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15.9 Cause-and-Effect Essay

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Read an example of the cause-and-effect rhetorical mode.

Effects of Video Game Addiction

Video game addition is a serious problem in many parts of the world today and deserves more attention. It is no secret that children and adults in many countries throughout the world, including Japan, China, and the United States, play video games every day. Most players are able to limit their usage in ways that do not interfere with their daily lives, but many others have developed an addiction to playing video games and suffer detrimental effects.

An addiction can be described in several ways, but generally speaking, addictions involve unhealthy attractions to substances or activities that ultimately disrupt the ability of a person to keep up with regular daily responsibilities. Video game addiction typically involves playing games uncontrollably for many hours at a time—some people will play only four hours at a time while others cannot stop for over twenty-four hours. Regardless of the severity of the addiction, many of the same effects will be experienced by all.

One common effect of video game addiction is isolation and withdrawal from social experiences. Video game players often hide in their homes or in Internet cafés for days at a time—only reemerging for the most pressing tasks and necessities. The effect of this isolation can lead to a breakdown of communication skills and often a loss in socialization. While it is true that many games, especially massive multiplayer online games, involve a very real form of e-based communication and coordination with others, and these virtual interactions often result in real communities that can be healthy for the players, these communities and forms of communication rarely translate to the types of valuable social interaction that humans need to maintain typical social functioning. As a result, the social networking in these online games often gives the users the impression that they are interacting socially, while their true social lives and personal relations may suffer.

Another unfortunate product of the isolation that often accompanies video game addiction is the disruption of the user’s career. While many players manage to enjoy video games and still hold their jobs without problems, others experience challenges at their workplace. Some may only experience warnings or demerits as a result of poorer performance, or others may end up losing their jobs altogether. Playing video games for extended periods of time often involves sleep deprivation, and this tends to carry over to the workplace, reducing production and causing habitual tardiness.

Video game addiction may result in a decline in overall health and hygiene. Players who interact with video games for such significant amounts of time can go an entire day without eating and even longer without basic hygiene tasks, such as using the restroom or bathing. The effects of this behavior pose significant danger to their overall health.

The causes of video game addiction are complex and can vary greatly, but the effects have the potential to be severe. Playing video games can and should be a fun activity for all to enjoy. But just like everything else, the amount of time one spends playing video games needs to be balanced with personal and social responsibilities.

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Video Game Addiction: a Growing Threat to Health and Society

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The nature of video game addiction, psychological and physical health implications, social and academic consequences, counterarguments and mitigation strategies.

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Published: 28 November 2022

Psychological treatments for excessive gaming: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Jueun Kim 1 ,
Sunmin Lee 1 ,
Dojin Lee 1 ,
Sungryul Shim 2 ,
Daniel Balva 3 ,
Kee-Hong Choi 4 ,
Jeanyung Chey 5 ,
Suk-Ho Shin 6 &
Woo-Young Ahn 5

Scientific Reports volume 12 , Article number: 20485 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Human behaviour

Despite widespread public interest in problematic gaming interventions, questions regarding the empirical status of treatment efficacy persist. We conducted pairwise and network meta-analyses based on 17 psychological intervention studies on excessive gaming ( n = 745 participants). The pairwise meta-analysis showed that psychological interventions reduce excessive gaming more than the inactive control (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27 to 2.12) and active control (SMD = 0.88, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.56). The network meta-analysis showed that a combined treatment of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness was the most effective intervention in reducing excessive gaming, followed by a combined CBT and Family intervention, Mindfulness, and then CBT as a standalone treatment. Due to the limited number of included studies and resulting identified methodological concerns, the current results should be interpreted as preliminary to help support future research focused on excessive gaming interventions. Recommendations for improving the methodological rigor are also discussed.

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Introduction.

Excessive gaming refers to an inability to control one’s gaming habits due to a significant immersion in games. Such an immersion may result in experienced difficulties in one’s daily life 1 , including health problems 2 , poor academic or job performance 3 , 4 , and poor social relationships 5 . Although there is debate regarding whether excessive gaming is a mental disorder, the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) included Gaming Disorder as a disorder in 2019 6 . While there is no formal diagnosis for Gaming Disorder listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the DSM-5 included Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a condition for further study 7 . In the time since the DSM-5’s publication, research on excessive gaming has widely continued. Although gaming disorder’s prevalence appears to be considerably heterogeneous by country, results from a systematic review of 53 studies conducted between 2009 and 2019 indicated a global prevalence of excessive gaming of 3.05% 8 . More specifically, a recent study found that Egypt had the highest IGD prevalence rate of 10.9%, followed by Saudi Arabia (8.8%), Indonesia (6.1%), and India (3.8%) among medical students 9 .

While the demand for treatment of excessive gaming has increased in several countries 10 , standard treatment guidelines for problematic gaming are still lacking. For example, a survey in Australia and New Zealand revealed that psychiatrics— particularly child psychiatrists, reported greater frequency of excessive gaming in their practice, yet 43% of the 289 surveyed psychiatrists reported that they were not well informed of treatment modalities for managing excessive gaming 11 . Similarly, 87% of mental health professionals working in addiction-related institutions in Switzerland reported a significant need for professional training in excessive gaming interventions 12 . However, established services for the treatment of gaming remain scarce and disjointed.

Literature has identified a variety of treatments for excessive gaming, but no meta-analysis has yet been conducted on effectiveness of the indicated interventions. The only meta-analysis to date has focused on CBT 13 , and while results demonstrated excellent efficacy in reducing excessive gaming. However, the study did not compare the intervention with other treatment options. Given that gaming behavior is commonly affected by cognitive and behavioral factors as well as social and familial factors 14 , 15 , 16 , it would also be important to examine the effectiveness of treatment approaches that reflect social and familial influences. While two systematic reviews examined diverse therapeutic approaches, they primarily reported methodological concerns of the current literature and did not assess the weight of evidence 17 , 18 . Given that studies in this area are rapidly evolving and studies employing rigorous methodological approaches have since emerged 19 , 20 , a meta-analytic study that analyzes and synthesizes the current stage of methodological limitations while also providing a comprehensive comparison of intervention options is warranted.

In conducting such a study, undertaking a traditional pairwise meta-analysis is vital to assess overall effectiveness of diverse interventions. Particularly, moderator and subgroup analyses in pairwise meta-analysis provide necessary information as to whether effect sizes vary as a function of study characteristics. Furthermore, to obtain a better understanding of the superiority and inferiority of all clinical trials in excessive gaming psychological interventions, it is useful to employ a network meta-analysis, which allows for a ranking and hierarchy of the included interventions. While a traditional pair-wise analysis synthesizes direct evidence of one intervention compared with one control condition, a network meta-analysis incorporates multiple comparisons in one analysis regardless of whether the original studies used them as control groups. It enters all treatment and control arms of each study, and makes estimates of the differences in interventions by using direct evidence (e.g., direct estimates where two interventions were compared) and indirect evidence (e.g., generated comparisons between interventions from evidence loops in a network 21 . Recent meta-analytic studies on treatments for other health concerns and disorders have used this analysis to optimize all available evidence and build treatment hierarchies 22 , 23 , 24 .

In this study, the authors used a traditional pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis to clarify the overall and relative effectiveness of psychological treatments for excessive gaming. The authors also conducted a moderator analysis to examine potential differences in treatment efficacy between Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs, age groups, regions, and research qualities. Finally, the authors examined follow-up treatment efficacy and treatment effectiveness on common comorbid symptoms and characteristics (e.g., depression, anxiety, and impulsivity).

The protocol for this review has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO 2021: CRD 42021231205) and is available for review via the following link: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=231205 . Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) network meta-analysis checklist 25 is included in Supplementary Material 1 .

Identification and selection of studies

The authors searched seven databases, which included ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), and DBpia. Given that a substantial number of studies have been published particularly in East Asia and exclusion of literature from the area in languages other than English has been discussed as a major limitation in previous reviews 17 , 18 , the authors gave special attention to gaming treatment studies in English and other languages from that geographical area. Additionally, the authors searched Google Scholar to ensure that no studies were accidentally excluded. The authors conducted extensive searches for studies published in peer-reviewed journals between the first available year (year 2002) and October 31, 2022, using the following search terms: “internet”, or “video”, or “online”, or “computer”, and “game”, or “games”, or “gaming”, and “addiction”, or “addictions”, or “disorder”, “disorders”, or “problem”, or “problems”, or “problematic”, or “disease”, or “diseases”, or “excessive”, or “pathological”, or “addicted”, and “treatment”, or “treatments”, or “intervention”, or “interventions”, or “efficacy”, or “effectiveness”, or “effective”, or “clinical”, or “therapy”, or “therapies”. Search strategies applied to each database is provided in Supplementary Material 2 .

The authors included studies that recruited individuals who were excessively engaging in gaming, according to cutoff scores for different game addiction scales. Since there is not yet an existing consensus on operational definitions for excessive gaming, the authors included studies that recruited individuals who met high-risk cutoff score according to the scales used in each respective study (e.g., Internet Addiction Test [modified in game environments] > 70). The authors also sought studies that provided pretest and posttest scores from the game addiction scales in both the intervention and control groups. Studies meeting the following criteria were excluded: (a) the study targeted excessive Internet use but did not exactly target excessive gaming; (b) the study provided a prevention program rather than an intervention program; (c) the study provided insufficient data to perform an analysis of the effect sizes and follow-up contact to the authors of such studies did not yield the information necessary for inclusion within this paper; and (d) the study conducted undefinable types of intervention with unclear psychological orientations (e.g., art therapy with an undefined psychological intervention, fitness programs, etc.).

Two authors (D.L. and S.L.) independently screened the titles and abstracts of articles identified by the electronic searches and excluded irrelevant studies. A content expert (J.K.) examined the intervention descriptions to determine intervention types that were eligible for this review. All treatments were primarily classified based on the treatment theory, protocol, and descriptions about the procedures presented in each paper. D.L. and S.L.—both of whom have been in clinical training for 2 years categorized treatment type, to which J.K., a licensed psychologist, cross-checked and confirmed the categorization. The authors resolved disagreements through discussion. The specific example of intervention type classification is provided in Supplementary Material 3 .

Risk of bias and data extraction

Three independent authors assessed the following risks of bias among the included studies. The authors used the Risk of Bias 2.0 (RoB 2) tool for RCT studies and the Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies of Intervention (ROBINS-I) tool for non-RCT studies. The RoB 2 evaluates biases of (a) randomization processes; (b) deviations from intended interventions; (c) missing outcome data; (d) measurement of the outcome; and (e) selection of the reported result, and it categorizes the risk of bias in each dimension into three levels (low risk, moderate risk, and high risk). The ROBINS-I evaluates biases of (a) confounding variables; (b) selection of participants; (c) classification of interventions; (d) deviations from intended interventions; (e) missing data; (f) measurement of outcomes; and (g) selection of the reported result, and it categorizes the risk of bias in each dimension into five levels (low risk, moderate risk, serious risk, critical risk, and no information). After two authors (D.L. and S.L.) assessed each study, another author (J.K.) cross-checked the assessment.

For each study, the authors collected descriptive data, which included the sample size as well as participants’ ages, and regions where the studies were conducted. The authors also collected clinical data, including whether the study design was a RCT, types of treatment and control, treatment duration, and the number of treatment sessions. Finally, the authors collected data on the follow-up periods and the measurement tools used in each study.

Data analysis

The authors employed separate pairwise meta-analyses in active control and inactive control studies using R-package “meta” 26 and employed a random-effects model due to expected heterogeneity among studies. A random-effects model assumes that included studies comprise random samples from the larger population and attempt to generalize findings 27 . The authors categorized inactive control groups including no treatment and wait-list control and categorized active control groups including pseudo training (e.g., a classic stimulus-control compatibility training) and other types of psychological interventions (e.g., Behavioral Therapy, CBT, etc.). The authors also used the bias-corrected standardized mean change score (Hedges’ g ) due to small sample sizes with the corresponding 95% confidence interval 28 . The authors’ primary effectiveness outcome was a mean score change on game addiction scales from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Hedges’ g effect sizes were interpreted as small ( g = 0.15), medium ( g = 0.40) and large ( g = 0.75), as suggested by Cohen 29 . The authors used a conservative estimate of r = 0.70 for the correlation between pre-and post-treatment measures 30 , and to test heterogeneity, the authors calculated Higgins’ I 2 , which is the percentage of variability in effect estimates due to heterogeneity among studies rather than chance. I 2 > 75% is considered substantial heterogeneity 31 .

The authors conducted moderator analyses as a function of RCT status (RCT versus non-RCT), age group (adolescents versus adults), region (Eastern versus Western), and research quality (high versus low). The authors divided high versus low quality studies using median values of research quality scores (RCT: low [0–2] versus high [3–5], non-RCT: low [0–4] versus high [5]). The authors calculated Cochran’s Q for heterogeneity: A significant Q value indicates a potentially important moderator variable. For the subgroup analyses of follow-up periods and other outcomes, the authors conducted separate pairwise analyses in 1- to 3-month follow-up studies and in 4- to 6-month follow-up studies and separate analyses in depression, anxiety, and impulsivity outcome studies.

The authors sought to further explore relative effectiveness of treatment types and performed a frequentist network meta-analysis using the R-package “netmeta” 4.0.4 version 26 . To examine whether transitivity and consistency assumptions for network meta-analysis were met, the authors assessed global and local inconsistency. To test network heterogeneity, the authors calculated Cochran’s Q to compare the effect of a single study with the pooled effect of the entire study. The authors drew the geometry plot of the network meta-analysis through the netgraph function in “netmeta”, and the thicker lines between the treatments indicated a greater number of studies.

The authors presented the treatment rankings based on estimates using the surface area under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) 32 . The SUCRA ranged from 0 to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater probability of more optimal treatment. The authors also generated a league table to present relative effectiveness between all possible comparisons between treatments. When weighted mean difference for pairwise comparisons is bigger than 0, it favors the column-defining treatment. Finally, funnel plots and Egger’s test were used to examine publication bias.

Included studies and their characteristics

Figure 1 presents the flow diagram of the study selection process. The authors identified 1471 abstracts in electronic searches and identified an additional seven abstracts through secondary/manual searches (total n = 1478). After excluding duplicates ( n = 765) and studies that did not meet the inclusion criteria based on the study abstract ( n = 550), the authors retrieved studies with potential to meet the inclusion criteria for full review ( n = 163). Of these, 144 studies were excluded due to not meeting inclusion criteria based on full-text articles, leaving 19 remaining studies. Of the 19, two studies did meet this paper’s inclusion criteria but were excluded from this network meta-analysis 33 , 34 because the consistency assumption between direct and indirect estimates was not met at the time of this study's consideration based on previous studies 35 , 36 . Therefore, a total of 17 studies were included in this network meta-analysis, covering a total of 745 participants 36 .

Flow diagram of the study selection process.

Table 1 lists the characteristics of the 17 included studies. CBT ( n = 4), Behavioral Treatment (BT) + Mindfulness ( n = 4), and BT only ( n = 4) were most frequently studied, followed by CBT + Family Intervention ( n = 1), CBT + Mindfulness ( n = 1), virtual reality BT ( n = 1), Mindfulness ( n = 1), and Motivational Interviewing (MI) + BT ( n = 1). Seven studies were conducted in Korea and six were conducted in China, followed by Germany and Austria ( n = 1), Spain ( n = 1), the United States ( n = 1), and the Philippines ( n = 1). Twelve articles were written in English, and five articles were written in a language other than English. Nine studies conducted a follow-up assessment with periods ranging from one to three months, and two studies conducted a follow-up assessment with periods ranging four to six months. In one study 20 , the authors described their 6-month follow-up but did not present their outcome value, and thus only two studies were included in the four- to six-month follow-up analysis. Among the 17 included studies, eight had no treatment control group, five had an active control group (e.g., pseudo training, BT, and CBT), and four had a wait-list control group. Seven of the studies were RCT studies, and 10 were non-RCT studies.

Pairwise meta-analysis

The results of meta-analyses showed a large effect of all psychological treatments when compared to any type of comparison groups ( n = 17, g = 1.47, 95% CI [1.07, 1.86]). The treatment effects were separately provided according to active versus inactive comparison groups in Fig. 2 . The effects of psychological treatments were large when compared to the active control ( n = 5, g = 0.88, 95% CI [0.21, 1.56]) or inactive control ( n = 12, g = 1.70, 95% CI: [1.27, 2.12]). Substantial heterogeneity was evident in studies that were compared to both the active controls (I 2 = 72%, < 0.01) and inactive controls at p -value level of 0.05 (I 2 = 69%, p < 0.001).

Pairwise Meta-analysis. Psychological treatment effects on excessive gaming by comparison group type (active and inactive controls). SMD standardized mean difference, SD standard deviation, CI confidence interval, I 2 = Higgins' I 2 .

Moderator analysis

As shown in Table 2 , the moderator analysis suggested that effect sizes were larger in non-RCT studies ( n = 10, g = 1.60, 95% CI [1.36, 1.84]) than RCT studies ( n = 7, g = 1.26, 95% CI [0.30, 2.23]). However, the results of a Q-test for heterogeneity yielded insignificant results (Q = 0.44, df[Q] = 1, p = 0.51), indicating that no statistically significant difference in treatment efficacy at p level of 0.05 between RCT and non-RCT studies.

The results of Q-test for heterogeneity did not yield any significant results, indicating no significant differences in treatment efficacy between adults and adolescents (Q = 2.39, df[Q] = 1, p = 0.12), Western and Eastern regions (Q = 0.40, df[Q] = 1, p = 0.53), or low and high research qualities among RCT studies (Q = 2.25, df[Q] = 1, p = 0.13) and non-RCT studies (Q = 3.06, df[Q] = 1, p = 0.08).

Subgroup analysis

The results demonstrated that the treatment effect was Hedges’ g = 1.54 (95% CI [0.87, 2.21]) at 1-to-3-month follow-up and Hedges’ g = 1.23 (95% CI [0.77, 1.68]) 4- to-6-month follow-up. The results also showed that the treatment for excessive gaming was also effective on depression and anxiety. Specifically, treatment on depression was Hedges’ g = 0.52 (95% CI: [0.22, 0.81], p < 0.001), and anxiety was Hedges’ g = 0.60 (95% CI [0.11, 1.08], p = 0.02), which are medium and significant effects. However, the effect on impulsivity was insignificant, Hedges’ g = 0.26 (95% CI [− 0.14, 0.67], p = 0.20).

Network meta-analysis

As shown in Fig. 3 , a network plot represents a connected network of eight intervention types (CBT, BT + Mindfulness, BT, Virtual Reality BT, CBT + Mindfulness, CBT + Family, MI + BT, and Mindfulness) and three control group types (wait-list control, no treatment, treatment as usual). The widest width of nodes was observed when comparing BT + Mindfulness and no treatment, indicating that those two modules were most frequently compared. No evidence of global inconsistency based on a random effects design-by-treatment interaction model was found (Q = 8.5, df[Q] = 7, p = 0.29). Further, local tests of loop-specific inconsistency did not demonstrate inconsistency, indicating that the results from the direct and indirect estimates were largely in agreement ( p = 0.12- 0.78).

Network plot for excessive gaming interventions. Width of lines and size of circles are proportional to the number of studies in each comparison. BT behavioral therapy, CBT cognitive behavioral therapy, Family family intervention, MI motivational interviewing, TAU treatment as usual.

As shown in Fig. 4 , according to SUCRA, a combined intervention of CBT and Mindfulness ranked as the most optimal treatment (SUCRA = 97.1%) and demonstrated the largest probability of effectiveness when compared to and averaged over all competing treatments. A combined treatment of CBT and Family intervention ranked second (SUCRA = 90.2%), and Mindfulness intervention ranked third (SUCRA = 82.1%). As shown in Table 3 , according to league table, CBT + Mindfulness intervention showed positive weighted mean difference values in the lower diagonal, indicating greater effectiveness over all other interventions. The CBT + Mindfulness intervention was more effective than CBT + Family or Mindfulness interventions, but their differences were not significant (weighted mean differences = 0.23–1.11, 95% CI [− 1.39 to 2.68]). The top three ranked interventions (e.g., CBT + Mindfulness, CBT + Family intervention, and Mindfulness in a row) were statistically significantly superior to CBT as a standalone treatment as well as the rest of treatments.

Surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) rankogram of excessive gaming. BT behavioral therapy, CBT cognitive behavioral therapy, Family family intervention, MI motivational interviewing, TAU treatment as usual.

Risk of bias

Figure 5 displays an overview of the risk of bias across all included studies. Of note was that in the RCT studies, bias due to missing outcome data was least problematic, indicating a low dropout rate (six out of seven studies). In contrast, bias due to deviations from intended interventions was most problematic, indicating that, in some studies, participants and trial personnel were not blinded and/or there was no information provided as to whether treatments adhered to intervention protocols (six out of seven studies). In the non-RCT studies, bias in the selection of participants in the study was least problematic, indicating that researchers did not select participants based on participant characteristics after the start of intervention (10 out of 10 studies). In contrast, bias in the measurement of outcomes was most problematic, indicating that participants and outcome assessors were not blinded and/or studies used self-reported measures without clinical interviews (10 out of 10 studies).

Overview of risk of bias results across all included studies. Cl bias in classification of interventions, Co bias due to confounding, De bias due to deviations from intended interventions, Me bias in measurement of the outcome, Mi bias due to missing outcome data, R bias arising from the randomization process, RoB risk of bias, ROBINS-I risk of bias in non-randomized studies of intervention, Sp bias in selection of participants in the study, Sr bias in selection of the reported result.

Funnel plots and Egger’s test showed no evidence of publication in network meta-analyses. Funnel plots were reasonably symmetric and the result from Egger’s test for sample bias were not significant ( p = 0.22; see Supplementary Material 4 ).

In this pairwise and network meta-analyses, the authors assessed data from 17 trials and analyzed the overall and relative effectiveness of eight types of psychological treatments for reducing excessive gaming. The pairwise meta-analysis results indicated large overall effectiveness of psychological treatments in reducing excessive gaming. Although the effectiveness was smaller when compared to the active controls than when compared to the inactive controls, both effect sizes were still large. However, this result needs to be interpreted with caution because there are only seven existing RCT studies and several existing low-quality studies. Network meta-analysis results indicated that a combined treatment of CBT and Mindfulness was the most effective, followed by a combined therapy of CBT and Family intervention, Mindfulness, and then CBT as a standalone treatment, however, this finding was based on a limited number of studies. Overall, the findings suggest that psychological treatments for excessive gaming is promising, but replications are warranted, with additional attention being placed on addressing methodological concerns.

The large effect of psychological treatments in reducing excessive gaming seems encouraging but the stability and robustness of the results need to be confirmed. These authors’ moderator analysis indicated that the effect size of non-RCT studies was not significantly different from that of RCT studies. The authors conducted a moderator analysis using the research quality score (high vs low) and found that research quality did not moderate the treatment effect. The authors also examined publication bias using both funnel plots and Egger’s test and found no evidence of publication bias in network meta-analysis. Because most of the studies included in the review were from Asian countries, the authors examined the generalizability of the finding by testing moderator analysis by regions and found no significant difference of treatment effect sizes between Eastern and Western countries. Finally, although limited studies exist, treatment benefits did not greatly diminish after 1–6 months of follow-ups, indicating possible lasting effects.

Network meta-analysis findings provide some preliminary support for the notion that a combined treatment of CBT and Mindfulness and a combined treatment of CBT and Family intervention are most effective in addressing individuals’ gaming behaviors. These combined therapies were significantly more effective than the CBT standalone approach. CBT has been studied and found to be highly effective in addiction treatment—particularly in reducing excessive gaming due to its attention to stimulus control and cognitive restructuring 13 . However, adding Mindfulness and family intervention may have been more effective than CBT alone, given that gaming is affected not only by individual characteristics, but also external stress or family factors.

Mindfulness generally focuses on helping individuals to cope with negative affective states through mindful reappraisal and aims to reduce stress through mindful relaxation training. The effectiveness of Mindfulness has been validated in other substance and behavioral addiction studies such as alcohol 37 , gambling 38 , and Internet 39 addiction treatments. Indulging in excessive gaming is often associated with the motivation to escape from a stressful reality 40 , and mindful exercises are likely to help gamers not depend on gaming as a coping strategy.

Because excessive gaming is often entangled with family environments or parenting-related concerns—particularly with adolescents, addressing appropriate parent–adolescent communication and parenting styles within excessive gaming interventions are likely to increase treatment efficacy 41 , 42 , 43 . Based on a qualitative study focused on interviews with excessive gamers 43 , and per reports from interviewed gamers, parental guidance to support regulatory control and encouragement to participate in other activities are important factors to reduce excessive gaming. However, at the same time, if parents excessively restrict their children’s behavior, children will feel increased stress and may further escape into the online world through gaming 44 as a means of coping with their stress. Our study indicates that appropriate communication among parents and adolescents in addition to parenting styles with respect to game control must be discussed in treatment. However, because only two studies examined the top two ranked combined interventions within this paper, such findings warrant replication.

Limitations and future directions

These authors identified methodological limitations and future directions in the reviewed studies, which include the following. The authors included non-RCTs to capture data on emerging treatments, but a lack of RCT studies contributes to this paper’s identified methodological concerns. Of 17 studies included, seven were RCT studies and 10 were non-RCT studies. The lack of RCT studies has been repeatedly mentioned in previous review studies 17 , 18 . In fact, one of the two identified reviews 17 made the criticism that even CBT (the most widely studied treatment for excessive gaming) was mostly conducted in non-RCT studies, which was commensurate with this paper’s data (only one out of four CBT studies included in this review is a RCT). Including non-RCTs may be likely to increase selection bias by employing easily accessible samples and assigning participants with more willingness (which is an indicator of better treatment outcome) to intervention groups. Selection bias may have increased the effect size of treatments than what is represented in reality and may limit the generalizability of this finding. Thus, more rigorous evaluation through RCTs is necessary in future studies.

While there are concerns surrounding assessment tools, given that all included studies used self-report measures without clinical interviews, this may lead to inaccurate results due to perceived stigma. Additionally, 11 self-reported measurement tools were employed in the included studies—and some of those tools may have poor sensitivity or specificity. A previous narrative review 45 and a recent meta-analytic review 46 suggested that the Game Addiction Scale-7, Assessment of Internet and Computer Addiction Scale-Gaming, Lemmens Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-9, Internet Gaming Disorder Scale 9- Short Form, and Internet Gaming Disorder Test-10 have good internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Thus, there is a need for studies to employ clinical interviews and self-report measures with good psychometric features.

Many studies in this included review did not describe whether participants and experimenters were blinded and there was no information about whether treatments adhered to intervention protocols. Although blinding of participants and personnel may be impossible in most psychotherapy studies, it is crucial to evaluate possible performance biases such as social desirability. Also, a fidelity check by content experts is needed to confirm whether treatments adhered to intervention protocols.

Finally, future studies need to examine treatment efficacy in treating both excessive gaming and its comorbid psychiatric symptoms. Internet/gaming addiction has been reported to have a high comorbidity with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, and other substance abuse 47 , 48 . Our results showed that CBT, BT, and BT + Mindfulness may be effective in reducing depression or anxiety symptoms of excessive gamers. However, other psychological and/or pharmacological treatments such as CBT + Bupropion or Bupropion as a standalone treatment have been also reported as potentially effective treatments for excessive gamers with major depressive disorder 49 , 50 . Thus, it would be worthwile to examine efficacy of treatments on excessive gamers with dual diagnoses.

TO the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first pairwise meta-analytic and network meta-analytic study that examined the overall effectiveness of psychological treatments and compared the relative effectiveness of diverse treatment options for excessive gaming. Although the authors intentionally used network meta-analysis because of its usefulness in comparing relative effectiveness of currently existing literature, this finding should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of studies. However, as previously indicated, the global prevalence of excessive gaming highlights the need for greater attention to this topic. Studies focused on the effectiveness of diverse gaming interventions help meet the call for further inquiry and study on this topic placed by the DSM-5 7 , and allow greater advances to be made in treating individuals who may have difficulty controlling excessive gaming habits. As such, this study can provide preliminary support for beneficial treatment interventions for excessive gaming as well as recommendations for more rigorous studies to be directed at helping those who have excessive gaming habits.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

•Indicates studies used in the meta-analysis

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This research was supported by the project investigating scientific evidence for registering gaming disorder on Korean Standard Classification of Disease and Cause of Death funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korea Creative Content Agency.

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J.K., K.-H.C., J.C., S.-H.S., and W.-Y.A. contributed to the conception and design of the study. J.K. wrote the draft of the manuscript and D.B. reviewed and edited the draft. D.L., S.L., and S.S. extracted the data and performed the analyses.

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Essay on Video Games Addiction | Video Games Addiction Essay for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay on Video Games Addiction: In a world where the youth are already struggling with different types of addictions, the emergence of video game addictions is an unwelcome addition. Every day there seems to be a rise in the number of video game addicts. Be it children, teenagers, and even adults. Video games are very entertaining and can hook anyone of any age in. Especially since a person’s emotions are involved in it. It is very easy to get hooked and spend hours and hours playing video games.

There needs to be regulation of the time spent playing video games and intervention from friends and family if they see someone whose life revolves around the video games they play. Addictions do not affect only the person who is addicted. Like any other, this addiction can take over a person’s life and affect their education, work, family life, and the lives of those who love them.

You can also find more Essay Writing articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Video Games Addiction for Students and Kids in English

We provide children and students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic “Video Game Addiction” for reference.

Short Essay on Video Games Addiction 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Video Games Addiction is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Video games are a great source of entertainment and a way to fight boredom. They also help people wind down and relax after a stressful day at work. Gaming communities can also often be a safe space for individuals to make friends and interact with peers. However, there are also negative consequences of spending too much time playing video games. Gamer Rage is a well-known thing that can have adverse effects. Individuals that experience this can end up destroying things at home and even hurting family members.

In other words, excessive gaming can cause great harm. People who spend hours and hours on end playing video games can lose their bearings in the real world when they get off the game. They can find themselves disoriented and unable to function normally. This means that there must be some self-control when gaming, not to let it consume a person’s life.

Introduction

Video game addiction is as harmful an addiction as any other. Individuals even suffer from withdrawal syndrome if they are away from their consoles or systems for too long. Those who are addicted end up playing video games for multiple hours at a stretch without taking a break except for something necessary.

Most video games rely on the gamer coming back to beat the next high score or make the next discovery for open-world games. For those who are a part of gaming communities, it is about beating the next team together and gaining more resources or whatever else it is that is required in the game to advance. This is especially true for role-playing games where the player can customize their character and interact with others.

One of the main problems resulting from excessive gaming is gamer rage that comes from frustration and anger when a player cannot beat their opponent. It results in swearing and abusing opponents and family members verbally. They also sometimes end up attacking family members if the game happens to be cut short or if they are asked to leave the game to tend to their other duties for some time.

Physical Consequences

This addiction can result in carpal tunnel syndrome, poor eyesight, migraines, backaches, pain from poor posture, and even obesity and cardiovascular diseases. With a lack of routine in the outside world, it can have significant physical consequences.

Those who play video games need to be mindful of the amount of time that is spent. They also need to be careful that they do not neglect other responsibilities that they may have. Especially for those who have young children at home that cannot be ignored.

Long Essay on Video Games Addiction 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Video Games Addiction is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Video games are a fun and entertaining way to relax. They help people who are isolated to form friends and be a part of a community. There are many stories where children with developmental issues learn how to interact and be a part of society. It helps them with brain development and helps them grow in many ways. However, there is a downside to it, with excessive gaming that can result in addiction. This is an extreme that we cannot go to as it harms everyone involved.

Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games play a huge role in players that get addicted to gaming. In this sort of gaming, the player can create their character and play with others on quests to get better gear. These are games that one pays for, which means that there is a waste of money if a person isn’t playing. That, coupled with how enjoyable the game is, can result in players playing for hours on end. The visuals’ effects and quality are generally very high in these, which makes gameplay all the more captivating. It is difficult for players to reorient themselves when they come back to the real world.

As unique and fun as the games are, this is also a problem that needs to be addressed. Precisely because the games are so enjoyable that players find it difficult to disconnect and be a part of the real world.

Social Consequences

People often find a way to balance their time to either go to work or school, finish what they have to do, come home, and spend all their time playing games. Often they think that this is a good compromise. It is not.

It is not healthy to divide life between the two in that manner. There needs to be a balance where individuals spend time with their family and friends as well. This can result in isolation in social life and regression in learning how to function in society. This can result in behavioral issues as well. When teenagers spend time in this manner, they do not learn the basic skills required to function in society and to hold jobs.

This is an issue that affects individuals that are married as well. There are many stories where the spouse works through the day and comes home and plays, neglecting the house or the children. Resulting in one parent handling all the load of the house, which is extremely stressful and challenging. It can lead to a break in relationships as well.

When a person spends hours gaming, they give no time to walking around or any physical activity. It can lead to poor eyesight, carpal tunnel syndrome, and pain and aches due to bad posture. It can lead to migraines and, in extreme cases, neurological issues. Not walking around can result in obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and posture issues for years. Gamer rage can also result in strokes.

Mental Consequences

Many times, gamers find it difficult to be a part of the real world after gaming for so many hours. They tend to try functioning in the real world as they would in games. In this manner, they can harm themselves and other people. Like the incident of the boy who shot a random person on the street expecting him to become a zombie as people were doing in the game that he was playing. This is an extreme case of disorientation and disconnect from the real world.

Addiction can also result in paranoia and anxiety if excessive time is spent playing intense games. It can also lead to mental regression and a loss of social skills.

Fortunately, rehab centers for this addiction also exist so that people who seek help can go back to having a normal life. Even so, rehabs are not a guarantee of freedom, and therefore people must be careful and practice self-control themselves when it comes to how much time is spent playing video games.

Video Games Addiction Essay Conclusion

While video games are an excellent source for an individual to be able to wind down and relax and entertainment, there still needs to be control and regulation. Excessive gaming can result in the development of an addiction, which can severely hamper a person’s growth and well-being. Video games are a tool that is meant to be used for fun or to connect with other people. But it becomes a significant issue if we let this become a lifestyle. It also disrupts family life. Therefore, this is an issue that we need to deal with so that it doesn’t take over people’s lives and futures.

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Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?

The latest research suggests it’s not far-fetched at all — especially when you consider all the societal and cultural factors that make today’s games so attractive.

Credit... Concept by Pablo Delcan. Photo illustration by Justin Metz.

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By Ferris Jabr

Published Oct. 22, 2019 Updated Oct. 23, 2019

Charlie Bracke can’t remember a time when he wasn’t into video games. When he was 5, he loved playing Wolfenstein 3D, a crude, cartoonish computer game in which a player tries to escape a Nazi prison by navigating virtual labyrinths while mowing down enemies. In his teenage years, he became obsessed with more sophisticated shooters and a new generation of online games that allowed thousands of players to inhabit sprawling fantasy worlds. Ultima Online, World of Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls — he would spend as much as 12 hours a day in these imaginary realms, building cities and fortifications, fighting in epic battles and hunting for treasure.

During his childhood, Bracke’s passion for video games, like that of most young Americans, didn’t cause him any serious problems. At school, he got along with just about everyone and maintained straight A’s. His homework was easy enough that he could complete it on the bus or in class, which allowed him to maximize the time he spent gaming. After school, he would often play video games for hours with his cousin and a small group of close friends before going home for dinner. Then he would head to the den and play on the family computer for a few more hours before bed. When his parents complained, he told them it was no different from their habit of watching TV every night. Besides, he was doing his homework and getting good grades — what more did they want? They relented.

When Bracke went to Indiana University Bloomington, everything changed. If he skipped class or played games until 3 in the morning, no one seemed to care. And only he had access to his grades. After a difficult breakup with a longtime high school girlfriend and the death of his grandmother, Bracke sank into a period of severe depression. He started seeing a therapist and taking antidepressants, but by his junior year, he was playing video games all day and seldom leaving his room. He strategically ignored knocks at the door and text messages from friends to make it seem as though he were at class. Eventually, he was failing most of his courses, so he dropped out and moved back in with his parents in Ossian, Ind., a town of about 3,000 people, where he got a job at Pizza Hut.

His life there fell into a familiar rhythm: He woke up, went to work, returned home, played video games until late and repeated the whole cycle. “It did not strike me as weird at all,” he recalls. It felt a lot like high school, but with work instead of classes. “And the time I used to spend hanging out with friends was gone, because they had moved to different areas,” he says. “And I kind of just thought that was the way of the world.”

When Bracke was 24, he decided to get his real estate license and move from Indiana to Virginia to work at the same brokerage as his brother Alex, a decision that led to another breakup with another girlfriend and a deep sense of loneliness in a town where, once again, he had no friends. He eventually got in touch with his ex, hoping she would take him back, only to find out that she was dating someone else. “At that point, I lost it,” he says. By his estimate, he started playing video games about 90 hours a week. He did the bare minimum amount of work required to pay his bills. When it was time to log his progress in the brokerage’s internal system, he would just make something up: sent an email to this client; left a voice mail message for that one.

His employer got wise to the scheme and put Bracke on probation. Realizing he had a problem, Bracke dismantled his computer, stashed the pieces among a bunch of storage boxes in the garage and tried to focus on work. About a month later, after making a big sale, he talked himself into celebrating by playing League of Legends for an evening. He retrieved the components of his computer, reassembled them and started gaming around 6 p.m. Ten hours later, he was still playing. The week slipped away. He kept playing.

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Video Game Addiction

The argument against video game addiction, many researchers are skeptical that video games are truly "addictive.".

Updated July 3, 2023 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

What Is Video Game Addiction?
Find a therapist near me
Video games have many benefits for gamers.
Research on gaming disorder—aka video game addiction—is flawed and not sufficiently conclusive.
Because video games are less socially acceptable, they may be unfairly targeted.
There are other explanations for many reports of video game addiction, including autism, ADHD, and depression.

This is half of a pair of articles that highlight the evidence for and against the existence of video game addiction . Read the counter-argument here .

For decades, psychologists, parents, and gamers have asserted that video games can be addictive. Although video games seem to influence enthusiasts differently from those of other hobbies, there is insufficient empirical evidence to designate them as an actual addiction . Further, video games are a fun and socially beneficial activity for many, so labeling them as addictive would prevent many from accessing these benefits.

For example, video games connect lonely or introverted people with one another , relieve stress , and even help people explore their own identities . Some therefore argue that, because of video games’ benefits and popularity, gaming addiction should not be considered an official diagnosis until overwhelming evidence supports this assertion.

Flawed Research

Several studies have concluded that gaming disorder qualifies as an addiction. Because addictions share several characteristics, researchers created theoretical criteria that a gamer must meet to have the diagnosis. For example, people with addictions suffer consequences in various aspects of their life and struggle to quit without help. This is true regardless of the substance.

Based on the assumption that people with video game addiction must be affected similarly, researchers have surveyed gamers on similar criteria to determine what percent have an addiction. These include questions such as, “How often do you find it difficult to stop gaming?” and “Have you deceived a family member, significant other, employer, or therapist regarding the amount of time spent engaging in gaming activities?”

Although questions like these may reasonably assess someone’s behavior, researchers use too many different questionnaires to be compared cleanly. Even when researchers use the same survey, they sometimes interpret the results differently.

In other words, someone would need to answer “Yes” to six of the eleven Gaming Addiction Screening questions to be considered addicted. They would need to respond “Sometimes” or “Often” to five or more of the ten questions in the Ten Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test to qualify. If the same person took both surveys, one survey might conclude that they had an addiction and the other might not. Further, some studies only measure how many hours per week a person spends gaming instead of targeting the effect games have on their functioning.

This has resulted in wildly different estimates of gaming addiction’s prevalence. It is difficult to draw meaningful conclusions from these data until researchers use standardized measures.

It is also very difficult to estimate one’s actual screen time each week. One meta-analysis of the research found that in 95 percent of studies, participants did not accurately report how much time they spend on screens . This calls into question all studies which rely on participants’ subjective estimates of how they use their time because they have based their conclusions on a statistic that is likely inaccurate.

Why Not Other Hobbies?

Other critics of the diagnosis point out that gaming has been unfairly targeted and pathologized. A person who plays golf instead of spending time with family is inconsiderate. A person who plays video games instead of spending time with family is addicted.

This demonstrates a clear bias . Society considers video games a waste of time, so an enthusiastic gamer is criticized more harshly than someone with a more acceptable hobby.

What Else Might Account for Excessive Gaming

Many of my clients report that they feel addicted to technology. When I continue the assessment process, many report that they were previously diagnosed with autism or ADHD . This complicates the diagnostic process because many people with these disorders already struggle to stop scrolling through social media or playing video games.

Most of us have looked up from our phones and realized that half an hour or more had suddenly passed. The hypnotic “flow” which we experienced blinded us to the passage of time. Autistic people* and those with ADHD are especially susceptible to this phenomenon. So if, for example, a person with ADHD finds it particularly difficult to turn off a game, does that person have an addiction or is it simply how this kind of stimulus affects those with ADHD?

Some research has found that heavy gamers have reduced gray matter in areas of the brain associated with attention , impulse control. However, these studies do not sufficiently demonstrate that gaming caused the differences, only that they are associated. Correlation is not causation. Some studies even show that brain scans for people with ADHD look remarkably similar to scans of those with gaming disorder , even after treatment.

One researcher pointed out this conundrum by relating it to depression . “We would not diagnose depressed individuals with hypersomnia with a comorbid ‘bed addiction.’” In other words, someone with depression might stay in bed for days, but this does not mean that they are addicted to the bed. In the same way, an autistic person or someone with depression or ADHD might appear to be addicted to video games even when they are not. In short, many diagnosed with gaming disorder may simply be autistic or have ADHD.

It is possible that video games are addictive. However, the current body of research is too flawed to state decisively that the negative consequences outweigh the benefits the games afford players. It is premature to consider gaming disorder to be an official addiction.

*Although many refer to autistic people as “people with autism” or “people with autism spectrum disorders,” almost 90 percent of autistic adults prefer “autistic person.” This language is used here to respect that preference.

Bean, A. M., Nielsen, R. K. L., van Rooij, A. J., & Ferguson, C. J. (2017). Video game addiction: The push to pathologize video games. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 48 (5). Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-29288-001

Diament, M. (2022, December 2). 'Autistic' or 'person with autism'? It depends. Disability Scoop. https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2022/12/02/autistic-or-person-with-auti…

Fishman, A. (2019, January 22). Video games are social spaces. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/video-game-health/201901/video-…

Fishman, A. (2022, November 7). Why it's so hard to walk away from a video game. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/video-game-health/202211/why-it…

Fishman, A. (2023, February 20). How gamers use video games to explore their gender identity. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/video-game-health/202302/how-…

Gentile, D. (n.d.) Gaming Addiction Screening. University of California, Santa Cruz. https://caps.ucsc.edu/pdf/gaming-addiction-screening.pdf

Han, D.H., Bae, S., Hong, J., Kim, S.M., Son, Y.D., & Renshaw, P. (2019). Resting-state fMRI study of ADHD and Internet Gaming Disorder. Journal of Attention Disorders, 25 (8). Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1087054719883022

Király, O., Bőthe, B., Ramos-Díaz, J., Rahimi-Movaghar, A., Lukavska, K., Hrabec, O., Miovsky, M., Billieux, J., Deleuze, J., Nuyens, F., Karila, L.M., Griffiths, M.D., Nagygyörgy, K., Urbán, R., Potenza, M., King, D.L., Rumpf, H., Carragher, N., Lilly, E., & Demetrovics, Z. (2019). Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10): Measurement invariance and cross-cultural validation across seven language-based samples. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 33 (1). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328615597_Ten-Item_Internet_Ga…

Parry, D.A., Davidson, B.I., Sewall, C.J.R., Fisher, J.T., Mieczkowski, H., & Quintana, D.S. (2021). Nature Human Behavior, 5 . Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01117-5

van Rooij, A.J., Ferguson, C., Carras, M.C. Kardefelt-Winther, D., Shi, J., Aarseth, E., Bean, A., Bergmark, K.H., Brus, A., Coulson, M., Deleuze, J., Dullur, P., Dunkels, E., Edman, J., Elson, M., Etchells, P.J., Fiskaali, A., Granic, I., Jansz, J...& Przybylski, A.K. (2018). A weak scientific basis for gaming disorder: Let us err on the side of caution. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7 (1) Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323542721_A_weak_scientific_ba…

van Rooij, A.J., Schoenmakers, T., van den Eijnden, R.J.J.M., Vermulst, A.A., & van de Mheen, D. (2012). Video Game Addiction Test: Validity and psychometric characteristics. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15 (9). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230696095_Video_Game_Addiction…

Andrew Fishman is a licensed social worker in Chicago, Illinois. He is also a lifelong gamer who works with clients to understand the impact video games have had on their mental health.

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Online Video Games Addiction Essay

Online video games have already become an essential component of popular culture. A variety of technological products is actively used to train pilots and other safety occupations for better professional skills. Until recently, there was no specific knowledge or empirical evidence with regard to the effect video games may produce on users’ skills. It appears, however, that video games can become a relevant source of better practical knowledge and abilities which young users are to use in the practice. Unfortunately, there is no sufficient information that could unilaterally confirm the positive nature of video games when used by users in practical performance, but the results of recent researches suggest that video games provide unlimited opportunities for the development of better practical skills and avoiding major mistakes (Soukup 43). Video games are often linked to problems including bad grades and violent behavior of people. The idea has been accentuated in the ScienCentral News video reports. The study suggests that might make users do a better job. Confidentiality relates to information sought, obtained, or held by an organization, the disclosure of which might be detrimental to that organization or to the third party that supplied it. In many cases, it is difficult to control e-mail communication between employees and protect information security (Aarseth, 99). The paper will try to answer and research the question “Why people are addicted to online video games? How does it affect their life?”

Online video games create a new reality and can be interested as a “second life” of the user. Bad communications lead to conflict. In this situation, employees cannot find a unified and single solution for the project or program competing with one another during meetings and negotiations. Also, e-mail is not an ideal form to solve current business problems, because it takes time to type an e-mail instead of “simply calling someone if the message is short” (Hartt n.d.). In some cases, employees must accept e-mails inflexibilities, and learn how to interpret the information provided to them and how to make correct decisions based on written short messages. On the other hand, electronic mail systems store and then deliver to electronic ‘mail boxes’ which enable the recipient to retrieve the message when convenient.. The main problems that affected e-mail communication include lack of mutual understanding, lack of openness in relations, and damaged relations, chaos situations (Bates, 45). Critics admit that:

Despite this growing concern, children still seem to be spending time playing video games. A recent report released by the Kaiser Family Foundation (1999) reveals that a majority of 2- to 18-year-old children in this country have access to video game technology in their homes. (Smith 54).

As such, whatever is happening in the society in According the theory of the social construction of reality, each person is undeniably a perception and interaction with others. As such, this proves that culture is a vital component that affects the formation of one’s identity. In line with this, the concept of cultural identity was formed. Cultural Identity is often described as an individual’s feeling or perception of his or her belongingness to a certain cultural group. It is also described as the extent to which this feeling affects him or her and influences him/her to act in accordance with the actions, beliefs, traditions, and behavior imposed by the cultural group. A cultural group, on the other hand, refers to a set of individuals, which may be or maybe not be bounded by time and place. However, it is given that members of a cultural group carry the same set of symbolic meanings used in the interpretation of actions and communication. Normally, cultural groups exist in a common cultural space and time also (Berger, 98).

Through the sense of belongingness to a certain online video game, one tries to modify his/her behavior and practices in such a way that they are in accordance with the norms that are accepted by the online video game, to which the individual belongs. Thus, the end product will be that of identity. However, if an individual identifies himself/herself as a member of online video games that have cultural practices that oppose each other, he or she will be exposed to the question of which tradition to follow. Thus, his or her online video game identity will be compromised. In this case, the sense of free will, motivated by which cultural group he/she thinks he/she can more identify with, acts. In the analysis of the cultural identity of the interviewee, the act that he only tries to stay in line with norms of the “majority” while strongly not acting against the norms of his Islam community emphasizes that he identifies himself more as a member of the latter one. However, the fact that the interviewee acknowledges the norms of the “majority” also signifies his appreciation of the culture of this group, and therefore the concept of online video game assimilation exists (Faber, 76).

The changes are far-reaching: the definition of online video game; the nature of the information ‘commons’ for the citizen; the right of privacy in communicated expressions; the regulation of information infrastructures (computer operating systems and networks); the definition of information goods; and the nature of government communication with its citizens. These changes mostly revolve around information ownership and yet no consistent framework has yet to emerge as the question has mostly been approached in a piecemeal way. It is argued in conclusion that a new information dispensation must be built which guarantees information ownership, as this is the foundation on which systems of trading, governance, and research can be built. More interesting, though, was the extent to which users of the Internet as a news source said that as a result, they are using traditional news. It seems that using online video sites may have a more negative effect on news viewing than news reading. This might be because Internet users most often go online for the sort of information featured by television news, especially cable. In the early days, online companies did their very best to replicate the printed or media product (Berners-Lee, 33).

These emergent online video game standards now pose a major problem for competition regulators around the world as they span jurisdictions and the market dominance they create is not easily broken up by their nature. Although in some markets the developers may license the ‘standard’ technology to widen participation (the digital cellular phone standard GSM is one example), in others the standard-setter may aggressively protect its control over the standard as it regards it as an asset. At present most of the dominant information standards have been developed by US companies and they can only be regulated effectively by the US Department of Justice. These technological questions will, however, mark out the information infrastructures of the next century. In the emerging technological and commercial environment defined by the digital encoding of information representations ‘ownership’ is coming to mean different things (Aarseth, 33).

The internet and online video websites have become a new sales channel uncontrolled by the state and free for mass consumers. If any element of the channel can be provided in a more cost-effective way, either by another organization or the application of technology, then the producer will have a strong incentive to change their sales strategy. Mainstream media is limited by censorship and regulations, channels of communication, and geographical scope. In other words, this situation creates a channel conflict for mainstream media. Whenever there are a number of different sales channel elements that can address the same customer base, then there is the potential for conflict. The computer industry is renowned for having multiple channels which often find themselves in direct competition. There have been many instances when the computer manufacture, its distributors and resellers are all fighting for the same business (Smith et al 54).

The online video game is an area occupied by online companies. Some direct marketers have long suspected that the reliance of media advertising on attitudinal factors, instead of behavioral ones, has resulted in “much ado about nothing.” Moreover, they consider the Internet an information media and therefore antithetical to media advertising. When these capabilities are combined to address traditional business situations, it is possible to generate tangible benefits. The American media marketplace is not only larger but far more specialized than any other environment worldwide (Smith et al 54). Also, historically, marketing and advertising, in particular television and electronic media, have had a far more significant role in the United States than elsewhere. These abrupt turns can best be seen through annual changes. In the light of the Internet and its direct potential, these targeting options remained narrow and one-sided. Based on a broadcast model, they made real-time interactivity impossible. Having assessed the degree to which the Internet will affect the organization, the challenge is to manage the adoption of the new technology and the changes it will cause to existing processes. Decisions will be required about the advisability and cost implications of running multiple sales channels and the conflicts that can be created (Aarseth, 66).

Constraints on the geographic, industry, or application areas of trading, available to each channel element, can suddenly disappear. Perhaps the most important thing that can be done is to recognize that a problem will exist and to ensure that the existing channel elements have been informed of how the changes will affect them. If possible, these existing channel partners should be involved in the use of technology and encouraged to accept the changes by sharing part of the planned benefits. There are several reasons why it may be necessary to reduce the level of margin on media products that are being sold via the Internet-related sales channel. It may be sensible to offer a pricing advantage to encourage customers to use the channel. This does not necessarily affect the overall net margin since the cost structure of maintaining the channel may be significantly lower than the traditional alternatives (Berners-Lee 5).

In sum, it was found that people are addicted to online video games because they help users to change their own identity and create the ideal personality they cannot reach in real life. Jones writes that: “As in a video game, in which players acquire new weapons and capabilities within its digital geography and learn more and more about how to play from the collective knowledge of gamers online, both Lost’s characters and its audience are acquiring sequentially the “tools” they need to play. (51). Aarseth states that: “virtual environment has penetrated identity unevenly, thus marketers and advertising use this medium to promote their” (61). These quotes agree that online video games create a new reality for users but do not have a positive and educational impact on their personalities. Lack of regulations and censorship help video websites better position themselves against mainstream media companies. Online video sites succeed in moving economic activity closer to users (viewers) proposing low transaction costs, low barriers to entry, and improved access to information for the consumer. Thus, they have a negative and threatening impact on mainstream media, its audiences, and media messages. (Jones 51). Taking this measure helps the people to engage themselves in doing different kinds of exercises. The same thing can be told about the classic game Asteroids. This game has many important characteristics. One of these characteristics is the ability to rotate the wrist moves of a spaceship. The game is often associated with the waste of time. This is especially true when we are talking about the vast majority of people who are engaged in the research.

Works Cited

Aarseth, E. Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.

Bates, B. Game Design: the Art and Business of Creating Games Roseville, CA: Prima Tech (Game Development Series), 2001.

Berger, A.A. Narratives in Popular Culture, Media and Everyday Life Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1997.

Berners-Lee, Tim. Weaving the Web. London: Orion Business Books, 1999.

Faber, L. Re: Play Ultimate Games Graphics London: Laurence King Publishing, 1998.

Jones, S. E. Dickens on Lost: Text, Paratext, Fan-Based Media. Wordsworth Circle , 38 (2007), 51.

Smith, S. L. et al. Popular Video Games: Quantifying the Presentation of Violence and Its Context. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media , 47 (2003), 54.

Soukup, Ch. Mastering the Game: Gender and the Entelechial Motivational System of Video Games. Women’s Studies in Communication , 30 (2007), 43.

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Front Psychol

The Association Between Video Gaming and Psychological Functioning

Juliane m. von der heiden.

1 Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany

Beate Braun

2 Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany

Kai W. Müller

Boris egloff, associated data.

Video gaming is an extremely popular leisure-time activity with more than two billion users worldwide ( Newzoo, 2017 ). However, the media as well as professionals have underscored the potential dangers of excessive video gaming. With the present research, we aimed to shed light on the relation between video gaming and gamers’ psychological functioning. Questionnaires on personality and psychological health as well as video gaming habits were administered to 2,734 individuals (2,377 male, 357 female, M age = 23.06, SD age = 5.91). Results revealed a medium-sized negative correlation between problematic video gaming and psychological functioning with regard to psychological symptoms, affectivity, coping, and self-esteem. Moreover, gamers’ reasons for playing and their preferred game genres were differentially related to psychological functioning with the most notable findings for distraction-motivated players as well as action game players. Future studies are needed to examine whether these psychological health risks reflect the causes or consequences of video gaming.

Introduction

Video gaming is a very popular leisure activity among adults ( Pew Research Center, 2018 ). The amount of time spent playing video games has increased steadily, from 5.1 h/week in 2011 to 6.5 h/week in 2017 ( The Nielsen Company, 2017 ). Video gaming is known to have some benefits such as improving focus, multitasking, and working memory, but it may also come with costs when it is used heavily. By spending a predominant part of the day gaming, excessive video gamers are at risk of showing lower educational and career attainment, problems with peers, and lower social skills ( Mihara and Higuchi, 2017 ). On the one hand, video game use is widespread, and it may come with certain precursors as well as consequences. On the other hand, little is known about the relations between various video gaming habits and psychological functioning. This study aims to shed light on these important relations using a large sample.

A video game is defined as “a game which we play thanks to an audiovisual apparatus and which can be based on a story” ( Esposito, 2005 ). In the last few years, the amount of scientific research devoted to video game playing has increased (e.g., Ferguson, 2015 ; Calvert et al., 2017 ; Hamari and Keronen, 2017 ). Most scientific studies in this area of research have focused on the extent of video game play and its diverse correlates. While some researchers have emphasized the benefits of game playing and even suggested a therapeutic use of video games ( Primack et al., 2012 ; Granic et al., 2014 ; Colder Carras et al., 2018 ), others have been intrigued by its potential dangers ( Anderson et al., 2010 ; Müller and Wölfling, 2017 ).

Parents and professionals may be worried about their excessively playing children being “addicted.” However, problematic and potentially addictive video game use goes beyond the extent of playing (in hours per week; Skoric et al., 2009 ). It also includes such issues as craving, loss of control, and negative consequences of excessive gaming. While it is still a matter of debate whether problematic video game play should be considered a behavioral addiction , its status as a mental disorder has been clarified since the release of the DSM-5 in 2013. In the DSM-5, the American Psychiatric Association (2013) defined Internet Gaming Disorder with diagnostic criteria closely related to Gambling Disorder. Generally, this decision has been supported by many researchers (e.g., Petry et al., 2014 ) but has also caused controversies. Researchers have criticized the selection of diagnostic criteria and the vague definition of the Internet Gaming Disorder construct, which excludes offline games from being related to addictive use (e.g., Griffiths et al., 2016 ; Bean et al., 2017 ).

Several studies, literature reviews, and meta-analyses have focused on the correlates of problematic video gaming, usually assessed as a continuum with addiction marking the upper end of the scale (e.g., Ferguson et al., 2011 ; Kuss and Griffiths, 2012 ). The degree of addictive video game use has been found to be related to personality traits such as low self-esteem ( Ko et al., 2005 ) and low self-efficacy ( Jeong and Kim, 2011 ), anxiety, and aggression ( Mehroof and Griffiths, 2010 ), and even to clinical symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders ( Wang et al., 2018 ). Potential consequences of video game use have been identified as well, such as a lack of real-life friends ( Kowert et al., 2014a ), stress and maladaptive coping ( Milani et al., 2018 ), lower psychosocial well-being and loneliness ( Lemmens et al., 2011 ), psychosomatic problems ( Müller et al., 2015 ; Milani et al., 2018 ), and decreased academic achievement ( Chiu et al., 2004 ; Gentile, 2009 ). Effect sizes have varied widely across studies ( Ferguson et al., 2011 ). There seem to be sex and age differences with regard to video gaming behavior: potentially problematic video gaming was found to be more likely among males than females (e.g., Greenberg et al., 2010 ; Estévez et al., 2017 ), and among younger gamers ( Rehbein et al., 2016 ).

In addition to looking at problematic video game use and its relation to psychological functioning, it is relevant to also focus on why individuals play video games. Players use video games for very different reasons ( Ryan et al., 2006 ; Yee, 2006 ) such as to distract themselves from daily hassles or because they enjoy the social relationships they have developed in the virtual world. Potentially problematic video gaming has been found to be related to various reasons for playing such as coping and escape ( Hussain and Griffiths, 2009 ; Schneider et al., 2018 ), socialization ( Laconi et al., 2017 ), and personal satisfaction ( Ng and Wiemer-Hastings, 2005 ). Coping ( Laconi et al., 2017 ), social interaction, and competition were among the main reasons for gaming among males but not among females ( Lucas and Sherry, 2004 ). Mixed results emerged concerning age differences ( Greenberg et al., 2010 ), but especially younger gamers seemed to be motivated for video gaming by social interactions ( Hilgard et al., 2013 ). However, so far it remains unclear to what extent people’s various reasons for playing video games are differentially related to their psychological functioning.

Besides investigating the links between potentially problematic video game use and psychological functioning as well as between reasons for playing video games and psychological functioning, it is relevant to also look at which game genres individuals prefer. Correlates of preferences for certain game genres (e.g., simulation, strategy, action, role-playing) are cognitive enhancement ( Dobrowolski et al., 2015 ; Bediou et al., 2018 ), but also the amount of time spent playing ( Lemmens and Hendriks, 2016 ; Rehbein et al., 2016 ) and psychopathological symptoms ( Laconi et al., 2017 ). Males were shown to prefer action and strategy games, whereas females showed a preference for games of skill ( Scharkow et al., 2015 ; Rehbein et al., 2016 ). Younger gamers seemed to prefer action games, older players more so games of skill ( Scharkow et al., 2015 ). However, it is not yet understood to what extent preferences for certain video game genres are differentially related to psychological functioning.

Typically, research has focused merely on violent video games (e.g., Anderson and Bushman, 2001 ; Elson and Ferguson, 2014 ) or one specific game within one specific game genre (frequently World of Warcraft; Graham and Gosling, 2013 ; Visser et al., 2013 ; Herodotou et al., 2014 ), thereby neglecting the variety of possible gaming habits across various game genres.

In the present study, our objective was to examine the relation between video gaming and psychological functioning in a fine-grained manner. For this purpose, we examined psychological functioning by employing various variables such as psychological symptoms, coping strategies, and social support. Likewise, we assessed video gaming in a similarly detailed way, ranging from (a) problematic video game use, (b) the reasons for playing, to (c) the preferred game genres. This strategy prevented us from making potentially invalid generalizations about video gaming in general and allowed us to examine the spectrum of gaming habits and the respective relations between such habits and a diverse set of variables representing psychological functioning.

Playing video games excessively should be appealing to individuals with poor psychological functioning because games allow people to avoid their everyday problems and instead immerse themselves in another environment ( Taquet et al., 2017 ). Moreover, video games offer people a chance to connect with other people socially despite any more or less evident psychological problems they may have ( Kowert et al., 2014b ; Mazurek et al., 2015 ). On the other hand, potentially problematic video game use may also lead to psychological problems because it reduces the amount of time and the number of opportunities gamers have to practice real-life behavior ( Gentile, 2009 ). Thus, we expected to find a negative correlation between problematic video gaming and variables representing psychological functioning such that we expected more potentially problematic video game use to be related to dysfunctional coping strategies ( Wood and Griffith, 2007 ), negative affectivity ( Mathiak et al., 2011 ), and poor school performance ( Mihara and Higuchi, 2017 ). Moreover, we expected to find differential correlates of people’s reasons for playing video games and their psychological functioning: Playing for escape-oriented reasons such as distraction should go along with diverse indices of poor psychological functioning ( Király et al., 2015 ), whereas playing for gain-oriented reasons such as the storyline or the social connections in the game should be related to adequate psychological functioning ( Longman et al., 2009 ). Also, we expected to find people’s preferred game genres (e.g., strategy, action) to be differentially related to their psychological functioning ( Park et al., 2016 ). Finally, we aimed to shed light on the unique contribution of each measure of psychological functioning to the prediction of problematic video game use.

Materials and Methods

Participants 1.

A total of N = 2,891 individuals (2,421 male, 470 female) with a mean age of 23.17 years ( SD = 5.99, Range: 13–65) participated in our study. Of these participants, N = 2,734 (95%) confirmed their use of video games and were thus included in further analyses (2,377 male, 357 female, with a mean age of 23.06 years; SD = 5.91, Range: 13–65). The distribution of participants with regard to sex and age mirrors the findings of past research with males and younger individuals being more likely to play video games (e.g., Griffiths et al., 2004 ). Participants’ place of residence was Germany.

Procedure and Instruments 2

We posted links to our online questionnaire on various online forums as well as on popular online game sites. To achieve heterogeneity of the sample, no exclusion criteria other than having access to the Internet and understanding German were specified. As an incentive to participate in the study, four vouchers of 50€ were raffled.

Video Gaming

Potentially problematic video game use.

The AICA-S, the Scale for the Assessment of Internet and Computer game Addiction ( Wölfling et al., 2016 ), was used to assess participants’ gaming behavior with regard to potential problematic use. Based on the DSM criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder (tolerance, craving, loss of control, emotion regulation, withdrawal, and unsuccessful attempts to cut back), this standardized self-report scale consists of 15 items usually with a five-point scale ranging from 1 ( never ) to 5 ( very often ). The final score (Min = 0, Max = 27 points) is computed using weighted scoring (items with an item-total correlation > 0.55 in the norm sample are weighted double; Wölfling et al., 2011 ). The AICA-S score can be used to differentiate between regular (0–6.5 points) and problematic use of video games (7–13 points: abuse; 13.5–27 points: addiction). In our sample, N = 2,265 (83%) were identified as regular gamers, and N = 469 (17%) as problematic gamers. We used the AICA-S as a continuous variable for all further analyses ( M = 3.98, SD = 3.22, Range: 0–24). The instrument has been validated for different age groups in the general population and in clinical samples ( Müller et al., 2014a , 2019 , but note small sample size; Müller et al., 2014b ). Cronbach’s alpha was α = 0.70. As expected, the AICA-S score was correlated with male sex ( r = 0.17 ∗∗∗ ) and age ( r = –0.15 ∗∗∗ ). On average, participants played video games for M = 4.09 hours per weekday ( SD = 4.44, Range: 0–24), and M = 4.21 h per day at the weekend ( SD = 2.99, Range: 0–24).

Reasons for playing

Gamers indicated how often they played video games for certain reasons. They rated each of 10 reasons separately on Likert scales ranging from 1 ( never ) to 4 ( very often ). The most prevalent reasons were relaxation ( M = 2.96, SD = 0.91), amusement ( M = 2.94, SD = 0.85), and because of the storyline ( M = 2.67, SD = 1.10).

Game genres

Gamers were asked how often they usually played various video game subgenres such as first-person shooter, round-based strategy, massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), life simulations, and others. Ratings were made on Likert scales ranging from 1 ( never ) to 4 ( very often ). Using Apperley’s (2006) classification of game genres, we categorized the subgenres into the main genres action ( M = 2.54, SD = 0.84), strategy ( M = 2.13, SD = 0.80), role-playing ( M = 2.01, SD = 0.73), and simulation ( M = 1.58, SD = 0.44). A cluster for unclassified subgenres ( M = 1.54, SD = 0.39) was added to additionally account for such subgenres as jump’n’runs and games of skill. Descriptive statistics and intercorrelations for all measures (including sex and age) are presented in Supplementary Tables S1–S4 .

Psychological Functioning

Participants provided ratings of their psychological functioning on the following constructs:

General psychopathology

The SCL-K-9 ( Klaghofer and Brähler, 2001 ), a short version of the SCL-90-R ( Derogatis, 1975 ), was administered to assess participants’ subjective impairment regarding psychological symptoms (somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism). The SCL-K-9 score is strongly correlated with the original score of the SCL-90-R ( r = 0.93). The 9 items were answered on 5-point Likert-type scales ranging from 1 ( do not agree at all ) to 5 ( agree completely ). Cronbach’s alpha was satisfactory (α = 0.77).

We assessed 10 coping strategies with the Brief COPE ( Carver, 1997 ; German version by Knoll et al., 2005 ), which is the shorter version of the COPE ( Carver et al., 1989 ): self-distraction, denial, substance use, venting, self-blame, behavioral disengagement, acceptance, active coping, planning, and positive reframing. The two items per subscale were administered on 5-point Likert-type scales ranging from 1 ( never ) to 5 ( very often ). Intercorrelations of the two items per subscale ranged from r = 0.32, p < 0.001 for positive reframing to r = 0.78, p < 0.001 for substance use (with one exception: r = -0.05, p = 0.01 for self-distraction).

We measured general affect as a trait and affect during video gaming as a state using the German version ( Krohne et al., 1996 ) of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson et al., 1988 ). On a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( not at all ) to 5 ( completely ), participants rated the intensity of 20 adjectives. Cronbach’s alpha was α = 0.78 for general positive affect, α = 0.83 for general negative affect, α = 0.85 for positive affect while playing, and α = 0.83 for negative affect while playing.

The measure for the assessment of shyness in adults ( Asendorpf, 1997 ) consists of 5 items that were answered on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( not at all ) to 5 ( completely ). Cronbach’s alpha was excellent (α = 0.86).

We administered the German version ( Elbing, 1991 ) of the NYU Loneliness Scale ( Rubenstein and Shaver, 1982 ). The 4 items were answered on 5- to 6-point Likert-type scales. Cronbach’s alpha was satisfactory (α = 0.79).

Preference for solitude

A 10-item measure of preference for solitude ( Nestler et al., 2011 ) was answered on a 6-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( not at all ) to 6 ( completely ). Cronbach’s alpha was excellent (α = 0.86).

Life satisfaction

Participants answered a one-item life satisfaction measure on a 4-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( not at all ) to 4 ( completely ).

Self-esteem

We administered the German version ( von Collani and Herzberg, 2003 ) of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1979 ). The 10 items were answered on a 4-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( not at all ) to 4 ( completely ). Cronbach’s alpha was excellent (α = 0.88).

Self-efficacy

We administered a 10-item generalized self-efficacy scale ( Schwarzer and Jerusalem, 1995 ), which was answered on a 4-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( not at all ) to 4 ( completely ). Cronbach’s alpha was excellent (α = 0.86).

Social support and friends

We administered the perceived available social support subscale from the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS; Schwarzer and Schulz, 2003 ). The 8 items were answered on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( not at all ) to 5 ( completely ). Cronbach’s alpha was excellent (α = 0.94). Participants indicated how many offline friends and offline acquaintances they had ( r = 0.44, p < 0.001) as well as how many online friends and online acquaintances they had ( r = 0.33, p < 0.001). Due to left-skewed distributions, we logarithmized the data before aggregation.

Participants reported their grade point average. German grades are assessed on a scale that ranges from 1 ( excellent ) to 6 ( insufficient ). Thus, higher scores indicate worse grades.

Participants further reported their sex and age. Both were used as control variables in further analyses.

In a first step, we computed zero-order correlations between the video gaming variables and the measures of psychological functioning. In a second step, we computed partial correlations in which we controlled for sex and age because past research has repeatedly shown that sex and age are correlated with both video gaming ( Homer et al., 2012 ; Mihara and Higuchi, 2017 ) and psychological functioning ( Kessler et al., 2007 ; Nolen-Hoeksema, 2012 ). Finally, we explored the unique contribution of each measure of psychological functioning to the prediction of potentially problematic video gaming. Therefore, we computed regressions with potentially problematic video gaming as the dependent variable and sex, age, and the measures of psychological functioning as predictors (entered simultaneously into the regression equation). By employing this procedure, we were able to determine the effect that each variable had over and above the other ones. For instance, we could identify whether general psychopathology was predictive of potentially problematic video game use when the influence of all other variables (e.g., shyness, loneliness, and others) was held constant.

Additionally, we included analyses regarding sex and age differences in the link between video gaming and psychological functioning. Since we collected a self-selected sample where different sexes and age groups were not represented equally, our findings are only preliminary, but may stimulate future research.

Potentially Problematic Video Game Use and Psychological Functioning

First, we examined whether potentially problematic video game use was related to various psychological functioning variables. As can be seen in Table 1 , the results for the zero-order correlations were similar to those for the partial correlations in which we controlled for sex and age. A medium-sized positive relation to the potentially problematic use of video games emerged for the presence of psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, and hostility. Furthermore, several coping strategies were differentially associated with the potentially problematic use of video games: Self-blame and behavioral disengagement showed the strongest positive relations to potentially problematic video game use, followed by denial, acceptance, substance use, self-distraction, and venting. Planning, active coping, and, to a lesser extent, positive reframing were negatively associated with the potentially problematic use of video games. Moreover, the association with potentially problematic video game use was negative for general positive affect and positive and larger in size for general negative affect. However, potentially problematic video game use was clearly positively associated with the experience of both positive and negative affect while playing. Further, a preference for solitude, shyness, and loneliness were positively correlated with the potentially problematic use of video games. Lower self-esteem, lower life satisfaction, and, to a lesser extent, poorer perceived social support and lower self-efficacy went along with potentially problematic video game use. There was an association between fewer offline friends and acquaintances but more online connections with potentially problematic video gaming. Finally, poorer performance in school (i.e., higher grades) was related to the potentially problematic use of video games. These results suggest that potentially problematic video gaming goes along with poor psychological functioning and vice versa.

Associations between potentially problematic video gaming and psychological functioning.



General psychopathology	0.28	0.31

Self-distraction	0.13	0.14
Denial	0.17	0.16
Substance use	0.15	0.15
Venting	0.09	0.14
Self-blame	0.23	0.24
Behavioral disengagement	0.24	0.24
Acceptance	0.17	0.16
Active coping	–0.13	–0.11
Planning	–0.14	–0.11
Positive reframing	–0.06	–0.05

Positive affect in general	–0.15	–0.16
Negative affect in general	0.22	0.23
Positive affect while playing	0.24	0.21
Negative affect while playing	0.29	0.26
Shyness	0.20	0.21
Loneliness	0.16	0.16
Preference for solitude	0.18	0.22
Life satisfaction	–0.20	–0.21
Self-esteem	–0.27	–0.28
Self-efficacy	–0.16	–0.17
Social support	–0.20	–0.18
Friends and acquaintances offline	–0.09	–0.13
Friends and acquaintances online	0.21	0.20
Grade point average	0.24	0.22

Reasons for Playing Video Games and Psychological Functioning

Second, we investigated whether players’ reasons for playing video games were differentially related to the psychological functioning variables. Table 2 presents the partial correlations, controlling for sex and age. Using video games to distract oneself from stress was clearly connected to a high level of psychological symptoms. Distraction-motivated gamers preferred coping strategies such as self-blame, behavioral disengagement, self-distraction, denial, substance use, venting, and acceptance, but they neglected active coping and planning. They showed less general positive affect and more negative affect both in general and while playing as well as more positive affect while playing. These gamers further reported low self-esteem and low life satisfaction, loneliness, a preference for solitude, shyness, a lack of self-efficacy and social support, and poor achievement in school. A similar but somewhat less extreme picture was revealed for gamers who played video games in order to have something to talk about . However, these gamers reported more online connections. Gamers who played video games to improve their real-life abilities also reported more online connections. In addition, these gamers showed higher levels of general positive affect. The strongest association with online friends and acquaintances emerged, as expected, for gamers who played because of the social relations in the virtual world. Although all reasons for playing video games were related to positive affect while playing, the strongest associations emerged for gamers who played because of the social relations , to stimulate their imagination , and for curiosity . It is interesting that, for gamers who played video games because of the storyline and for relaxation , there was a relation only to positive but not to negative affect while playing. Reasons for playing were only weakly related to sex and age (see Supplementary Table S2 ). In sum, several reasons for playing video games were differentially associated with psychological functioning.

Associations between reasons for playing video games and psychological functioning.




General psychopathology	0.07	0.26	0.04	0.01	0.09	0.08	0.06	0.13	0.09	0.09

Self-distraction	0.08	0.15	0.09	0.07	0.19	0.09	–0.01	0.11	0.05	0.13
Denial	0.04	0.15	–0.02	0.01	0.08	0.13	0.07	0.18	0.09	0.04
Substance use	0.04	0.13	–0.01	–0.01	–0.03	0.01	0.02	0.04	0.08	0.04
Venting	0.04	0.12	0.03	0.02	0.06	0.08	0.01	0.10	0.08	0.06
Self-blame	0.07	0.18	0.02	0.02	0.04	0.00	0.03	0.06	0.06	0.06
Behavioral disengagement	0.08	0.16	0.03	–0.02	0.05	0.05	0.02	0.12	0.08	0.07
Acceptance	0.09	0.10	0.03	0.07	0.02	0.04	0.02	0.07	0.05	0.06
Active coping	−0.04	–0.10	0.06	0.06	0.07	0.07	0.03	–0.00	0.02	0.08
Planning	–0.05	–0.09	0.06	0.05	0.06	0.06	0.05	0.00	0.02	0.09
Positive reframing	−0.04	–0.05	0.06	0.07	0.11	0.11	0.06	0.06	0.04	0.13

Positive affect in general	–0.06	–0.10	–0.01	0.05	0.05	0.10	0.08	0.00	–0.00	0.07
Negative affect in general	0.04	0.20	0.05	0.01	0.08	0.06	–0.01	0.08	0.09	0.09
Positive affect while playing	0.07	0.09	0.13	0.19	0.21	0.19	0.20	0.15	0.19	0.20
Negative affect while playing	0.07	0.16	0.00	0.00	0.05	0.10	0.07	0.15	0.13	0.13
Shyness	0.09	0.15	0.10	0.02	0.08	0.03	–0.03	0.06	0.05	0.05
Loneliness	0.07	0.18	0.00	–0.06	0.02	–0.01	0.02	0.09	0.01	0.04
Preference for solitude	0.07	0.16	0.13	0.15	0.14	0.07	–0.03	0.04	0.10	0.10
Life satisfaction	−0.04	–0.19	–0.01	0.04	–0.02	–0.00	0.01	−0.04	–0.00	–0.01
Self-esteem	−0.04	–0.21	−0.05	0.02	–0.05	0.00	0.00	–0.09	–0.07	−0.04
Self-efficacy	–0.03	–0.15	−0.05	0.04	–0.00	0.05	0.09	–0.08	–0.02	0.00
Social Support	−0.05	–0.12	–0.01	0.05	0.00	–0.01	0.01	−0.04	−0.04	–0.03
Friends and acquaintances offline	–0.07	–0.07	–0.12	−0.04	–0.09	0.01	0.09	0.01	−0.04	–0.08
Friends and acquaintances online	0.03	0.03	–0.06	0.02	0.04	0.14	0.42	0.12	0.06	–0.02
Grade point average	0.06	0.12	0.03	0.03	0.04	0.03	0.07	0.09	0.10	0.07

Video Game Genre and Psychological Functioning

Third, we examined whether players’ preferences for different video game genres were differentially associated with the measures of psychological functioning. Table 3 shows the partial correlations in which we controlled for sex and age. There was a weak connection between general psychological symptoms and all of the video game genres we investigated except strategy. A preference for action games had the strongest association with affect while playing. Thus, action games seem to be both rewarding and a source of frustration. A preference for action games went along with poorer school performance. Gamers who preferred role-playing games scored higher on shyness and a preference for solitude and lower on self-esteem; they also reported fewer offline connections. By contrast, preferences for games of the unclassified category on average went along with a larger number of offline friends and more positive affect, both while playing and in general. Two game genres (i.e., role-playing and unclassified games) were related to the coping strategy of self-distraction. Because preferred game genre was related to participants’ sex (see Supplementary Table S3 ), we had a more detailed look at the correlations between preferred game genre and psychological functioning separately for both sexes: For males ( n = 2,377), the strongest correlation between general psychopathology and game genre emerged for action ( r = 0.08, p < 0.001), followed by role playing ( r = 0.07, p < 0.01), and unclassified ( r = 0.07, p < 0.01). For females ( n = 357), the strongest relation between general psychopathology and game genre emerged for simulation ( r = 0.17, p < 0.01). Differences were also found regarding the strength of the relation between number of friends online and the genre action: r = 0.06, p < 0.01 for males, and r = 0.27, p < 0.001 for females. Similarly, preferred game genre was related to participants’ age (see Supplementary Table S3 ). However, there were merely differences with regard to the relation of psychological functioning and game genre, when analyzed separately for different age groups (<19 years, n = 557; 19–30 years, n = 1916; >31 years, n = 261). In sum, our results speak to the idea that individuals with different levels of psychological functioning differ in their choices of game genres and vice versa.

Associations between preferred video game genre and psychological functioning.




General psychopathology	0.06	0.01	0.06	0.07	0.07

Self-distraction	0.07	0.04	0.07	0.12	0.12
Denial	0.06	–0.03	0.06	–0.01	0.08
Substance use	–0.00	−0.04	0.05	0.00	0.02
Venting	0.06	−0.05	0.04	0.04	0.07
Self-blame	0.02	0.03	–0.01	0.06	0.02
Behavioral disengagement	0.05	0.03	0.03	0.05	0.02
Acceptance	0.01	–0.01	0.06	0.02	0.03
Active coping	–0.01	0.05	0.02	0.01	0.06
Planning	0.03	0.09	0.03	0.02	0.05
Positive reframing	0.01	0.03	0.05	–0.00	0.09

Positive affect in general	0.04	0.00	0.07	–0.07	0.10
Negative affect in general	0.06	0.02	0.05	0.09	0.04
Positive affect while playing	0.01	0.07	0.21	0.06	0.11
Negative affect while playing	0.02	0.01	0.13	0.01	0.07
Shyness	0.03	0.04	–0.02	0.13	–0.03
Loneliness	0.04	0.00	–0.01	0.07	0.01
Preference for solitude	–0.00	0.03	0.03	0.12	−0.03
Life satisfaction	–0.00	–0.01	–0.01	–0.06	0.01
Self-esteem	–0.01	0.00	−0.03	–0.12	–0.00
Self-efficacy	–0.02	0.03	0.03	–0.05	0.04
Social support	–0.00	–0.03	–0.00	–0.05	0.03
Friends and acquaintances offline	0.00	–0.01	0.01	–0.10	0.09
Friends and acquaintances online	–0.01	0.07	0.08	0.05	0.05
Grade point average	0.06	–0.06	0.12	0.03	0.03

Predicting Potentially Problematic Video Game Use by Psychological Functioning Variables

In a final step, we entered all of the investigated psychological functioning variables as well as sex and age as predictors of the potentially problematic use of video games. By employing this procedure, we were able to determine the unique contribution of each psychological functioning variable when the influence of all other variables was held constant. As Table 4 shows, the number of online friends and acquaintances as well as positive affect while playing were most predictive of potentially problematic video game use over and above all other variables. General psychopathology, a lack of offline connections, and poor school performance were weaker but still relevant predictors of potentially problematic video game use.

Prediction of potentially problematic video game use by psychological functioning variables.


1	Constant		< 0.001
	Sex	0.16	< 0.001
	Age	–0.14	< 0.001
2	Constant		< 0.01
	Sex	0.11	< 0.001
	Age	–0.10	< 0.001
	General psychopathology	0.15	< 0.001

	Self-distraction	0.01	0.55
	Denial	0.03	0.11
	Substance use	0.04	0.02
	Venting	−0.04	0.04
	Self-blame	0.06	< 0.01
	Behavioral disengagement	0.01	0.56
	Acceptance	0.06	< 0.01
	Active coping	–0.02	0.47
	Planning	–0.07	< 0.01
	Positive reframing	0.00	0.98

	Positive affect in general	–0.08	< 0.001
	Negative affect in general	–0.04	0.11
	Positive affect while playing	0.20	< 0.001
	Negative affect while playing	0.09	< 0.001
	Shyness	0.01	0.75
	Loneliness	–0.02	0.27
	Preference for solitude	0.08	< 0.001
	Life satisfaction	–0.01	0.68
	Self-esteem	−0.06	0.03
	Self-efficacy	0.04	0.12
	Social support	–0.01	0.71
	Friends and acquaintances offline	–0.12	< 0.001
	Friends and acquaintances online	0.21	< 0.001
	Grade point average	0.11	< 0.001

With this study, we aimed to shed light on the association of diverse video gaming habits with gamers’ psychological functioning. Drawing on a large sample, our results revealed a medium-sized relation between potentially problematic video game use and poor psychological functioning with regard to general psychological symptoms, maladaptive coping strategies, negative affectivity, low self-esteem, and a preference for solitude as well as poor school performance. These findings are in line with those of prior work (e.g., Kuss and Griffiths, 2012 ; Milani et al., 2018 ). Also, reasons for playing video games were differentially related to psychological functioning with the most pronounced findings for escape-oriented in contrast to gain-oriented motives. Specifically, distraction-motivated gaming went along with higher symptom ratings, lower self-esteem, and more negative affectivity, whereas playing to establish social relationships in the virtual world was related to a larger number of online connections and more positive affect while playing. Furthermore, there were only weak relations between the preferred game genres and psychological functioning. The action games genre was associated with the strongest ratings of affect while playing. These results on reasons and genres may help to explain conflicting findings of former studies, because in our work we examined various reasons for playing, several game genres, and various aspects of psychological functioning simultaneously. Finally, positive affect while playing and a larger number of online friends were the strongest unique predictors of potentially problematic video game use, followed by psychological symptoms, a lack of offline connections, and poor school performance. These findings suggest that, on the one hand, independent of one’s psychological conditions, enjoying oneself during gaming (i.e., experiencing positive affect, connecting with online friends) may go along with potentially problematic use of video games. On the other hand, poor psychological functioning seems to be a unique risk factor for potentially problematic video gaming.

The presented results are generally in line with previous work that has identified a connection between video gaming and psychological health, academic problems, and social problems ( Ferguson et al., 2011 ; Müller et al., 2015 ). However, our study moved beyond prior research by providing in-depth analyses of both video gaming habits (including potentially problematic use, reasons for playing, and preferred game genre) and psychological functioning (including psychological symptoms, coping styles, affectivity, as well as variables that are related to individuals and their social environments). In addition, we identified unique predictors of potentially problematic video game use.

How can the findings on differential relations between video gaming and various indices of psychological functioning – ranging from beneficial results ( Latham et al., 2013 ) to unfavorable results ( Barlett et al., 2009 ; Möller and Krahé, 2009 ; Anderson et al., 2010 ) – be integrated? According to Kanfer and Phillips (1970) , problematic behavior (e.g., excessive video gaming) can be understood as a function of the situation (e.g., being rejected by a peer); the organism (e.g., low self-esteem); the person’s thoughts, physical reactions, and feelings (e.g., sadness, anger); and finally, the short- as well as long-term consequences of the behavior (termed SORKC model). In the short run, according to our results, playing video games may be a way to distract oneself from everyday hassles and may lead to positive affect while playing and a feeling of being connected to like-minded people, all of which are factors that have an immediate reinforcing value. In the long run, however, spending many hours per day in front of a computer screen may prevent a person from (a) developing and practicing functional coping strategies, (b) finding friends and support in the social environment, and (c) showing proper school achievement, factors that are potentially harmful to the person. Thus, differentiating between short- and long-term perspectives may help us understanding the differential correlates of intensive video gaming.

When is it appropriate to speak of video game addiction? More and more researchers have suggested a continuum between engagement ( Charlton and Danforth, 2007 ; Skoric et al., 2009 ) and pathological gaming/addiction, instead of a categorical perspective. In part, this recommendation has also been followed in the DSM-5 ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ) where Internet Gaming Disorder is classified with different degrees of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe, according to the functional impairment associated with it. The AICA-S also allows for a differential perspective on gaming behavior by providing ways to assess both the time spent playing video games and the main DSM criteria that indicate Internet Gaming Disorder. However, in our study we did not aim at making a diagnosis, but at having a closer look at potentially problematic gaming behavior and its correlates in a non-clinical sample.

In sum, it seems relevant to assess not only the extent of video game use but also the reasons behind this behavior (e.g., distraction) and the concrete rewards that come from playing (e.g., the experience of strong affect while playing action games) to fully understand the relation between video gaming and psychological functioning.

Limitations and Future Directions

With the present study, we aimed to uncover the association between video gaming and psychological functioning. Our approach was cross-sectional and warrants interpretative caution because correlations cannot determine the direction of causation. It remains unclear whether potentially problematic gaming is a factor that contributes to the development of psychological dysfunction or whether psychological dysfunction contributes to potentially problematic gaming. Also, a third factor (e.g., preexisting mental difficulties) may produce both psychological dysfunction and potentially problematic gaming. Thus, longitudinal studies that are designed to identify the causal pathway may provide a promising avenue for future research. Future studies may also answer the question whether the link between video gaming and psychological functioning is moderated by sex, age, the reasons for playing, or the preferred game genre. In addition, it is important not to forget that the present results are based on a self-selected sample in which potentially problematic video gamers were overrepresented (e.g., Festl et al., 2013 , for a representative sample). Thus, future research should replicate our findings in a representative sample. Further, we relied on self-reported data, which is a plausible method for assessing inner affairs such as people’s reasons for their behaviors, but it would be helpful to back up our findings with evidence derived from sources such as peers, caregivers, and health specialists. Our work reflects only a first approach to the topic, and future work may additionally collect in-game behavioral data from the players ( McCreery et al., 2012 ; Billieux et al., 2013 ) to objectively and more specifically investigate diverse patterns of use. Furthermore, one must not forget that the used taxonomy to classify video game genres is only one of various possible options and one should “think of each individual game as belonging to several genres at once” ( Apperley, 2006 , p. 19). Finally, some of the effects reported in our paper were rather modest in size. This is not surprising considering the complexity and multiple determinants of human behavior. In our analyses, we thoroughly controlled for the influence of sex and age and still found evidence that video gaming was differentially related to measures of psychological functioning.

The current study adds to the knowledge on gaming by uncovering the specific relations between video gaming and distinct measures of psychological functioning. Potentially problematic video gaming was found to be associated with positive affect and social relationships while playing but also with psychological symptoms, maladaptive coping strategies, negative affectivity, low self-esteem, a preference for solitude, and poor school performance. Including gamers’ reasons for playing video games and their preferred game genres helped deepen the understanding of the specific and differential associations between video gaming and psychological health. This knowledge might help developing adequate interventions that are applied prior to the occurrence of psychological impairments that may go along with potentially problematic video gaming.

Ethics Statement

In our online survey, participants were given information on voluntary participation, risks, confidentiality/anonymity, and right to withdraw. Whilst participants were not signing a separate consent form, consent was obtained by virtue of completion. We implemented agreed procedures to maintain the confidentiality of participant data.

Author Contributions

BB, BE, JH, and KM conceived and designed the study. BB, JH, and KM collected and prepared the data. JH analyzed the data. BE and JH wrote the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

1 The data were gathered as part of a larger project ( Stopfer et al., 2015 ; Braun et al., 2016 ). However, the analyses in the present article do not overlap with analyses from previous work.

2 Other measures were administered, but they were not relevant to the present research questions and are thus not mentioned in this paper. The data set and analysis script supporting the conclusions of this manuscript can be retrieved from https://osf.io/emrpw/?view_only=856491775efe4f99b407e258c2f2fa8d .

Supplementary Material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01731/full#supplementary-material

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Video Game Addiction

How it works

Inadequate Research Delays Effective Remedy of Online Gaming Addiction

Video game obsession has been the concern of parents, educators and health officials yet there has been no breakthrough in the diagnosis or treatment. Currently, this concern is discussed more with individual therapists and dependence centers resulting in delays of an official approach to ending online gaming addiction. (Van Rooij, 2017)

Recognize the problem

Video game addiction dysfunction is identified by excess gameplay that interrupts normal life activities although, The American Psychiatric Association does not clearly recognize video game dependence as a diagnosable ailment in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, however, mental health professionals and behavioralists believe this dysfunction should be taken more seriously as the manifestations of video game addiction imitate other compulsive disorders, such as gambling and sex addiction.

(Cornell,2018). Considering the lack of evidence and moral panic special tools are being developed to further diagnose and effectively treat this dependency.

The Debate Surrounding Gameplay

The controversy of gaming remains focussed on the violence and how it affects those who may or may not become addicted. There is a preconceived belief based solely on game content that disruptive or violent behavior is displayed by those who engage in gameplay. It is also discerned that addressing the possibilities of dependency with the individual in question increases disruptive behavior.

Getting help with Addiction.

There is a website named On-Line Gamers Anonymous that was created by a concerned mother that offers worldwide recourses for anyone seeking help with online gameplay compulsive disorders. Also, Total Life and video gaming electronics counselor expert, Jim West located in Orlando, Fl. offers numerous alternatives to assist young gaming addicts to break the cycle including counseling services, therapy, classes, and camps.

Avoid the problem.

To best avoid addiction concerns parents are encouraged to follow the advice of professionals and game producers. Gameplay should only be permitted according to the guidelines set by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Setting limits and using time restrictions have become the request in order to avoid future dependency. Keep communication open and seek professional help when needed.

Real concern or public hype

Some do not believe players become gaming addicts, they simply enjoying life the way they see fit. It may take several years before a determination is documented and an actual problem is deemed official. There is still too much controversy surrounded by this subject to document anything of hardcore substance.

Cite this page

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The effects of self-esteem enhancement cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents' internet addiction and game addiction. Korean J. Psychol. Health 15 , 143-159 (2010). Article Google Scholar
Problematic gaming behaviour and health-related outcomes: A systematic
Rehbein F, Baier D (2013) Family-, media-, and school-related risk factors of video game addiction: A 5-year longitudinal study. Journal of Media Psychology 25: 118-128. Crossref. Google Scholar. Rehbein F, Kleimann M, Mçßle T (2010) Prevalence and risk factors of video game dependency in adolescence: Results of a German nationwide survey.
The Impact of Online Game Addiction on Adolescent Mental Health: A
addiction could increase mental health disorders by 1.57 times than adolescents without online game addiction (adjusted odd ratio = 1.57 (1.28-1.94); p ≤ 0.001.
Essay on Video Games Addiction
Video Games Addiction Essay Conclusion. While video games are an excellent source for an individual to be able to wind down and relax and entertainment, there still needs to be control and regulation. Excessive gaming can result in the development of an addiction, which can severely hamper a person's growth and well-being. ...
Video Game Addiction and Emotional States: Possible Confusion Between
Video game addiction has been chosen to explore the possible occurrence of this perceptional distortion. A mixed design lab-based study was carried out to compare between video games addicts and non-addicts (between-subjects), and video games-related activities and neutral activities (within-subject). ... In conclusion, this study suggests that ...
Video game play is positively correlated with well-being
1. Introduction. Video games are an immensely popular and profitable leisure activity. Last year, the revenues of the games industry were larger than the film industry's [] and the number of people who report playing games has never been higher [].Across the globe, the rise of games as a dominant form of recreation and socializing has raised important questions about the potential effect of ...
An Investigation into Video Game Addiction in Pre-Adolescents and
Conclusion: Males are pathological gamblers more so than females and spend more time playing video games. An increase in Daily game frequency or Daily gaming time implicates an increase in video game addictions, while an increase in Education level, which generally corresponds to a greater age, implicates a decrease in game addiction ...
Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?
Timothy Fong, a professor of addiction psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, says he is convinced that video-game addiction is real. "It's quite possible and common to have ...
Video Games Addiction: Is It Real? Research Paper
Research Paper. There have been increased cases of people being addicted on video games. A video game can be defined as the electronic entertainment which involves user interface for the purpose of making visual response on a video appliance. Addiction is associated with the need of substance while in some cases a behaviour which someone finds ...
The Argument Against Video Game Addiction
Video games have many benefits for gamers. Research on gaming disorder—aka video game addiction—is flawed and not sufficiently conclusive. Because video games are less socially acceptable ...
Internet gaming addiction: current perspectives
Internet gaming addiction. In recent years, research about Internet gaming addiction has increased both in quantity as well as in quality. Research on gaming addiction dates back to 1983, when the first report emerged suggesting that video gaming addiction is a problem for students. 17 Shortly thereafter, the first empirical study on gaming addiction was published by Shotton, 18 based on self ...
Negative Effects of Video Gaming Outline Essay
Plan of Development: The essay will present three arguments for the negative effects of video gaming, and two of them will be followed by counterarguments, concession, and refutation. Body. Supporting Argument 1: Intensive gaming may cause addiction (van den Eijnden, et al., 2018). Detail: For a child may be hard to quit an exciting video game.
Online Video Games Addiction
Online Video Games Addiction Essay. Online video games have already become an essential component of popular culture. A variety of technological products is actively used to train pilots and other safety occupations for better professional skills. Until recently, there was no specific knowledge or empirical evidence with regard to the effect ...
The Association Between Video Gaming and Psychological Functioning
Introduction. Video gaming is a very popular leisure activity among adults (Pew Research Center, 2018).The amount of time spent playing video games has increased steadily, from 5.1 h/week in 2011 to 6.5 h/week in 2017 (The Nielsen Company, 2017).Video gaming is known to have some benefits such as improving focus, multitasking, and working memory, but it may also come with costs when it is used ...
Video Game Addiction
Essay Example: Inadequate Research Delays Effective Remedy of Online Gaming Addiction Video game obsession has been the concern of parents, educators and health officials yet there has been no breakthrough in the diagnosis or treatment. Currently, this concern is discussed more with individual

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Video Games Addiction Essay Conclusion

Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?

Video Game Addiction

Flawed Research

Why Not Other Hobbies?

What Else Might Account for Excessive Gaming

Online Video Games Addiction Essay

Works Cited

The Association Between Video Gaming and Psychological Functioning

Beate Braun

Kai W. Müller

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Procedure and Instruments 2

Video Gaming

Reasons for playing

Game genres

Psychological Functioning

General psychopathology

Preference for solitude

Life satisfaction

Self-esteem

Self-efficacy

Social support and friends

Potentially Problematic Video Game Use and Psychological Functioning

Reasons for Playing Video Games and Psychological Functioning

Video Game Genre and Psychological Functioning

Predicting Potentially Problematic Video Game Use by Psychological Functioning Variables

Limitations and Future Directions

Ethics Statement

Author Contributions

Conflict of Interest Statement

Supplementary Material

Video Game Addiction

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