Gaming Addiction and Exercise Addiction: To What Extent Are They The Same or Different In Terms of Emotional Abuse and/or Emotional Neglect Etiologies?

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the mediating roles of negative beliefs about emotions (NBAEs) and avoidance on the relationship between emotional maltreatment (i.e., emotional abuse and emotional neglect) and two kinds of behavioral addiction (i.e., gaming addiction and exercise addiction). The study comprised 731 participants (431 videogame players; 300 exercisers) who completed a survey comprising the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, Leahy’s Emotional Schemas Scale, Cognitive Behavioral Avoidance Scale, Game Addiction Scale, and Exercise Dependence Scale-21. The findings indicated that emotionally abused gamers had more NBAEs and was associated with greater behavioral social avoidance and cognitive nonsocial avoidance. These greater types of avoidance reflected in higher gaming addiction scores. However, exercisers who had suffered emotional abuse and neglect had more NBAEs and were associated with greater behavioral nonsocial avoidance. These greater types of behavioral nonsocial avoidance reflected in lower exercise dependence scores.