Internet gaming disorder, loneliness, and insomnia among Indians during the COVID-19 pandemic

Verma, S, Mishra, A, Pandey, KK and Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, 2023. Internet gaming disorder, loneliness, and insomnia among Indians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Concurrent Disorders, 5 (1), pp. 125-140. ISSN 2562-7546

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Abstract

Introduction: The lockdown and stay at home orders implemented by the Indian government to inhibit the spread of COVID-19 disrupted the lifestyle of most individuals in the country. This appeared to result in behavioral changes such as increased internet usage, feelings of loneliness, and disturbance of sleeping patterns.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to examine IGD prevalence and its association with loneliness and insomnia among the Indian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the previous literature, it was hypothesized that IGD would be positively associated with both loneliness and severity of insomnia.

Materials and Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, a total of 372 participants (54% males, 42.4% females; 3.5% other; mean age 23.26 years [SD=9.07]) completed an anonymous self-report survey. The three key variables were assessed using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).

Results: The prevalence of IGD among Indians during the COVID-19 pandemic was 0.8% in the total sample and 2.02% among gamers. Regression analysis indicated that IGD was associated with average hours spent online gaming per day (β=0.164; p=0.02), loneliness (β=0.177; p=0.01), and severity of insomnia (β=0.483; p<0.001).

Conclusion: The study indicated average hours spent online gaming, loneliness, and severity of insomnia as predictors of IGD. Future research is required to develop a comprehensive understanding of internet gaming behaviors during unprecedented times such as COVID-19.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Concurrent Disorders
Creators:	Verma, S., Mishra, A., Pandey, K.K. and Griffiths, M.D.
Publisher:	Concurrent Disorders Society
Date:	2023
Volume:	5
Number:	1
ISSN:	2562-7546
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.54127/QLYD7570 DOI 1630207 Other
Rights:	©2022 Verma, S., Mishra, A., Pandey, K.K., Griffiths, M.D. Licensee CDS Press, Toronto, Canada. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Laura Ward
Date Added:	03 Jan 2023 12:29
Last Modified:	06 Apr 2023 08:04
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/47711

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