scholarly journals Effects of self-isolation and quarantine on loot box spending and excessive gaming—results of a natural experiment

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e10705
Author(s):  
Lauren C. Hall ◽  
Aaron Drummond ◽  
James D. Sauer ◽  
Christopher J. Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Internet Gaming ◽  
Distress Scale ◽  
Excessive Gaming

COVID-19 has prompted widespread self-isolation and citywide/countrywide lockdowns. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has encouraged increased digital social activities such as video game play to counteract social isolation during the pandemic. However, there is active debate about the potential for video game overuse, and some video games contain randomised purchases (loot boxes) that may psychologically approximate gambling. In this pre-registered study, we examined the effects of self-isolation and quarantine on excessive gaming and loot box spending. We recruited 1,144 (619 male, 499 female, 26 other) Australian, Aotearoa New Zealand, and US residents who self reported being quarantined or self-isolating (n = 447) or not (n = 619) during the COVID-19 pandemic to a cross-sectional natural experiment. We compared the associations between problem gambling symptomology, excessive gaming and loot box spending for isolated and non-isolated participants. Participants completed the Kessler-10 Psychological Distress Scale, Problem Gambling Severity Index, Internet Gaming Disorder Checklist, a measure of risky engagement with loot boxes, concern about contamination, and reported money spent on loot boxes in the past month, as well as whether they were quarantined or under self-isolation during the pandemic. Although, in our data, excessive gaming and loot box spending were not higher for isolated (self-isolated/ quarantined) compared to non-isolated gamers, the established association between problem gambling symptomology and loot box spending was stronger among isolated gamers than those not isolated. Concerns about being contaminated by germs was also significantly associated with greater excessive gaming and, to a lesser extent, loot box spending irrespective of isolation status. Gamers might be managing concerns about the pandemic with greater video game use, and more problem gamblers may be purchasing loot boxes during the pandemic. It is unclear whether these relationships may represent temporary coping mechanisms which abate when COVID-19 ends. Re-examination as the pandemic subsides may be required. More generally, the results suggest that social isolation during the pandemic may inflate the effect size of some media psychology and gaming effects. We urge caution not to generalise psychological findings from research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to be necessarily representative of the magnitude of relationships when not in a pandemic.

scholarly journals Video game industry versus Internet Gaming Disorder: ‘The match of the century’

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-48
Author(s):  
Xavier Cabonell-Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
World Health ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
Gaming Industry ◽  
Internet Gaming ◽  
History Of ◽  
Game Industry ◽  
Health Organization

This article consists of a reflection on the clash between the interests of the video gaming industry and the health of consumers as defined by the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association. The article discusses the history of the self-regulation of the tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries, then goes on to discuss the extent to which video games may gain establishment acceptance as sports, much as bridge and chess did before them. The article concludes that the category of sport can serve as a mediating force between the industry and the health of gamers.

scholarly journals The role of inhibitory control and decision-making in the course of Internet gaming disorder

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Kräplin ◽  
Stefan Scherbaum ◽  
Eva-Maria Kraft ◽  
Florian Rehbein ◽  
Gerhard Bühringer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Intertemporal Choice ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
Gaming Disorder ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairments ◽  
Internet Gaming

AbstractBackground and aimsInternet gaming disorder (IGD) is associated with impaired inhibitory control and more impulsive decision-making. However, it remains unclear whether these associations are cross-sectional or predictive. We aimed to test the hypotheses that lower inhibitory control and more impulsive decision-making correlate with, are predicted by and predict more time spent on gaming and higher IGD severity.MethodsA stratified convenience sample of 70 male participants (18–21 years) was recruited to achieve broad data variability for hours spent on gaming and IGD severity. In three annual assessments (T1, T2, T3), we measured gaming behaviour and IGD severity using the Video Game Dependency Scale (CSAS-II). Both gaming-related measures were correlates (T1), predictors (T2), or outcomes (T3) of inhibitory control and decision making, which were assessed at T2 using a go/no-go task and an intertemporal-choice task, respectively.ResultsHigher IGD severity at T1 predicted more impulsive decision-making at T2 (β = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.14–0.76). Lower inhibitory control at T2 predicted more hours spent on gaming at T3 (β = −0.13, 95% CI = −0.25 to −0.02). We found weak or no evidence for the other associations.Discussion and conclusionsLower inhibitory control predicts more time spent gaming, possibly due to insufficient top-down regulation of the behaviour. Impulsive decision-making is rather a consequence of IGD than a predictor, which may be due to altered reward learning. One-dimensional etiological assumptions about the relationship between neurocognitive impairments and IGD seem not to be appropriate for the complexity of the disorder.

Gambling-like video game practices: A cross-sectional study of links with problem gambling and disordered gaming

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zendle
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Problem Gambling ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Significant Degree ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Streaming Services ◽  
Clinically Significant

A variety of practices have recently emerged which are related to both video games and gambling. Most prominent of these are loot boxes. However, a broad range of other activities have recently emerged which are also related to both gambling and video games: esports betting, real-money video gaming, token wagering, social casino play, and watching videos of both loot box opening and gambling on game streaming services like Twitch.Whilst a nascent body of research has established the robust existence of a relationship between loot box spending and both problem gambling and disordered gaming, little research exists which examines whether similar links may exist for the diverse practices outlined above. Furthermore, no research has thus far attempted to estimate the prevalence of these activities.A large-scale survey of a representative sample of UK adults (n=1081) was therefore conducted in order to investigate these issues. Engagement in all measured forms of gambling-like video game practices were significantly associated with both problem gambling and disordered gaming. An aggregate measure of engagement was associated with both these outcomes to a clinically significant degree (r=0.23 and r=0.43). Engagement in gambling-like video game practices appeared widespread, with a 95% confidence interval estimating that 16.3% – 20.9% of the population engaged in these activities at least once in the last year. Engagement in these practices was highly inter-correlated: Individuals who engaged in one practice were likely to engage in several more.Overall, these results suggest that the potential effects of the blurring of lines between video games and gambling should not primarily be understood to be due to the presence of loot boxes in video games. They suggest the existence of a convergent ecosystem of gambling-like video game practices, whose causal relationships with problem gambling and disordered gaming are currently unclear but must urgently be investigated.

scholarly journals Motivasi Bermain Game dan Mediasi Orangtua dengan Kecenderungan Adiksi Video Game pada Anak

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-82
Author(s):  
Asti Adwitiya ◽  
Supra Wimbarti
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
Gaming Disorder ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Internet Gaming

Adiksi video game menjadi perhatian para peneliti di dunia, ditandai munculnya adiksi video game dalam DSM 5 sebagai internet gaming disorder. Namun kebanyakan penelitian tersebut masih berfokus pada remaja meski saat ini, mayoritas anak-anak juga sudah bermain video game dengan berbagai tingkatan motivasi yang melatarbelakanginya. Orangtua sebagai pihak yang memfasilitasi anak dengan perangkat untuk bermain game perlu memediasi interaksi anak dengan game yang dimainkannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan antara motivasi bermain video game dan mediasi orangtua terhadap kecenderungan adiksi video game. Penelitian ini melibatkan 233 anak berusia 9-12 tahun (110 laki-laki ; 123 perempuan).. Analisis jalur yang dilakukan menunjukkan bahwa mediasi gatekeeping menjadi moderator hubungan antara motivasi bermain dengan kecenderungan adiksi video game.

Video Game Addictive Symptom Level, Use Intensity, and Hedonic Experience: An Empirical Analysis of a Novel Survey Instrument (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavneet Walia ◽  
Jeeyoon Kim ◽  
Ignatius Ijere ◽  
Shane Sanders
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Dopamine Release ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Internet Gaming ◽  
Symptom Level ◽  
Hedonic Experience ◽  
Group Play ◽  
The Relationship

UNSTRUCTURED We conducted a survey of 835 individuals who regularly play video games to determine the relationship between Video Gaming (VG) intensity of use and hedonic experience of the user. We divide the sample into four quartiles by self-reported VG addictive symptom level (from the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale) and conduct polynomial regressions separately for each quartile. We find that the higher VG addictive symptom level groups experience a U-shaped (curvilinear) relationship between hedonic experience and intensity of play, whereas groups with lower VG addictive symptom levels exhibit no such relationship. Due to sensitization and tolerance, we conclude that high-symptom groups experience frustration and disappointment until achieving excessive dopamine release, at which point their hedonic experience improves in additional play. Conversely, low-symptom groups experience no such fall-and-rise pattern. Members of the latter group play the game for the direct experience; therefore, their hedonic experience is more directly related to events occurring in the game than to the increasingly-elusive pursuit of excessive dopamine release. We also find that high-symptom groups spend substantially more time and money to support VG use and are much more likely to engage in VG use at the expense of other important activities, such as work, sleep, and eating.

scholarly journals The Predictive Value of Emotional Intelligence for Internet Gaming Disorder: A 1-Year Longitudinal Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (15) ◽  
pp. 2762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Della L. Dang ◽  
Meng Xuan Zhang ◽  
Karlas Kin-hei Leong ◽  
Anise M. S. Wu
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
Gaming Disorder ◽  
Trait Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Coping Flexibility ◽  
Internet Gaming ◽  
One Year ◽  
And Coping

This one-year longitudinal study examined trait emotional intelligence as a predictor of Internet gaming disorder (IGD). To date, only cross-sectional research has been conducted to test the protective effects of emotional intelligence against IGD tendency. Based on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, this study aimed to address the research gap by examining not only the direct effects of trait emotional intelligence, but also its indirect effects (via depressive symptoms and coping flexibility) on IGD, with both a cross-sectional and longitudinal design. The participants were 282 Chinese university students (mean age = 20.47; 39.4% males) who voluntarily completed an anonymous questionnaire at both baseline (W1) and one-year follow-up (W2). Path analysis results revealed that trait emotional intelligence had a protective but indirect effect on IGD tendency in both our cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Depression was found to have a significant, full mediating effect on the relationship between: (i) trait emotional intelligence and IGD tendency (W2) and (ii) coping flexibility and IGD tendency (W2), after adjusting for IGD tendency at the baseline (W1). Gender invariance of the path coefficient was also observed in the prospective model. This study provided longitudinal evidence to support the I-PACE model. Interventions should address both IGD and depressive symptoms, and school-based workshops to increase emotional intelligence and coping flexibility are also recommended.

scholarly journals A History and Overview of Video Game Addiction

2020 ◽  
pp. 17-32
Author(s):  
Mark D. Griffiths ◽  
Halley M. Pontes
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
Gaming Addiction ◽  
Gaming Disorder ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Video Game Addiction ◽  
The Past ◽  
Internet Gaming ◽  
Game Addiction ◽  
Published Evidence

The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in the number of empirical studies examining various aspects of problematic video game play, video game addiction, and, more recently, gaming disorder. This chapter begins with a brief past history of how research into video game addiction has developed during the past four decades in the 1980s (arcade video game addiction), 1990s (home console video game addiction), and 2000s and beyond (online video game addiction). The chapter also overviews the features of gaming addiction, its prevalence rates, demographics and gaming addiction, negative consequences of excessive video game use, Internet gaming disorder and the DSM-5, and treatment of gaming addiction. Based on the published evidence, particularly from studies conducted in the past decade, it appears that, in extreme cases, excessive gaming can have potentially damaging effects on individuals who appear to display compulsive and/or addictive behavior similar to other more traditional addictions. However, the field has been hindered by the use of inconsistent and nonstandardized criteria to assess and identify problematic and/or addictive video game use.

scholarly journals Self-Efficacy and Clinical Characteristics in Casual Gamers Compared to Excessive Gaming Users and Non-Gamers in Young Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 2720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sun Ju Chung ◽  
Joon Hwan Jang ◽  
Ji Yoon Lee ◽  
Aruem Choi ◽  
Bo Mi Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Internet Gaming Disorder ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Self ◽  
Behavioral Inhibition System ◽  
Addictive Behaviors ◽  
Internet Gaming ◽  
Excessive Gaming

This study investigated differences in the self-efficacy and clinical characteristics which were found relevant to addictive behaviors in young adults according to time spent gaming. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore self-efficacy in casual gamers relative to patients with internet gaming disorder (IGD) and non-gamers. In total, 158 young adults participated in this study and were divided into three groups: excessive gamers, who were diagnosed with IGD based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder-fifth edition (DSM-5, n = 71); casual gamers, who played games regularly but did not meet the criteria for IGD (n = 37); and non-gamers/controls, who did not engage in gaming (n = 50). All participants completed self-administered questionnaires, including measures of self-efficacy and clinical features such as the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Behavioral Activation/Inhibition Systems, aggression, and psychosocial well-being. There were significant differences in the self-efficacy according to the extent of gaming (excessive gamers < casual gamers < non-gamers). In addition, aggression, impulsivity, depression, anxiety, level of stress, and behavioral inhibition system scores were significantly higher in excessive gamers than in casual gamers and non-gamers. These findings showed that individuals who spend more time playing games tend to have lower self-efficacy. Our study suggests that self-efficacy may protect against or constitute a risk of excessive gaming, particularly among casual gamers. It is necessary to pay attention to enhancing psychological well-being through self-efficacy to prevent addiction in young adult gamers.

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