The relationship between anxiety and internet gaming disorder in children during COVID-19 lockdown: a network analysis.

Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become a social problem in children. Evidence from previous studies has proven that anxiety is associated with IGD. However, IGD was always assessed as a whole based on total scores, and the fine-grained relationship between anxiety and IGD was hidden. Objective: The present study aims to investigate the fine-grained relationship between anxiety and IGD in elementary school students during the COVID-19 lockdown, and to identify potential targets for psychological interventions. Methods: During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 667 children from a primary school in China were investigated by the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale-Short Version and Internet Gaming Disorder Scale. R4.1.1 software was used to construct a network model, assess bridge centrality, and test the robustness of the network and conduct a network. Results: There were 23 cross-community edges (weight ranged from -0.03 to 0.12), and each node of anxiety was connected to different nodes of IGD. The nodes with the top 80th percentile bridge expected influence were A2 "social phobia" (0.20), A3 "panic disorder" (0.21) and IGD5 "escape" (0.22). The robustness of the network was acceptable. Conclusion: From the perspective of network analysis, the present study explored the correlation pathways between anxiety and IGD in children and identified social phobia and panic disorder as the best targets for intervention to reduce IGD.

Symptoms of internet gaming disorder and depression in Chinese adolescents: A network analysis.

The current study aimed to investigate comorbidity among symptoms of depression and internet gaming disorder (IGD) utilizing symptom network analysis in a sample of Chinese adolescents. A total of 1,362 Chinese adolescents (Mean age = 15.19 ± 1.67; range 13-21; 39.79% female, 56.02% male, 4.19% not disclosed) were recruited from 11 local secondary schools between June and July 2020. Symptoms of depression and IGD were assessed by the 7-item DASS-21 depression subscale and the 9-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale. We conducted network analysis to estimate network models and the most central symptoms of depression and IGD and computed a combined network model of both depression and IGD symptoms to find bridge symptoms and illustrate the comorbidity between depression and IGD. We found that feeling 'Worthless', 'Meaningless', and 'Down-hearted' were identified as the most central symptoms of depression, whereas 'Preoccupation' and 'Tolerance' were the two most central symptoms of IGD. The bridge symptoms in the combined network model were 'Gaming for escape or mood relief' from the IGD cluster and 'No initiative' and 'Down-hearted" from the depression cluster. The current study was the first to investigate the relationship between depression and IGD symptoms among adolescents utilizing a symptom network perspective. Also, it highlighted key bridge symptoms in understanding how IGD and depression contribute to each other.

Gaming behavior disorder and its association with social phobia during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study among the young Arabs.

Background: Gaming addiction is a compulsive mental health condition that can have severe negative consequences on a person's life. As online gaming has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have shown a heightened risk of mental health issues. This study aims to assess the prevalence of severe phobia and addiction to online gaming among Arab adolescents and identify risk factors associated with these disorders. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted across 11 Arab nations. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling through an online survey distributed on social media platforms in 11 Arab countries. The survey included demographic questions, the Nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS-SF9) to measure participants' online gaming addiction, the Social Phobia Scale (SPS), and questions assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of internet gaming addiction. The data were analyzed using SPSS win statistical package version 26. Results: Out of 2,458 participants, 2,237 were included in the sample due to non-response and missing data. The average age of the participants was 19.9 ± 4.8 years, and the majority were Egyptian and unmarried. 69% of the participants reported playing more than usual since the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were confined to their homes. Higher social phobia scores were associated with being single, male, and Egyptian. Participants from Egypt and those who felt that the pandemic significantly increased their gaming time had higher scores for online gaming addiction. Several major criteria, such as playing hours per day and beginning gaming at an early age, were associated with a higher level of online gaming addiction with social phobia. Conclusion: The study's findings suggest that there is a high prevalence of internet gaming addiction among Arab adolescents and young adults who play online games. The results also indicate a significant association between social phobia and several sociodemographic factors, which may inform future interventions and treatments for individuals with gaming addiction and social phobia.

Association between the Internet Gaming Disorder and Anxiety and Depression among University Students during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Internet gaming is now a major concern since its overuse has had a detrimental impact on people's well-being. This study aims to investigate the association between Internet Gaming Disorder and depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as gaming elements during the COVID-19 pandemic, among university students. Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 213 students from two different institutions who were randomly selected. The participants were required to complete three sets of online questionnaires via Google Forms. The online questionnaire consists of the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGD9-SF) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results: The prevalence rate of IGD among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic was 9.86%. Bivariate analysis revealed biological sex (p-value = 0.011), preferred gaming platforms (p-value = <0.001), game gameplay (p-value = 0.03), history of substance use (p-value = <0.001), and stress (p-value = <0.001) to be associated with IGD. Meanwhile, binary logistic regression demonstrated that males have a higher risk of developing IGD compared with females (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.426, p-value 0.015, CI = 1.27-9.21). Students who used consoles as their preferred gaming platform were 13 times more likely to develop IGD in comparison to another platform (AOR = 13.031, p-value = 0.010, 95% CI = 1.87-91.02). Extensive gaming duration of more than 4 h a day showed a higher risk of developing IGD (AOR = 8.929, p-value 0.011, CI = 1.659-48.050). High-stress levels significantly increased the risk of IGD (AOR = 13.729, p-value = 0.001, 95% CI = 2.81-67.1). Conclusion: The prevalence of IGD among university students was high during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, interventions for reducing stress among university students should be implemented to reduce the risk of IGD.

Examining the role of cyberloafing, narcissism, locus of control, and social appearance anxiety on the Internet gaming disorder in university students

Individual and multiple games played on the Internet are seen as a popular leisure activity, which is becoming increasingly common among young people. With the Covid 19 pandemic, the interest in Internet games has increased because young people spend more time at home. This has led to an increase in Internet gaming disorder, which is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization. When the literature is examined, attention is drawn to the importance of revealing the factors associated with Internet gaming disorder to combat Internet gaming disorder in young people. This research was carried out to reveal the Internet gaming disorder profiles of university students in Turkey and to determine the factors associated with it. In this direction, the structural relationships between cyberloafing, narcissism, locus of control, and social appearance anxiety variables, which are thought to be associated with Internet gaming disorder, were examined. The research data were obtained from 596 university students studying in various cities in Turkey. Research findings show that cyberloafing and locus of control directly affect Internet gaming disorder. Narcissism, on the other hand, has been shown to have a mediating effect on Internet gaming disorder through cyberloafing. It has been determined that Internet gaming disorder affects social appearance anxiety. Research results show that Internet gaming disorder can be reduced by improving internal locus of control and reducing cyberloafing behaviors and narcissism. The results of the research will provide tips to experts on interventions that can be made for students with Internet gaming disorder. In line with the findings obtained from the research, what can be done to combat Internet gaming disorder is discussed. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Internet Gaming Disorders and Early Onset Psychosis in Young People: A Case Study and Clinical Observations.

BACKGROUND: Over the last ten years, the video game industry has grown exponentially, involving about 2.5 billion young adults in the world. The estimated global prevalence of gaming addiction has been reported to be 3.5% ranging from 0.21% to 57.5% in the general population. Moreover, during the recent COVID-19 pandemic period, school closures and stay-at-home measures have also further increased the opportunities for prolonged and intensified playing of video games. Little is known about the relationship between IGD and psychosis, and the literature is still scarce. Some characteristics of patients with psychosis, particularly those with a first-episode psychosis (FEP), may suggest that these individuals would be particularly liable to develop IGD. CASE PRESENTATION: We report two cases of young patients with to Internet gaming disorder, experiencing early onset psychosis treated with antipsychotic therapy. CONCLUSION: Although it is difficult to show the specific mechanisms underlying the psychopathological alterations in IGD, it is clear that excessive exposure to video games could be a risk factor for precipitating psychosis especially in a vulnerable age group such as adolescence. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of a higher risk of psychotic onset associated specifically with gaming disorders in very young people.

School resources, self-control and problem behaviors in Chinese adolescents: a longitudinal study in the post-pandemic era.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought many challenges to youth development. During this specific period, adolescents have suffered from numerous behavioral problems, which will lead to more maladaptive consequences. It is necessary to explore several protective factors to prevent or reduce the occurrence of problem behaviors in adolescence. The current study combined school resources and self-control to evaluate the multiple protective effects on adolescents' problematic behaviors in a two-wave longitudinal study. A sample of 789 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 14.00 years, SD = 2.05, 418 boys) were recruited via the random cluster sampling method to participate in the survey. The results confirmed the assumptions about the multiple protective effects of school resources and self-control on adolescents' problem behaviors. Specifically, school resources could negatively predict IGD and victimization, and self-control mediated these associations. Moreover, one problematic behavior could also mediate the associations between self-control and another problematic behavior. This is the first study to focus on the multiple protective effects of positive factors on adolescents' problem behaviors during the post-pandemic period, which has made several contributions to the literature and practice.

Prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder among Saudi Arabian university students: relationship with psychological distress.

Background and aim: Given the exponential growth of the gaming industry, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) merits further research. This study investigated the prevalence of IGD among Saudi Arabian university students and its relationship with the level of functioning, psychological distress, and potential for comorbid depression, as well as the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on gaming behavior. Materials and methods: 306 participants were randomly selected from various Saudi Arabian universities and surveyed using the 20-item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGD-20 Test), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (Kessler-6). Results: The estimated prevalence of IGD was 10.1%, and significantly higher risk was observed among IGD and respective at risk groups with psychological distress. Moreover, 67.4% of the participants reported an increase in playtime during the COVID-19 lockdown. Based on the Kesseler-6, psychological distress was observed in 19.9% of the participants. Conclusions: This study suggests that IGD is a growing mental health risk associated with a dysfunctional impact and psychological distress.

Risk and protective factors for (internet) gaming disorder: A meta-analysis of pre-COVID studies.

This large-scale meta-analysis aimed to provide the most comprehensive synthesis to date of the available evidence from the pre-COVID period on risk and protective factors for (internet) gaming disorder (as defined in the DSM-5 or ICD-11) across all studied populations. The risk/protective factors included demographic characteristics, psychological, psychopathological, social, and gaming-related factors. In total, we have included 1,586 effects from 253 different studies, summarizing data from 210,557 participants. Apart from estimating these predictive associations and relevant moderating effects, we implemented state-of-the-art adjustments for publication bias, psychometric artifacts, and other forms of bias arising from the publication process. Additionally, we carried out an in-depth assessment of the quality of underlying evidence by examining indications of selective reporting, statistical inconsistencies, the typical power of utilized study designs to detect theoretically relevant effects, and performed various sensitivity analyses. The available evidence suggests the existence of numerous moderately strong and highly heterogeneous risk factors (e.g., male gender, depression, impulsivity, anxiety, stress, gaming time, escape motivation, or excessive use of social networks) but only a few empirically robust protective factors (self-esteem, intelligence, life satisfaction, and education; all having markedly smaller effect sizes). We discuss the theoretical implications of our results for prominent theoretical models of gaming disorder and for the existing and future prevention strategies. The impact of various examined biasing factors on the available evidence seemed to be modest, yet we identified shortcomings in the measurement and reporting practices.

Risk-Taking Behaviors Considering Internet Gaming Disorder among Iranian University Students: A Latent Class Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dangerous behaviors adversely affect the health of adolescents and young adults. This study aimed to identify the subgroups of college students based on the parameters of risky behavior and analyze the impact of demographic factors and internet gaming disorder (IGD) belonging to each class. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: The study was conducted on 1355 students through a multi-stage random sampling method in 2020. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data, and all students completed 1294 sets of questionnaires. The data were analyzed using t test and latent class analysis (LCA) through SPSS and PROC LCA in SAS 9.2 software. RESULTS: Three latent classes have been identified as low-risk (75%), tobacco smoker (8%), and high-risk (17%). There was a high possibility of risky behavior in the third class. Marital status (being single) (OR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.19-4.37), unemployment (having no job) along with education (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.04-2.33), and IGD (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04-1.09) increased the risk of inclusion in the tobacco smoker class. Moreover, unemployment (having no job) along with education (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.11-1.84) increased the chance of being in the high-risk class. CONCLUSION: According to the findings of this study, 25% of the students were tobacco smokers or were in the high-risk class. The results of this study may help develop and evaluate preventive strategies that simultaneously take into account different behaviors.

The more developmental assets, the less internet gaming disorder? Testing the cumulative effect and longitudinal mechanism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered the dramatical development and prosperity of online games, while worldwide people are suffering from it. Considering the high prevalence, serious impacts, and huge development potential of internet gaming disorder (IGD), it is extremely necessary to develop a protective model to prevent and intervene with it among young people. Based on the developmental assets theory, the present study adopted a two-wave longitudinal design to evaluate the cumulative effects of developmental assets on IGD, as well as the underlying mechanisms during this specific period. Data were collected from a sample of 1023 adolescents in Hubei province, Central China through self-report questionnaires. The results indicated that (1) developmental assets were negatively associated with adolescents' IGD concurrently and longitudinally; (2) the overall developmental assets had cumulative effects in linear patterns on adolescents' IGD, concurrently and longitudinally; and (3) internal developmental assets mediated the relationship between external developmental assets and adolescents' IGD longitudinally. Theoretically, the present study supports the developmental assets theory and expands the literature about developmental assets and IGD in younger generations. Practically, the present study provides guidance for prevention and intervention of IGD among adolescents during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Comprehensive measures should be taken to assist in developing positive internal and external resources to promote youth thriving.

The Relationship between Depressive Symptoms, Loneliness, Self-Control, and Gaming Disorder among Polish Male and Female Gamers: The Indirect Effects of Gaming Motives.

The present study analyzed the relationship between gaming disorder (GD), motives for gaming, and psychological problems in daily life (i.e., depression, loneliness, and self-control deficits) among Polish gamers. More specifically, the purpose of the present study was to analyze the indirect effects between GD and psychological problems in daily life via motives for gaming among male and female gamers. Additionally, the present study examined gender differences in motives for gaming and the relationship between the analyzed variables. The sample comprised 652 gamers (233 females; M = 28.77 years; SD = 7.18; age range: 18-48 years). The nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Version (IGDS9-SF) was used to assess GD. The motives for gaming were assessed using the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ). The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms, and the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) was used to assess self-control. Loneliness was assessed using the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. In order to examine the relationship between the study variables, path analysis and indirect effects analysis were performed among both male and female gamers. The present study showed that depressive symptoms and self-control exerted a significant indirect effect on GD via escape and fantasy motives for gaming. Additionally, there was an indirect effect between depressive symptoms and GD via social motives for gaming. However, these indirect effects were found among male gamers only. The present study also showed gender differences in all analyzed gaming motives except escape (males scoring higher on all of them) and in the relationship between depressive symptoms and escape. These findings contribute to a better understanding of GD development mechanisms, which are associated with psychological problems in daily life.

A systematic review of the impact of COVID-19 on the game addiction of children and adolescents.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is reported that children and adolescents who are socially isolated experience high levels of stress and various mental health problems. At present, little research has been done to collect previous studies that focused on game addiction in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this research, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of gaming disorder during COVID-19 in children and adolescents and the various factors experienced by children and adolescents that affected gaming disorder. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane on 5 May 2021 to identify relevant literature. We extracted the prevalence estimates of game addiction from the studies to measure the global prevalence of game addiction. Then, we found the answers to the questions raised and synthesized them into several themes. Results: We identified 2,609 articles. Among them, studies that were not related to the topic, duplicated, and that did not meet the selection criteria were excluded, and 18 studies were selected. We rated most of the studies as moderate, and a few were low, and high. A majority of studies found an increase in game usage time and game addiction score during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some children and adolescents in emotional pain play games to communicate with their peers. Regarding parenting, violent parenting and the absence of parental supervision increase levels of game addiction in children. Gaming disorder was caused by the impact of COVID-19 in a vulnerable group with predisposing factors such as depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Adolescents and males scored higher on a game addiction scale, although we could not find any quantitative correlations due to the heterogeneous scales used for gaming addiction. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, isolated children and adolescents reported increased gaming hours as a result of coping with their psychological pain and avoiding social isolation. Their parents, who should provide proper supervision, also failed to provide appropriate support due to the stress caused by the pandemic. Mental health providers should educate children, adolescents, and their guardians on alternative ways to relieve stress and help parents effectively control their children's usage of games.

Enhanced resting-state EEG source functional connectivity within the default mode and reward-salience networks in internet gaming disorder.

BACKGROUND: The two key mechanisms affected by internet gaming disorder (IGD) are cognitive and reward processing. Despite their significance, little is known about neurophysiological features as determined using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) source functional connectivity (FC). METHODS: We compared resting-state EEG source FC within the default mode network (DMN) and reward/salience network (RSN) between patients with IGD and healthy controls (HCs) to identify neurophysiological markers associated with cognitive and reward processing. A total of 158 young male adults (79 patients with IGD and 79 HCs) were included, and the source FC of the DMN and RSN in five spectral bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with IGD showed increased theta, alpha, and beta connectivity within the DMN between the orbitofrontal cortex and parietal regions compared with HCs. In terms of RSN, patients with IGD exhibited elevated alpha and beta connectivity between the anterior cingulate gyrus and temporal regions compared with HCs. Furthermore, patients with IGD showed negative correlations between the severity of IGD symptoms and/or weekly gaming time and theta and alpha connectivity within the DMN and theta, alpha, and beta connectivity within the RSN. However, the duration of IGD was not associated with EEG source FC. CONCLUSIONS: Hyper-connectivities within the DMN and RSN may be considered potential state markers associated with symptom severity and gaming time in IGD.

Internet Gaming Disorder and Aggression among Students on School Closure during COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly disrupted the regular school-going activities of the students, predominantly increasing internet gaming activities to endure significant stress. Excessive involvement in internet gaming brings deviant behaviour, especially aggression among the students. Hence, this study aimed to assess the internet gaming disorder and aggression among the students on school closure during COVID-19 pandemic in Chitwan, Nepal. METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 417 students from secondary and higher secondary level who studied in two private schools of Chitwan district. Sample were selected using simple random sampling technique and structured questionnaire, i.e. Internet gaming disorder scale- short form (IGDS9-SF) and Aggression questionnaire (Buss and Perry, 1992) were used to collect the data via web-based through Google Form. Obtained data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Out of 417 students, the mean age was 17 (±1.411) years, 278 (66.7%) were male and 150 (36.0%) were studying in twelve standard. Majority of students 405 (97.1%) were non-disordered gamers whereas only 12 (2.9%) students were disordered gamers. Students' overall aggression score was 57.79% where the verbal aggression score was higher (66.33%) followed by hostility (61.41%) and anger (56.80%). Further significant positive relationship was found between scores on online gaming disorders and aggression (r=0.239). CONCLUSIONS: Internet gaming disorder and aggression are common among the students during COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, educational institutions and concern authorities need to organize awareness programs and effective psychosocial intervention approaches for students to enhance the knowledge regarding harmful use of internet game, IGD, to cope with stress and aggression as well as to enhance the adoptive behaviour.

Exploring subtypes and correlates of internet gaming disorder severity among adolescents during COVID-19 in China: A latent class analysis.

The WHO recently included Gaming Disorder as a psychiatric diagnosis. Whether there are distinct groups of adolescents who differ based on severity of gaming disorder and their relationships with other mental health and addictive behavior outcomes, including problematic smartphone use (PSU), remains unclear. The current study explored and identified subtypes of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) severity and estimated the association between these subtypes and other disorders. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing the severity of IGD, PSU, depression, and anxiety during COVID-19. We conducted a latent class analysis of IGD symptoms among 1,305 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 15.2; male = 58.5%) from 11 secondary schools in Macao (SAR), China. Multinomial logistic regression estimated correlates of latent class membership and PSU. A 4-class model adequately described the sample subgroups. Classes were labeled as normative gamers (30.9%), occasional gamers (42.4%), problematic gamers (22.7%), and addictive gamers (4.1%). Relative to normative gamers, PSU severity, depression, and being male were significantly higher among problematic gamers, addictive gamers, and occasional gamers. Only problematic gamers showed significant positive associations with anxiety severity compared to the other groups. The study revealed the differences in severity of gaming disorder and its association with psychopathology outcomes. Application in screening for IGD and comorbidity is discussed. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03133-8.

Internet gaming disorder in an adolescent during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case report.

The internet has become an indispensable tool in people´s daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Internet and video game use are experiencing rapid growth in the youth and adult populations as a major source of entertainment. However, excessive gaming may cause addiction and negatively impact mental health, entailing low psychosocial well-being, poor social skills, and decreased academic achievement. We report the case of a 16-year-old student with a "typical" pattern of internet gaming disorder (IGD) developed during the pandemic, which improved after weeks of treatment with pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions. This case highlights that it is essential for the mental health professionals to know the psychopathology of IGD and multimodal approaches to treat it.

Effect of Parental Perception on the Prevalence of Adolescent Internet Gaming Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, several studies have found that Internet usage and gaming times have increased among adolescents. Parents' Internet literacy and attitudes toward Internet gaming have been reported to affect children's Internet gaming disorder (IGD). We hypothesized that parents' attitudes toward Internet use and gaming would affect the prevalence of IGD among adolescents. METHODS: A total of 199 mothers of children who played Internet games were surveyed online to gather information regarding their demographic characteristics, children's Internet use patterns, psychological factors, and Internet gaming literacy. RESULTS: Among adolescents, increased Internet usage or gaming time was not associated with IGD, but the presence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was. Among parents, anxiety, depression, and family togetherness were not related to IGD, but a positive perception of gaming protected against the development of IGD, whereas a negative perception was a risk factor for IGD. CONCLUSION: Increased gaming time neither causes nor correlates with IGD in adolescents, even though ADHD may be a risk factor for IGD. Parents' positive or negative perceptions of gaming can be protective or present a risk factor, respectively, for their children's development of IGD.

A two-week gaming abstinence reduces Internet Gaming Disorder and improves mental health: An experimental longitudinal intervention study

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, digital gaming has become a welcome pastime and distraction for many people. However, this phenomenon can have severe consequences;intensive digital gaming can foster the Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and negatively affect mental health. The present experimental longitudinal study investigated the consequences of a conscious abstinence from gaming in a German sample. The experimental group (N = 131;age: M = 26.21, SD = 7.70) did not engage in gaming for two weeks;the control group (N = 140;age: M = 25.10, SD = 4.94) maintained its gaming time and habits. Gaming-related variables and mental health-related variables were assessed via online surveys at five measurement time points (baseline, intermediate status, post-intervention, one-month follow-up, three-month follow-up). The intervention significantly reduced gaming time, gaming flow, IGD, daily stress, and anxiety symptoms. Moreover, we found a significant improvement in positive mental health. The effects were stable over the three months of the investigation. Thus, we could show that a conscious and controlled, short-term abstinence from gaming leads to reduced IGD and a better mental health. The present results emphasize that conscious periods of gaming abstinence could be an effective step in the clinical context and in mental health prevention programs, especially during a pandemic such as the COVID-19 outbreak.

No Significant Changes in Addictive and Problematic Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Lockdowns: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study.

Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak and related lockdowns brought substantial changes in people's lives and led to concerns about possible increases of addictive behaviors at the initial stages of the pandemic. To examine these concerns, the aim of the present study was to assess longitudinal changes in addictive and problematic behaviors (i.e., problematic social media use, Internet gaming disorder, gambling disorder, problematic pornography use, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder) over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Three waves of data collection took place in different stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hungary in a general population, from the first wave of lockdowns to the second and third waves of restrictions (May, 2020; N T1 = 1747; June-August, 2020; N T2 = 656; January, 2021; N T3 = 411). Latent growth curve models were calculated to assess the potential changes in addictive and problematic behaviors over time. Results: Latent growth curve models showed that the sample varied in their initial scores, but there were no significant changes over time in any of the examined behaviors, except for compulsive sexual behavior disorder, which demonstrated a small but significant increase (i.e., positive and significant slope factor). However, the rate of this change was negligible. Overall, there were no noteworthy changes over time regarding any of the examined addictive and problematic behaviors. Conclusion: Contrary to initial concerns, no substantial changes over time were observed regarding the examined addictive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. These findings indicate that those who had no previous problem with these addictive behaviors, might have not developed a problem, and those who had problem with either of the behaviors previously, might have not experienced a significant increase in their symptoms.