The Effect of Flow Experience on Online Game Addiction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Effect of Activity Passion

ABSTRACT

Stay-at-home mandates and quarantines related to the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have led to significantly increased participation in online gaming. However, as players continue to participate in online games, it may also trigger online game addiction. This study aimed to explore the relationship between players' flow experience and online game addiction, and to verify whether differences in the type of passion lead to online game addiction. This study used the structural equation model (SEM) to verify the causal relationship between the constructs and then considered model implications with the fit index measurement standard. After investigating 232 players who are passionate about online games, the analysis results show that the higher the flow experience experienced by online game players, the more likely it is to lead to online gaming addiction. Further verification results show that players' activity passion significantly moderates the relationship between flow experience and online game addiction, and players with obsessive passion are more likely to experience online game addiction than players with harmonious passion. Future work will explore the causes of online game addiction from different perspectives.