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The moderating role of mental health on the association between gaming time and gaming disorder symtoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

P. Koncz ,
Z. Demetrovics ,
B. Paksi ,
A. Magi ,
A. Eisinger  and
O. Király
P. Koncz*
Affiliation:
Eötvös Loránd University, Institute Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary Eötvös Loránd University, Doctoral School Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
Z. Demetrovics
Affiliation:
Eötvös Loránd University, Institute Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary University of Gibraltar, Centre Of Excellence In Responsible Gaming, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
B. Paksi
Affiliation:
ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Institute Of Education, Budapest, Hungary
A. Magi
Affiliation:
Eötvös Loránd University, Institute Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary Eötvös Loránd University, Doctoral School Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
A. Eisinger
Affiliation:
Eötvös Loránd University, Institute Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary Eötvös Loránd University, Doctoral School Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
O. Király
Affiliation:
Eötvös Loránd University, Institute Of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Video games are among the most popular leisure time activities. While majority of gamers play in a healthy manner, a minority shows gaming disorder (GD) symptoms and experiences detrimenting effects in their lives. Even though gaming time is moderately associated with gaming disorder symtoms, research suggests that it is not a reliable predictor by itself.

Objectives

The aim of the present study is to explore whether depression symptoms, self-esteem, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and escapism (when gaming is motivated by the avoidance of everyday problems) moderate the association between gaming time and GD symptoms and whether this is different for boys and girls.

Methods

Data was collected from a representative sample of 5th grade students of public education institutions in Budapest. Sample selection was carried out by one-step sampling stratified for school type, district, and maintainer; the sampling unit was the class. Data from 2126 students were analyzed (49.3% male, mean age 10.7 years, SD=0.54).

Results

Depression symptoms moderated the association between gaming time and GD symtoms in both genders. For those with higher depression symptoms the aforementioned association was stronger. Furthermore, self-esteem had a moderator effect only among girls, while escapism motivation and ADHD only among boys. In these cases, the association between gaming time and GD symptoms was stronger among those with lower self-esteem, and higher ADHD and escapism scores.

Conclusions

Results suggest that gaming time is more strongly connected to GD symptoms in certain conditions, but its predictive value is limited even in those cases.

Disclosure

Funding statement: This study was supported by the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office (KKP126835). Orsolya Király was supported by the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and by the ÚNKP-21-5

Keywords

Gaming DisorderescapismadhdDepression
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S81
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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