The directionality of anxiety and gaming disorder: An exploratory analysis of longitudinal data from an Australian youth population

Abstract

Gaming activities among adolescents have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing with it a growing concern for the potential harms of excessive gaming and its risk factors. Anxiety is frequently linked with gaming disorder, but studies investigating this association were mostly cross-sectional in design. Longitudinal studies that explore risk factors associated with gaming disorder are sparse and the trajectories of gaming disorder remain unclear. To address this paucity, the present study analyzed a large longitudinal dataset with a 12-month follow-up of 4,968 Australian adolescents (ages 13–14) during the pandemic. Logistic regression and multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the temporal relationships between anxiety, gaming frequency, the amount of money spent within video games, and gaming disorder. Prevalence rates for gaming disorder in adolescents aged 13 and 14 were 15 and 16%, respectively. The regression models indicated a bidirectional relationship between anxiety and gaming disorder symptoms, where higher levels of anxiety were associated with higher levels of gaming disorder 12 months later and vice versa. The study also found that the interaction between anxiety and higher gaming frequency could predict gaming disorder symptoms. Overall, the findings suggest that young adolescents may be more vulnerable to developing gaming disorder and highlight the importance of addressing the interactions between risk factors and gaming disorder in treatment approaches.

Gaming Disorder: The role of a gamers flow profile

“…Alongside widespread growth, there has been great variability in the intensity of involvement with online games (e.g., low, moderate, excessive; ( Colder Carras et al, 2021 ). These have prompted researchers to investigate the potential positive and negative impacts of both moderate and excessive internet gaming patterns on an individual's well-being ( Kim et al, 2022 , Stavropoulos et al, 2018a , Stavropoulos et al, 2019a ). Research into gamers' well-being has emphasised the various social, emotional, and health advantages of moderate/healthy gaming engagement (e.g.…”