Disordered gaming: The role of a gamer’s distress profile.
Jade Kovacs, Daniel Zarate, Gabriel de Sena Collier, Thong Thai Diep Tran, Vasileios Stavropoulos
Abstract
Background: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) embodies a persistent and recurrent engagement with video games, to the exclusion of other activities, that cannot be controlled, and with significant impairments in everyday functioning.Previous research suggests that IGD is experienced differently depending on the gamer's profile, while distress symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress have been independently associated with the development of IGD.Interestingly, no study to date has aimed to profile gamers based on these three psychopathologies.The present study aimed to (1) profile gamers concerning their depression, anxiety, and stress, and (2) examine the differences in IGD levels between the different profiles of distress.Method: A sample consisting of 968 gamers (18-64 years, Mage = 29.54)was assessed with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF).Results: Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified 3 distinct distress profiles.These encompassed 'High-Distress Comorbidity' (HDC; 25.9%), 'Medium-Distress Comorbidity' (MDC; 48.7%), and 'Low-Distress Comorbidity' (LDC; 25.4%) gamers.As hypothesized, higher distress comorbidity profiles are linked with higher IGD levels.Discussion: Findings suggest that different distress profiles vary by symptom severity.The HDC profile was characterized by higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, and associated with a higher level of IGD symptoms.Therefore, individuals displaying IGD difficulties appear to concurrently suffer from anxiety, depression, and stress, which should be targeted concurrently.