The interplay between executive function deficits, psychopathological traits and dysfunctional gaming habits in the context of Game Transfer Phenomena

Abstract

Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP) are involuntary occurrences involving video game content that some players may experience. GTP can manifest as sensory or cognitive intrusions related to a game (e.g., images, sounds or recurrent thoughts) or involuntary automatic responses such as verbal outbursts, walking towards objects or involuntary limb movements. Many GTP appear to reflect failures in attention and inhibitory control among video game players. This study examines executive function deficits, psychopathological traits, fatigue and gaming habits related to fatigue, such as poor gaming-related sleep hygiene (PGSH). The assessment methods included cognitive tasks, such as the and the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) and the Go/No-Go (GNG) task and self-reports on everyday cognitive failures (CF), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and gaming disorder (GD). A total of 247 players 18–42 years old (M = 26.57 years; standard deviation [SD] = 6.030) participated; 75.7% were male. GTP was associated with ADHD and fatigue. PGSH, cognitive failures and GD emerged as significant in the hierarchical multiple regression full model. PGSH partially mediated the relationship between GD and GTP and between cognitive failures and GTP. This study has taken initial steps towards understanding what role cognitive failures and dysfunctional gaming habits have on GTP.