Introduction to Problematic Gaming

These results suggest that to prevent psychosocial problems associated with problematic gaming among adolescents, it is important to pay attention to unplanned purchases and loot boxes.

escapism/mood regulation, tolerance) were regarded as incapable of distinguishing between problematic and non‐problematic gaming.

Conclusions: This study provides insights about IGD among a predominantly female Arab population, finding a correlation with mood disorder symptomatology and suggesting an increase in problematic gaming over time.

Given similarities, we investigated whether the SURPS model could be confirmed in a recreational video game playing population as a predictive model of problematic gaming.

Loot boxes in video games are increasingly becoming focal points in problematic gaming studies; however, few studies have addressed the potential impact on consumers of digital advertising for such loot items.

Problematic gaming in adolescents is associated with neural alterations in structural and functional imaging studies.

Objective: The self-isolation measures employed during the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for basic needs to be met, thus increasing emotional distress It has been suggested that socially meaningful online gaming buffered emotional distress during the lockdown This study aimed to test the protective effect of online gaming during the lockdown and to investigate the differences between highly involved gamers (those who play videogames intensely without adverse consequences) and problematic gamers in this regard Method: Capitalizing on a data collection that started before the pandemic, we adopted a cross-sectional between-groups study design in which gaming patterns, gaming-related variables and levels of emotional distress were compared between a pre-COVID group (N=298) and a COVID group (N=366) Results: Compared to the pre-COVID group, high involvement in gaming was more prominent and emotional distress was decreased in the COVID group Moderated regression analyses further revealed that the interaction between social compensation via gaming and highly involved gaming was associated with lower levels of emotional distress in the COVID-19 group In contrast, the interaction between gaming-related relaxation and problematic gaming predicted higher emotional distress in the COVID-19 group Conclusions: This study suggests that gaming for social compensation might miti-gate the experienced emotional distress during pandemic related self-isolation, whereas maladaptive gaming patterns could constitute a vulnerability factor deserving clinical attention © 2021 Giovanni Fioriti Editore s r l.

Discussion and conclusions Participants reported diverse views on the psychological value and function of avatars, but the relationship between avatars and problematic gaming or GD was largely unclear or inconsistent, and refuted by some participants.

Problematic gaming has been linked to poor sleep outcomes; however, these associations have not yet been synthesized quantitatively.

To assess the similarity of Pay-to-Win gaming and gambling, we tested whether Pay-to-Win participation, frequency of payments and problematic gaming behavior are predictors for gambling and cross-tested the opposite effects of gambling on Pay-to-Win.

Background: Problematic gaming use is prevalent among the adolescents and young adults.

, avoidance, dissociation, relaxation, and emotion dysregulation) have been identified as risk factors for problematic gaming.

To validate the profiles, differences in problematic gaming behavior, sex, and neuroticism were examined.

Although many papers have been published recently about this topic, the actual prevalence of loot boxes use is uncertain and there is still controversy over the nature of its relationship with problematic gaming and gambling.

On the one hand, these results provide support to previous studies that stressed the potential association between dissociative detachment (in terms of bodily disconnections) and problematic videogaming; on the other hand, the current study provides first evidence of the opportunity to focus on the integration of bodily experiences in clinical practice with people suffering from problematic gaming, as this factor might be incisively related to their aggressive and internalizing symptoms.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the associations between problematic use of social media and mental distress, problematic gaming and gambling, within the Swedish general population.

Initial research revealed associations between problematic gaming (PG) and quality of life (QoL).

Background: Problematic gaming has become a major health issue in children and adolescents resulting in the need for targeted valid and reliable screening instruments.

The multinomial logistic regressions showed that feeling lonely was associated with more problematic gaming behaviors, and the association was stronger for older female students.

Furthermore, it contributes to the theoretical debate about problematic involvement in videogames, also providing some indications about problematic gaming assessment and prevention.

In its most serious form, problematic gaming is recognized as gaming disorder (GD) in the ICD-11.

In this study, we aimed to examine the technology use behaviors and problematic gaming profiles of children and adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic lockdown period.