Gaming addiction, definition, and measurement: a large-scale empirical study

Spekman, MLC, Konijn, EA, Roelofsma, PHMP and Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, 2013. Gaming addiction, definition, and measurement: a large-scale empirical study. Computers in Human Behavior, 29 (6), pp. 2150-2155. ISSN 0747-5632

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Abstract

Aims: Although the general public appears to have embraced the term 'video game addiction', the scientific debate as to whether 'gaming addiction' can actually be considered an addiction similar to substance addictions of DSM-IV is still unsettled. To date, research on gaming addiction has focused on problematic behavior from the gaming activity itself and there has been little empirical research related to pathological personality patterns that usually are associated with substance addictions. Therefore, the current study examined how excessive gaming and ‘problematic gaming behavior’ are related to personality patterns associated with addiction by means of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 MMPI-2). Design, setting, and participants: A large-scale survey study among 1,004 adolescent boys (age-range 11-18 years; M =14.18, SD=1.36; response rate 96.17%). Measurements: Problematic gaming behavior, physical game-related symptoms, gaming behavior and three MMPI-2 subscales measuring personality patterns usually associated with substance addiction (MAC-R, APS, AAS) were assessed. Findings: Results showed that problematic gaming and physical game-related symptoms were positively related to all three substance abuse subscales of the MMPI-2. Conclusions: Problematic gaming should be clearly distinguished from excessive gaming. In short, excessive gaming merely indicates enthusiasm for some although it may be psychopathological for others.

Item Type:	Journal article
Alternative Title:	Gaming addiction: defining and measuring [running head]
Publication Title:	Computers in Human Behavior
Creators:	Spekman, M.L.C., Konijn, E.A., Roelofsma, P.H.M.P. and Griffiths, M.D.
Publisher:	Elsevier
Date:	2013
Volume:	29
Number:	6
ISSN:	0747-5632
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1016/j.chb.2013.05.015 DOI 542567 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	EPrints Services
Date Added:	09 Oct 2015 10:57
Last Modified:	27 Mar 2024 15:26
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/20730

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