Abstract
Background and objectiveExcessive online gaming is becoming a behavior pattern, and it has been recently classified as a medical illness and added to the International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11), termed as "gaming disorder". This condition can be severe enough to result in significant impairment in psychological health. In light of this, we conducted this study to analyze the relationship between problematic online gaming and mental well-being among students of professional colleges in Rishikesh.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among professional college students in Rishikesh on problematic online gaming behavior (POGB). The Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire-Short Form (POGQ-SF) was used to assess POGB among the participants. The five-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess mental well-being and depressive symptoms respectively.ResultsThe prevalence of POGB was 27.4% among our cohort, and its association with mental well-being as well as depressive symptoms was statistically significant. The study participants with poor mental well-being and mild or moderate to moderately severe depressive symptoms had higher odds of developing POGB.ConclusionPOGB has been recently identified as a behavioral addiction and it is often neglected. A significant proportion of the study participants exhibited problematic gaming behavior.
Highlights
The urge to engage in some form of recreational activity is an essential element of human biology and psychology
Internet gaming disorder has recently been added to the International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11), it was mentioned as a condition earlier in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5)
The addition of this condition to ICD-11 has attracted the attention of many researchers worldwide
Summary
The urge to engage in some form of recreational activity is an essential element of human biology and psychology. A state of craving or urge has been reported by many people suffering from behavioral addiction before the initiation of that behavior, which simulates the pattern, and it has been observed among individuals with substance use disorders prior to the start of their addiction These types of behaviors are found to provide a state of "high" or positive, light, and cheerful mood, similar to the one reported in substance abuse. Excessive online gaming is becoming a behavior pattern, and it has been recently classified as a medical illness and added to the International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11), termed as "gaming disorder". This condition can be severe enough to result in significant impairment in psychological health.
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