College-Level Egyptian Students’ Social Relations and Psychological Well-Being as Predictors of Internet Gaming Disorder: Across Gender Comparison

Abstract

The primary objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of quality-of-life domains on internet gaming behavior, while also exploring the moderating role of gender in these effects. As part of a broader project, we conducted an analysis involving a sample of 56 college students who reported engaging in internet gaming. Our analysis focused on the disparities between male and female video game players in terms of their playing habits, motivations, satisfaction levels, and perceived impacts on their social and personal lives. Our study aimed to examine the differences in internet gaming disorder between groups using the IGD test. We also assessed the quality of life in four domains - physical, psychological, social relations, and environmental - using the WHOQoL-BREF scale. We expected that the quality-of-life domains, moderated by gender, would be significant predictors of internet gaming disorder. The results revealed that female players are slightly but significantly older than male players. Mor male players reported positive impacts on their personal and social lives compared to females. Also, male participants reported more positive impacts on their lives compared to the reported negative impacts. Male participants showed increased internet gaming disorder scores compared to female participants. They were more prone to develop at-risk and disordered internet gaming behavior. Both male and female participants had similar scores in quality-of-life domains. On the other hand, decreased social relation scores were associated with increased IGD across all participants. However, the association was found to be more significant within female group.In conclusion, Egyptian male students exhibit a higher occurrence of problematic internet gaming behavior compared to female students. Egyptian female players are more prone to developing problematic gaming behavior when their social relations are not satisfactory.