Metacognition, Desire Thinking and Craving in Problematic Video Game Use

Bonner, Jack; Allen, Andrew; Katsikitis, Mary; Love, Steven; Kannis‐Dymand, Lee

doi:10.1007/s41347-022-00272-4

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…To be specific, the model posits that positive metacognitions (e.g., the belief that “ online gaming reduces my negative feelings ”) directly motivate individuals to engage in gaming, while negative metacognitions (e.g., the belief that “ online gaming makes me lose control ”) perpetuate gaming engagement by weakening self-regulatory drives and attempts to control behaviours as well as triggering negative emotional states that may become avoidant-type motivators for the escalation into maladaptive behaviours and eventually addiction. Furthermore, evidence has shown that these metacognitions are associated with increased negative affect as well as craving for engagement in addictive behaviours ( Bonner, Allen, Katsikitis, Love, & Kannis-Dymand, 2022 ). Thus, metacognitions should be expected to be the antecedent of addictive behaviours and negative emotional experiences and/or disorders.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A three-wave longitudinal study on the underlying metacognitive mechanism between depression and Internet gaming disorder

Dang,

Yang,

Spada

et al. 2024

JBA

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Background and aims: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and depression have negative consequences on individuals' mental health, but their relationships are complex. This three-wave longitudinal study aimed to detect the metacognitive mechanisms underlying the association between IGD tendency and depression based on the self-regulatory executive function model. Methods: A total of 1,243 Chinese undergraduate student gamers (57% female, M = 19.77, SD = 1.29) were recruited at the baseline survey (Wave 1 [W1]), with 622 and 574 of them taking part in the two follow-up surveys (Wave 2 [W2] at 6 and Wave 3 [W3] at 12 months later), respectively. Results: The three-wave path model demonstrated, after controlling for the autoregressive effect of each variable, that depression consistently predicted IGD tendency but not vice versa, while negative but not positive metacognitions about online gaming (MOG) significantly predicted both depression and IGD tendency. Moreover, two statistically significant mediation paths: (i) negative MOG [W1] → depression [W2] → IGD tendency [W3]; and (ii) depression [W1] → negative MOG [W2] → IGD tendency [W3] were identified. Discussion and conclusions: These findings extend the understanding of the associations among depression, IGD tendency, and MOG, highlighting how negative MOG has a stronger prospective effect than positive MOG on depression and IGD tendency, and also reveal the mutual mediation effects of depression and negative MOG on IGD tendency. Integrated programmes with both emotional regulation training and Metacognitive Therapy are recommended for IGD treatment.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A three-wave longitudinal study on the underlying metacognitive mechanism between depression and Internet gaming disorder

Dang,

Yang,

Spada

et al. 2024

JBA

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“…This result aligns with previous work suggesting that individuals with at-risk gaming behaviors mentally elaborate their gaming behaviors more frequently (e.g., when studied as a sub-facet of desire thinking; Dragan & Grajewski, 2021 ). However, previous studies investigating gaming-related desire thinking have explored the trait-like tendency of desire thinking ( Bonner et al., 2022 ; Brandtner & Brand, 2021 ; Dragan & Grajewski, 2021 ). Thus, this is the first study showing that imaginal desire thinking, which in this case can be understood as a state measure assessing the intensity of elaboration in everyday life, might be more prevalent among individuals with at-risk gaming behavior compared to casual gamers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As for the context of gaming, a range of correlational studies support the relevance of mental imagery for gaming disorder when investigated as a facet of desire thinking ( Caselli & Spada, 2015 ). As such, desire thinking is associated with gaming disorder symptoms ( Aydın et al., 2022 ; Byrne, Allen, Stavropouios, & Kannis-Dymand, 2022 ), craving for gaming ( Bonner, Allen, Katsikitis, Love, & Kannis-Dymand, 2022 ; Brandtner & Brand, 2021 ), and decisions for gaming despite conflicting activities ( Brandtner, Wegmann, & Brand, 2020 ). Although accumulating research on the relief-oriented pathway suggests that desire thinking might be initiated as a coping mechanism in response to psychological discomfort such as stress, anxiety, or depressive mood and the context of addictive behaviors ( Fernie et al., 2014 ; Khosravani, Spada, Sharifi Bastan, & Samimi Ardestani, 2022 ; Sharifi Bastan, Spada, Khosravani, & Samimi Ardestani, 2022 ; Solem et al., 2020 ; Thomas, Katsikitis, Allen, & Kannis-Dymand, 2020 ) and gaming ( Aydın et al., 2022 ; Brandtner & Brand, 2021 ; Dragan & Grajewski, 2021 ), no study has investigated whether imaginal desire thoughts might function as coping mechanisms in the first place, or whether this functionality develops with the progression of problematic gaming.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How expected and experienced reward and relief contribute to gaming-related mental imagery and gaming frequency in daily life: Testing a dual pathway hypothesis

Brandtner,

Müller,

Brand

2023

JBA

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Background and aimsResearch on the development of gaming disorder assumes that the quality of reinforcement learning as well as the content of use expectancies are initially rewarding in the early stages of the addictive behavior and becomes steadily more compensatory in the later stages. This assumed transition could be reflected in gaming-related mental imagery as well as the decision to play videogames in daily life.MethodsWe recruited 127 individuals who play videogames. Following a strict diagnostic procedure, individuals were either classified as showing casual or at-risk gaming patterns. The experience and expectancy of reward and relief were assessed in the laboratory, followed by a 14-day ambulatory assessment asking for gaming-related mental imagery intensity and playing frequency. Besides group differences, we tested a gratification and a compensation pathway in a structural equation model among groups separately.ResultsResults indicate that mental imagery and playing frequency as well as reinforcement processes and use expectancies are heightened among individuals showing at-risk gaming patterns as compared to casual gaming patterns. Gaming-related mental imagery was only predicted by compensation among individuals showing casual gaming patterns, and we found no significant predictions for daily gaming frequency in any of the models.Discussion and conclusionsThe results implicate that individuals with at-risk gaming patterns might hold stronger learned reinforcement contingencies. Daily usage seems unaffected by these contingencies, possibly indicative of habitualized behaviors. Additionally, the results provide some support for the consideration of imaginal desire thoughts as a specific coping mechanism in the context of gaming behaviors.

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“…In reference to the focal country of the study, we observe: Australia -three articles (10, 22,31); Croatia -one article (39); Finland -one article (20); Germany -two articles (9, 47); Hungary -one article (23); Italy -three articles (13,14,51); Japan -one article (30); Malaysia -one article (41); Netherlands -two articles (28,38); Poland -two articles (34,36); Singapore -one article (42); South Korea -one article (40); Spain -one article (33); Sweden -two articles (37, 45); Switzerland -one article (7); Taiwan -three articles (11,12,52); The United States of America -four articles (43,44,48,49); Multiple countries -five articles (21,24,29,46,50).…”

Section: Countrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Escaping through virtual gaming—what is the association with emotional, social, and mental health? A systematic review

Marques,

Uchida,

Aguiar

et al. 2023

Front. Psychiatry

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BackgroundThe realm of virtual games, video games, and e-sports has witnessed remarkable and substantial growth, captivating a diverse and global audience. However, some studies indicate that this surge is often linked to a desire to escape from real life, a phenomenon known as escapism. Much like substance abuse, escapism has been identified as a significant motivator, leading to adverse outcomes, including addiction. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend the existing research on the connection between escapism and engagement in virtual gaming. This understanding can shed light on the reasons behind such practices and their potential impact on mental and public health.PurposeThe objective of this systematic review is investigate the findings pertaining to association between escapism and the practice of virtual games, such as video-games and e-sport.MethodsPUBMED and SCOPUS database were systematically searched. Six independent researchers screened articles for relevance. We extracted data regarding escapism-related measures, emotional/mental health-related measures and demographic information relevant to the review purpose.ResultsThe search yielded 357 articles, 36 were included. Results showed that: (i) Escapist motivation (EM) is one of the main motives for playing virtual games; (ii) EM is related to negative clinical traits; (iii) EM predicts negative psychological/emotional/mental health outcomes; (iv) EM is associated with impaired/negative perception of the real-world life; (v) EM predicts non-adaptive real social life; and (vi) EM is associated with dysfunctional gaming practices in some cases. However, EM can have beneficial effects, fostering confidence, determination, a sense of belonging in virtual communities, and representation through avatars. Furthermore, the reviewed findings suggest that EM was positively linked to mitigating loneliness in anxious individuals and promoting social activities that preserved mental health among typical individuals during the pandemic.ConclusionOur review reinforces the evidence linking EM in the context of virtual games to poor mental health and non-adaptive social behavior. The ensuing discussion explores the intricate connection between escapism and mental health, alongside examining the broad implications of virtual gaming practices on underlying motivations for escapism in the realms of social cognition, health promotion, and public health.

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Metacognition, Desire Thinking and Craving in Problematic Video Game Use

Cited by 8 publications

References 58 publications

A three-wave longitudinal study on the underlying metacognitive mechanism between depression and Internet gaming disorder

A three-wave longitudinal study on the underlying metacognitive mechanism between depression and Internet gaming disorder

How expected and experienced reward and relief contribute to gaming-related mental imagery and gaming frequency in daily life: Testing a dual pathway hypothesis

Escaping through virtual gaming—what is the association with emotional, social, and mental health? A systematic review

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