Initiative and Gratitude

In the digital era, playing internet games enriches the entertainment forms for young generations. At the same time, it also raises some social issues, and internet gaming disorder (IGD) is one of them. Abundant studies demonstrate that IGD is harmful to individual physiological and psychological health. Therefore, it is necessary to figure out the reasons and mechanisms behind this phenomenon. Based on the ecological systems theory, the present study investigated the cumulative effect of family risks on adolescent IGD and the serial mediating effects of personal growth initiative (PGI) and gratitude in a chain mediation model. Using random cluster sampling, a sample of 600 Chinese adolescents was recruited to complete the questionnaire. Results of regression analysis suggested that cumulative family risks could positively predict IGD among adolescents. Moreover, PGI and gratitude mediated the relationship between cumulative family risk and IGD, separately, and sequentially. These findings may provide some guidance for the prevention and intervention to prevent or reduce IGD in adolescents.

Assessment of Criteria for Specific Internet-use Disorders (ACSID-11): Introduction of a new screening instrument capturing ICD-11 criteria for gaming disorder and other potential Internet-use disorders

Background and aims

With the inclusion of gaming disorder in the ICD-11, diagnostic criteria were introduced for this relatively new disorder. These criteria may also be applied to other potential specific Internet-use disorders, which may be classified in ICD-11 as other disorders due to addictive behaviors, such as online buying-shopping disorder, online pornography-use disorder, social-networks-use disorder, and online gambling disorder. Due to the heterogeneity in existing instruments, we aimed to develop a consistent and economic measure of major types of (potential) specific Internet-use disorders based on ICD-11 criteria for gaming disorder.

Methods

The new 11-item Assessment of Criteria for Specific Internet-use Disorders (ACSID-11) measures five behavioral addictions with the same set of items by following the principles of WHO's ASSIST. The ACSID-11 was administered to active Internet users (N = 985) together with an adaptation of the Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10) and screeners for mental health. We used Confirmatory Factor Analyses to analyze the factor structure of ACSID-11.

Results

The assumed four-factorial structure was confirmed and was superior to the unidimensional solution. This applied to gaming disorder and to the other specific Internet-use disorders. ACSID-11 scores correlated with IGDT-10 as well as with the measures of psychological distress.

Discussion and Conclusions

The ACSID-11 seems to be suitable for the consistent assessment of (potential) specific Internet-use disorders based on ICD-11 diagnostic criteria for gaming disorder. The ACSID-11 may be a useful and economic instrument for studying various behavioral addictions with the same items and improving comparability.

The Associations Between Gaming Motivation and Internet Gaming Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

There has been a surge in interest in examining internet gaming disorder (IGD) and its associations with gaming motivation. Three broad components of gaming motivation have been proposed: achievement, immersion, and social. Achievement-oriented players are motivated by gaining in-game rewards, immersion-oriented players are motivated by the experience of immersion in the virtual world, and social-oriented players are motivated by the need to socialize with other players through gaming.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to (1) quantitatively synthesize the growing body of literature to systematically examine the discrepancies in the magnitude of associations between various components of gaming motivation and IGD and (2) examine the moderating role of cultural dimension on the association between escapism gaming motivation and IGD.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search of multiple databases between 2002 and 2020. Studies were included if they (1) included quantitative data, (2) used measures assessing both gaming motivation and IGD, and (3) contained sufficient information for effect size calculation.

RESULTS

The findings revealed IGD to have a stronger association with achievement motivation (r=0.32) than with immersion (r=0.22) or social motivation (r=0.20), but the strongest such association was found to be with escapism motivation (r=0.40), a subcomponent of immersion motivation. Our cross-cultural comparison further showed a stronger association between escapism motivation and IGD in studies conducted in individualistic (vs collectivistic) regions.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis highlights the importance of acknowledging the discrepancies among different components of gaming motivation with respect to their role in the development of IGD, as well as the potential cultural variations in the strength of such associations.

Exploring the Mechanism of Pathological Gaming in Adolescents: Focused on the Mediation Paths and Latent Group Comparison

Pathological gaming among adolescents has been reported to hamper the achievement of a balanced life and to threaten the development of social competencies. Despite the increasing social concerns on the adolescent users, however, the mechanism of gaming behavior of adolescents has not been sufficiently examined. This study explored the mechanism of pathological gaming among adolescents from 3-year longitudinal data of 778 Korean adolescent gamers, by analyzing the effects of negative affects (i.e., anxiety, loneliness, and academic stress) on the degree of pathological gaming through the mediation variables (i.e., aggression and self-control) based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to uncover potential risk groups, and through partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis, the mediation pathways to pathological gaming were compared between the risk group and the non-risk group. The results highlighted the key role of academic stress on the degree of pathological gaming. In the entire group, academic stress primarily increased pathological gaming through self-control. The mediation path of self-control was the most influential result in the risk group. Aggression was the key mediator between loneliness and pathological gaming in the non-risk group. The theoretical and practical implications of the results were discussed.

Heterogeneity of Prevalence of Social Media Addiction Across Multiple Classification Schemes: Latent Profile Analysis

Background

As social media is a major channel of interpersonal communication in the digital age, social media addiction has emerged as a novel mental health issue that has raised considerable concerns among researchers, health professionals, policy makers, mass media, and the general public.

Objective

The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of social media addiction derived from 4 major classification schemes (strict monothetic, strict polythetic, monothetic, and polythetic), with latent profiles embedded in the empirical data adopted as the benchmark for comparison. The extent of matching between the classification of each scheme and the actual data pattern was evaluated using sensitivity and specificity analyses. The associations between social media addiction and 2 comorbid mental health conditions—depression and anxiety—were investigated.

Methods

A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted, and the replicability of findings was assessed in 2 independent samples comprising 573 adults from the United Kingdom (261/573, 45.6% men; mean age 43.62 years, SD 12.24 years) and 474 adults from the United States (224/474, 47.4% men; mean age 44.67 years, SD 12.99 years). The demographic characteristics of both samples were similar to those of their respective populations.

Results

The prevalence estimates of social media addiction varied across the classification schemes, ranging from 1% to 15% for the UK sample and 0% to 11% for the US sample. The latent profile analysis identified 3 latent groups for both samples: low-risk, at-risk, and high-risk. The sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive values were high (83%-100%) for all classification schemes, except for the relatively lower sensitivity (73%-74%) for the polythetic scheme. However, the polythetic scheme had high positive predictive values (88%-94%), whereas such values were low (2%-43%) for the other 3 classification schemes. The group membership yielded by the polythetic scheme was largely consistent (95%-96%) with that of the benchmark.

Conclusions

Among the classification schemes, the polythetic scheme is more well-balanced across all 4 indices.

Association of problematic internet use with depression, impulsivity, anger, aggression, and social anxiety: Results of a national study among Lebanese adolescents

IMPORTANCE

Several studies conducted worldwide (mostly in Western countries) highlighted the negative effects of problematic internet use, particularly among adolescents aged 12 to 17, including depression, impulsivity, aggression, and social fear and avoidance. In Lebanon, literature on the prevalence and impact of problematic internet use among adolescents is limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aim was to study the association between problematic internet use and depression, impulsivity, anger, aggression and social phobia among Lebanese adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed on 1103 young adolescents (14-17 years), recruited from October 2017 till April 2018. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was used to evaluate the level of problematic internet use. Data were analyzed using the MANCOVA analysis. The main independent variable of interest was the IAT, while the dependent variables included the psychological scales.

RESULTS

The multivariate analysis taking the psychological scales as the dependent variables and the problematic internet use (IAT score) as an independent variable, showed that problematic internet use was associated with higher depression, impulsivity, aggression, anger, hostility and social anxiety.

INTERPRETATION

Problematic internet use has become an important health issue that should not be overlooked, particularly because of the increased use of the internet by adolescents. Educational programs on early exposure to the internet should be developed.

Empathy, Social Self-Efficacy, Problematic Internet Use, and Problematic Online Gaming Between Early and Late Adolescence

This study aims to investigate the relationship between empathy, social self-efficacy, problematic Internet use (PIU), and problematic online gaming (POG) and to evaluate how such relationship varies according to the age of the participants. A sample of 1,585 Italian students, both genders, aged 12-20 years, were divided into three groups according to the age filled in these self-report questionnaires: PIU; Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents; Interpersonal Reactivity Index; Scale of Social Self-Efficacy; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The results allow to confirm that in the Italian context the relationships between the examined constructs change across the three age groups considered in the study. PIU and POG, as well as prosocial behaviors and personal distress, tend to significantly decrease in late adolescence (age 18-20 years); 15-17 years adolescents reported more empathic concern compared with the other groups. PIU and POG are affected by empathy and social-self efficacy in different ways depending on age, suggesting that the two conditions have an at least partially different nature. The different components of empathy seem to play a different role in the development of either PIU or POG confirming the need to separate the components of empathy.

Individual and Interpersonal Factors Associated with the Incidence, Persistence, and Remission of Internet Gaming Disorders Symptoms in an Adolescents Sample

Video game playing behavior has serious consequences for adolescents on a personal, family, social, and academic level. This research aimed to examine risk and protective factors involving incidence, persistence, and remission of gaming disorders symptoms (IGDs) in Spanish adolescents after nine months of follow-up. Data were drawn from self-administered questionnaires completed on two occasions: at the beginning (T1) and end of the academic year (T2). A total of 950 adolescents aged from 11 to 20 years (M = 14, SD = 1.52, 48.5% female) completed the questionnaire at T1, while 550 adolescents aged from 11 to 18 years (M = 13.43, SD = 1.23, 48.9% female) took part in the follow-up study (T2). The incidence, persistence, and remission rates were 6%, 2.7%, and 4.2%, respectively. Significant relationships with IGDs were found between the male gender and studying at a private school in T1 and T2. The findings show that the time spent playing video games during T1 was positively associated with IGDs in T1 and T2. The incidence of IGDs was associated with emotional problems and low family affection. The persistence of IGDs was linked to higher motor impulsivity, agreeableness, and lower family resolve. Remission was related to a decrease in anxiety and hostility as well as an increase in the emotional stability of adolescents. These findings imply that emotional well-being and family adjustment could be relevant for the effective management of gaming behaviors.

Relationship Between Gaming Disorder, Self-Compensation Motivation, Game Flow, Time Spent Gaming, and Fear of Missing Out Among a Sample of Chinese University Students: A Network Analysis

Background and Aims: In previous correlational research, the relationship between gaming disorder (GD), compensation motivation, game flow, time spent gaming, and fear of missing out (FoMO) has been examined. However, network analysis has rarely been applied to explore the relationship between GD, self-compensation motivation, game flow, time spent gaming, and FoMO. Therefore, the present study used network analysis to examine the relationship between the aforementioned variables among a sample of gamers. Methods: The present study comprised gamers (N = 1,635) recruited from three Chinese universities, who completed an online survey including the Gaming Disorder Test, Self-Compensation Motivation Questionnaire, Game Flow Questionnaire, and Trait-State Fear of Missing Out Scale, as well as four items related to time spent gaming. Results: Self-compensation motivation, game flow, time spent gaming, and FoMO were all significantly and positively associated with GD. In the domain-level and facet-level networks, weekday gaming hours and weekend gaming hours had the strongest edge intensity. The domain-level, facet-level, and item-level networks analysis also showed that GD was connected with self-compensation motivation, game flow, time spent gaming, and FoMO. The network structure demonstrated a significant difference between males and females (2.33 vs. 2.81, p = 0.001) using the domain-level network comparison test (NCT). Conclusions: The results suggest that GD is closely associated with self-compensation motivation, game flow, time spent gaming, and FoMO. FoMO and gaming motivation (i.e., self-compensation and game flow) may increase time spent gaming and facilitate GD. Therefore, interventions that decrease game immersion and time spent gaming are likely to decrease GD.

Understanding internet gaming addiction in clinical practice

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a condition in which the individual is preoccupied with playing online video games and unable to regulate this behaviour, resulting in adverse physical and psychological consequences. Although there is some debate about whether IGD is an addiction or a coping mechanism, global evidence indicates that the condition is increasing in prevalence with recent advances in technology and its higher penetration into routine life. Male children and adolescents located in East Asian countries are at higher risk than others in the world. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression and anxiety are typically associated with IGD. Given the continuing ambiguity regarding the diagnosis and screening tools for the disorder, it has become all the more relevant for mental health practitioners and academics to attend to this condition and develop evidence-based treatments. This review summarises both the existing evidence for the disorder and the debates that surround it.

The Relationship Between Technology Use and Problem Technology Use and Potential Psychosocial Mechanisms: Population-Based Telephone Survey in Community Adults During COVID-19

Background: Although digital technology enables people to stay connected during COVID-19, protracted periods of isolation, crisis-induced stress, and technology-based activity may intensify problem technology use (PTU), such as social media addiction (SMA) and Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Objective: This study aimed to characterize the patterns and levels of SMA and IGD during COVID-19 in the general population of Hong Kong. We also tested the associations between prolonged use of social media/Internet games and SMA/IGD and the mediation effects of psychosocial statuses (i.e., loneliness, boredom, and post-traumatic stress) on these associations. Methods: A population-based random telephone survey was conducted in community adults in May 2020; 658 social media users and 177 Internet gamers were identified. A structured questionnaire, including the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder IGD Symptoms Checklist, the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale, Multidimensional State Boredom Scale, and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, was used. Time spent on social media and Internet games during and before COVID-19 was also asked. Results: There were 66.2-81.8% increases in time use of social media or Internet games during COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 self-reported information of the participants. The estimated IGD prevalence rate in the gamers based on the sample weighted to the age distribution and gender ratio of the Hong Kong population was 9.7%, higher than that of pre-COVID-19 research. Age, marital status, education levels, time use of social media, COVID-19-related post-traumatic stress, boredom, and emotional loneliness were significantly associated with SMA, while time spent on Internet games, boredom, and emotional loneliness was significantly associated with IGD. Boredom positively mediated the associations between time spent on social media/Internet games and SMA/IGD, whereas social loneliness negatively mediated the association between time spent on social media and SMA. Conclusion: These findings highlight the concern of prolonged use of digital platforms during COVID-19 and its role as a "double-edged sword" for psychosocial wellbeing and behavioral health during COVID-19. It also highlights a need to monitor and prevent PTU in the general public. The observed psychosocial mechanisms are modifiable and can inform the design of evidence-based prevention programs for PTU.

Reduced frontostriatal functional connectivity and associations with severity of Internet gaming disorder

Cognitive, functional, and structural brain factors involving frontal executive and striatal reward networks have been implicated in Internet gaming disorder (IGD). However, frontostriatal network connectivity and its association with addiction severity are poorly understood in IGD. Resting-state fMRI data from 337 subjects (130 with IGD, 207 with recreational game use [RGU]) were collected. Striatal-cortical communications were measured with resting-state functional connectivity (FC) using coherent spontaneous fluctuations in the blood-oxygenation-level-dependent fMRI signal. Correlations were calculated between FC measures and IGD-related assessments (addiction severity and craving scores). Decreased FC was predominantly observed in IGD subjects, with IGD subjects showing decreased FC between the putamen and superior frontal gyrus (SFG), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the ventral striatum and IFG, superior temporal gyrus, and MFG. Disorder severity and craving scores were negatively correlated with FC between striatal and frontal brain regions. Associations between diminished FC in corticostriatal circuitry and clinical features (IGD craving, severity) suggest potential therapeutic targets for neuromodulation treatments. The extent to which frontostriatal circuits involving executive control over reward processes may be altered to treat IGD warrants additional study.

Internet Behavior Preferences Predict Pathological Internet Use: A Latent Profile Analysis

Recent research in the underlying structure of pathological Internet use (PIU) has produced considerable debate among academics, in which a new “person-centered” approach of studying PIU has recently gathered support but produced mixed results. This study used the latent profile analysis (LPA) to estimate the types of PIU in a large sample of college students (n = 1,400, aged 17–25 years). Participants provided information on demographics, PIU, and Internet behavior preferences. The adolescent pathological Internet use (APIU), which served as the basis of LPA, was used for searching subgroups that represent participants with PIU. LPA identified the PIU classes, and regressions identified the psychological predictors of class membership. Participants were classified into pathological users, pathological-tendency users, preferential users, and ordinary Internet users. In comparison with pathological Internet users, lower Internet gaming and communication preference were associated with pathological-tendency users, preferential users, and ordinary Internet users. The distinct types of college students belong to each PIU class, suggesting that individual differences may be incorporated into the prevention efforts.

Internalization process of stigma of people with mental illness across cultures: A meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach

This meta-analytic study synthesized findings from 108 independent data sets across 22 cultures to investigate whether the stigma internalization model (the internalization of experienced stigma and perceived stigma to self-stigma) is associated with well-being and recovery of people with mental illness. We also examined the moderating role of collectivism in the internalization process. Results of the meta-analytic structural equation modeling suggested that self-stigma is a significant mediator in the relationships between experienced stigma and perceived stigma with well-being and recovery variables (indirect effects = 0.02 to -0.16). Experienced and perceived stigma had significant direct effects on well-being and recovery variables (Bs = 0.07 to -0.21, p < 0.05), suggesting that both external (e.g., public stigma) and internal (i.e., self-stigma) influences of stigma work concurrently to affect recovery and well-being of people with mental illness. The results of the mixed effect three-level meta-analytic models showed that collectivism significantly moderated the relationship between experienced and perceived stigma with self-stigma (Bs = 0.06 to 0.11, p < 0.05). This implied that the more collectivistic a culture is, the stronger the correlation between experienced and perceived stigma with self-stigma. Implications to stigma reduction approaches were discussed.

The relationship between mental well-being and dysregulated gaming: a specification curve analysis of core and peripheral criteria in five gaming disorder scales

Gaming disorder (also known as dysregulated gaming) has received significant research and policy attention based on concerns that certain patterns of play are associated with decreased mental well-being and/or functional impairment. In this study, we use specification curve analysis to examine analytical flexibility and the strength of the relationship between dysregulated gaming and well-being in the form of general mental health, depressive mood and life satisfaction. Dutch and Flemish gamers (n = 424) completed an online survey containing five unique dysregulated gaming measures (covering nine scale variants) and three well-being measures. We find a consistent negative relationship; across 972 justifiable regression models, the median standardized regression coefficient was -0.39 (min: -0.54, max: -0.19). Data show that the majority of dysregulated gaming operationalizations converge upon highly similar estimates of well-being. However, variance is introduced by the choice of well-being measure; results indicate that dysregulated gaming is more strongly associated with depressive mood than with life satisfaction. Weekly game time accounted for little to no unique variance in well-being in the sample. We argue that research on this topic should compare a broad range of psychosocial well-being outcomes and explore possible simplifications of the DSM-5 gaming disorder criteria. Given somewhat minute differences between dysregulated gaming scales when used in survey-based studies and largely equivalent relationships with mental health indicators, harmonization of measurement should be a priority.

Leisure and Problem Gaming Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents During School Closures Caused by COVID-19 in Hong Kong: Quantitative Cross-sectional Survey Study

BACKGROUND

School closures during the COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated students' loneliness, addictive gaming behaviors, and poor mental health. These mental health issues confronting young people are of public concern.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the associations between loneliness and gaming addiction behaviors among young people in Hong Kong and to investigate how familial factors, psychological distress, and gender differences moderate these relationships.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2020 when schools reopened after 6 months of school closures. Participants included 2863 children and adolescents in primary (Grades 4 to 6) and secondary (Grades 7 and 8) schools (female participants: 1502/2863, 52.5%). Chi-square tests, one-way analyses of variance, and independent-samples t tests were performed to compare the differences of distribution in gaming addiction behaviors across gender, age, and other sociodemographic characteristics. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors that relate to excessive or pathological gaming behaviors separately, in comparison with leisure gaming.

RESULTS

A total of 83.0% (2377/2863) of the participants played video games during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence of excessive and pathological game addiction behaviors was 20.9% (597/2863) and 5.3% (153/2863), respectively. More male students had gaming addiction symptoms than female students. The multinomial logistic regressions showed that feeling lonely was associated with more problematic gaming behaviors, and the association was stronger for older female students. Low socioeconomic status, less parental support and less supervision, and poor mental health were risk factors for gaming addiction behaviors, especially among primary school students.

CONCLUSIONS

Loneliness was associated with gaming addiction behaviors; the findings from this study suggested that this association was similar across gender and age groups among young people. Familial support and supervision during school closures can protect young people from developing problematic gaming behaviors. Results of this study have implications for prevention and early intervention on behalf of policy makers and game developers.

Depression and anxiety symptoms associated with internet gaming disorder before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted aspects of human life globally. Playing videogames has been encouraged by several organizations to help individuals cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictive measures. This longitudinal study was the first to examine gaming in the context of the pandemic and its association with depressive and anxiety symptoms.

METHODS

The sample comprised 1,778 children and adolescents (50.7% male) who were part of the Project of School Mental Health in Southwest China. Data were collected at two-time intervals: before the COVID-19 pandemic (October to November 2019 - [T1]) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (April to May 2020 - [T2]). Data were collected on perceived COVID-19 impacts, videogame use, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Cross-lagged panel models were computed to examine longitudinal relationships.

RESULTS

The results indicated that both videogame use and IGD increased significantly for adolescents at T2. The cross-lagged panel model results suggested that depressive and anxiety symptoms at T1 positively predicted IGD and videogame use at T2 (especially for boys), but not inversely. Perceived COVID-19 impacts mediated the relationship between depressive and anxiety symptoms at T1 and IGD at T2.

CONCLUSION

Children and adolescents both increased videogame use at T2, but only adolescents significantly increased IGD severity at T2. The findings supported the compensatory hypothesis, and are consistent with the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model as individual responses to COVID-19 may function as a mediator between personal predisposing variables and IGD.

Longitudinal Trajectories, Social and Individual Antecedents, and Outcomes of Problematic Internet Use Among Late Adolescents

Given the detrimental effects associated with problematic internet use (PIU) and the need to better understand its nature and evolution, the present study examined the development of PIU in a sample of 1,750 adolescents (aged 16-19) from Finland over a 3-year period. We documented the social (loneliness, perceived maternal and paternal behaviors) and individual (sex) antecedents, as well as the outcome implications (depressive symptoms, substance use, academic achievement) of PIU trajectories. Outcomes also predicted PIU trajectories. Latent curve modeling revealed an initially moderate, and subsequently decreasing trajectory of PIU. PIU was predicted by loneliness, paternal neglect, maternal care, depressive symptoms, and being male. In turn, PIU trajectories predicted increases in depressive symptoms and substance use, but decreases in academic achievement.