Abstract
The American Psychiatric Association has identified Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a potential psychiatric condition and called for research to investigate its etiology, stability, and impacts on health and behavior. The present study recruited 5,777 American adults and applied self-determination theory to examine how motivational factors influence, and are influenced by, IGD and health across a six month period. Following a preregistered analysis plan, results confirmed our hypotheses that IGD criteria are moderately stable and that they and basic psychological need satisfaction have a reciprocal relationship over time. Results also showed need satisfaction promoted health and served as a protective factor against IGD. Contrary to what was hypothesized, results provided no evidence directly linking IGD to health over time. Exploratory analyses suggested that IGD may have indirect effects on health by way of its impact on basic needs. Implications are discussed in terms of existing gaming addiction and motivational frameworks.
Highlights
Internet-based video games are a ubiquitous form of recreation pursued by the majority of adults and young people (Duggan, 2015a)
Consistent with self-determination theory (SDT), we investigated the extent to which the individual basic psychological needs for competence (Exploratory Analysis 2), relatedness (Exploratory Analysis 3), and autonomy (Exploratory Analysis 4) need satisfaction serve as mediators for the linkage between Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and health
In line with our registered analysis plan, we examined hypotheses concerned with the causes of Internet Gaming Disorder, psychological need satisfaction, and health using a cross-lagged model
Summary
Internet-based video games are a ubiquitous form of recreation pursued by the majority of adults and young people (Duggan, 2015a). With sales eclipsing box office receipts, games are an integral, even inescapable, part of modern leisure (MPAA, 2015; Newzoo, 2016). The most recent revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) identifies Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a possible psychiatric condition. Following this determination, the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Substance-Related Disorders Work Group outlined a call for rigorous research into the potential disorder’s validity, etiology, and temporal stability (Hasin et al, 2013)
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