Neural Correlates of Distorted Self-concept in Individuals With Internet Gaming Disorder: A Functional MRI Study

Abstract

Background and aims: Discrepancy between ideal self-guide and actual self-concept evoke dejection-related feeling, and often individuals with internet gaming disorder (IGD) use games as the tool to escape those negative emotions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern of self-discrepancy based on actual and ideal self-images and elucidate the neural correlates underlying the distorted self in individuals with IGD.Methods: Nineteen male individuals with IGD and 20 healthy controls (HCs) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging where they decided on whether they agreed with the adjectives describing their actual or ideal self on a four-point Likert Scale. Two-sample t-test on the self-discrepancy contrast was conducted for neuroimaging analysis and correlation analysis was performed between the behavioral data and regional activities.Results: The IGD group evaluated both their ideal self and actual self more negatively than the HC group. Actual self-concept was associated with satisfaction with psychological needs as opposed to ideal self-guide. Brain activity in the inferior parietal lobule was significantly decreased in individuals with IGD relative to HCs in the self-discrepancy contrast. In addition, neural activity during evaluating actual self-concept showed a significant group difference.Conclusion: These results provide novel evidence for distorted self-concept of people with IGD. Individuals with IGD had a negative ideal and actual self-image. Neurobiologically, dysfunction in the inferior parietal lobule associated with emotional regulation and negative self-evaluation was found in IGD. Considering the characteristics of IGD that often develop in adolescence, this self-concept problem should be noted and applied with appropriate therapy.

“Who Am I” and “How Should I Be”: a Systematic Review on Self-Concept and Avatar Identification in Gaming Disorder

“…In order to create a stable foundation for learning how to channel strong emotions in a healthy and mindful way, individuals with impaired emotional competencies need even more social attention, social support, and promotion in line with their skills and ambitions. This assumption is in accordance with related findings showing that socialization mediates between emotional competencies and the development of GD [155,160]. Kim et al [155] found that aggressiveness was associated with a risk of GD and this relationship was mediated by a dysfunctional and negative father-child communication style.…”

“…This assumption is in accordance with related findings showing that socialization mediates between emotional competencies and the development of GD [155,160]. Kim et al [155] found that aggressiveness was associated with a risk of GD and this relationship was mediated by a dysfunctional and negative father-child communication style. Also, Zhang et al [160] reported less social support to be negatively correlated with GD.…”

“…Kim et al [155] investigated the self-concept with a selfreferential task, asking addicted and non-addicted participants to rate self-concept-related sentences about their real self and their ideal self. Between-group comparisons revealed increased activations in the right inferior parietal lobule (IPL) during self-(vs. ideal) reflection in the addicted gamers.…”

Attenuated Self-serving Bias in People with Internet Gaming Disorder is Related to Altered Neural Activity in Subcortical-Cortical Midline Structures

“…Consistent with these ndings, prior research has reported that the individuals with IGD are likely to be thwarted in attaining the identity formation and vulnerable to the negative feedback, which might substantiate the inabilities to nd ways to discount such feedback and protect the self from threats (43,44). Another study asked participants to rate how well the adjectives described themselves and discovered that IGD individuals rated themselves less positively than health controls, suggesting a lower level of motivation to maintain a favorable self-view in IGD (17). Moreover, especially during dealing with attributions of interpersonal events, the IGD participants evaluated themselves as having more negative traits and fewer positive traits, which has been proved to potentially exert a negative impact on interpersonal attitude formation (45).…”

“…However, it still remains unclear how the self-serving bias is manifest in IGD. Notably, researchers have recently reported that individuals with IGD evaluated both the actual self and ideal self more negatively, suggesting a distorted self-concept of IGD (17). Furthermore, there has been a growing body of surveys reporting that the IGD is associated with low self-esteem and high depression (18,19).…”