Top

BMC Psychiatry

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

The association between online gaming, social phobia, and depression: an internet survey

Authors: Han-Ting Wei, Mu-Hong Chen, Po-Cheng Huang, Ya-Mei Bai

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2012

Abstract

Background

Online gaming technology has developed rapidly within the past decade, and its related problems have received increasing attention. However, there are few studies on the psychiatric symptoms associated with excessive use of online games. The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of online gamers, and the association between online gaming hours, social phobia, and depression using an internet survey.

Methods

An online questionnaire was designed and posted on a popular online game websites, inviting the online gamers to participate the survey. The content of the questionnaire included demographic data, profiles of internet usage and online gaming, and self-rating scales of Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS), Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), and Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS).

Results

A total of 722 online gamers with a mean age of 21.8 ± 4.9 years completed the online survey within one month. 601 (83.2%) participants were male, and 121 (16.8%) were female. The mean weekly online gaming time was 28.2 ± 19.7 hours, which positively associated with history of online gaming (r = 0.245, p < 0.001), total DSSS (r = 0.210, p < 0.001), SPIN (r = 0.150, p < 0.001), and CIAS (r = 0.290, p < 0.001) scores. The female players had a shorter history of online gaming (6.0 ± 3.1 vs. 7.2 ± 3.6 years, p = 0.001) and shorter weekly online gaming hours (23.2 ± 17.0 vs. 29.2 ± 20.2 hours, p = 0.002), but had higher DSSS (13.0 ± 9.3 vs. 10.9 ± 9.7, p = 0.032) and SPIN (22.8 ± 14.3 vs. 19.6 ± 13.5, p = 0.019) scores than the male players. The linear regression model showed that higher DSSS scores were associated with female gender, higher SPIN scores, higher CIAS scores, and longer weekly online gaming hours, with controlling for age and years of education.

Conclusion

The online gamers with longer weekly gaming hours tended to have a longer history of online gaming, and more severe depressive, social phobic, and internet addiction symptoms. Female online gamers had fewer weekly online gaming hours and a shorter previous online gaming history, but tended to have more severe somatic, pain, and social phobic symptoms. The predictors for depression were higher social phobic symptom, higher internet addiction symptoms, longer online gaming hours, and female gender.

Available only for authorised users

Block JJ: Issues for DSM-V: internet addiction. Am J Psychiatry. 2008, 165 (3): 306-307. 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07101556.CrossRefPubMed

Christakis DA, Moreno MM, Jelenchick L, Myaing MT, Zhou C: Problematic internet usage in US college students: a pilot study. BMC Med. 2011, 9: 77-10.1186/1741-7015-9-77.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Pies R: Should DSM-V Designate "Internet Addiction" a Mental Disorder?. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2009, 6 (2): 31-37.

Siomos KE, Dafouli ED, Braimiotis DA, Mouzas OD, Angelopoulos NV: Internet addiction among Greek adolescent students. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2008, 11 (6): 653-657. 10.1089/cpb.2008.0088.CrossRefPubMed

Bernardi S, Pallanti S: Internet addiction: a descriptive clinical study focusing on comorbidities and dissociative symptoms. Compr Psychiatry. 2009, 50 (6): 510-516. 10.1016/j.comppsych.2008.11.011.CrossRefPubMed

Tsai HF, Cheng SH, Yeh TL, Shih CC, Chen KC, Yang YC, et al: The risk factors of Internet addiction–a survey of university freshmen. Psychiatry Res. 2009, 167 (3): 294-299. 10.1016/j.psychres.2008.01.015.CrossRefPubMed

Ko CH, Yen JY, Chen CS, Yeh YC, Yen CF: Predictive values of psychiatric symptoms for internet addiction in adolescents: a 2-year prospective study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009, 163 (10): 937-943. 10.1001/archpediatrics.2009.159.CrossRefPubMed

Griffiths MD, Davies MN, Chappell D: Online computer gaming: a comparison of adolescent and adult gamers. J Adolesc. 2004, 27 (1): 87-96. 10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.10.007.CrossRefPubMed

Wan CS, Chiou WB: Why are adolescents addicted to online gaming? An interview study in Taiwan. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2006, 9 (6): 762-766. 10.1089/cpb.2006.9.762.CrossRefPubMed

10.

Ko CH, Liu GC, Hsiao S, Yen JY, Yang MJ, Lin WC, et al: Brain activities associated with gaming urge of online gaming addiction. J Psychiatr Res. 2009, 43 (7): 739-747. 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2008.09.012.CrossRefPubMed

11.

Hung CI, Wang SJ, Liu CY: Validation of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale by comparison with the Short Form 36 scale among psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorder. Depress Anxiety. 2009, 26 (6): 583-591. 10.1002/da.20464.CrossRefPubMed

12.

Connor KM, Davidson JR, Churchill LE, Sherwood A, Foa E, Weisler RH: Psychometric properties of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). New self-rating scale. Br J Psychiatry. 2000, 176: 379-386.CrossRefPubMed

13.

Ko CH, Yen JY, Chen SH, Yang MJ, Lin HC, Yen CF: Proposed diagnostic criteria and the screening and diagnosing tool of Internet addiction in college students. Compr Psychiatry. 2009, 50 (4): 378-384. 10.1016/j.comppsych.2007.05.019.CrossRefPubMed

14.

Ko CH, Yen JY, Yen CF, Chen CC, Yen CN, Chen SH: Screening for Internet addiction: an empirical study on cut-off points for the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2005, 21 (12): 545-551. 10.1016/S1607-551X(09)70206-2.CrossRefPubMed

15.

Wenzel HG, Bakken IJ, Johansson A, Gotestam KG, Oren A: Excessive computer game playing among Norwegian adults: self-reported consequences of playing and association with mental health problems. Psychol Rep. 2009, 105 (3 Pt 2): 1237-1247.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Schmit S, Chauchard E, Chabrol H, Sejourne N: Evaluation of the characteristics of addiction to online video games among adolescents and young adults. Encéphale. 2011, 37 (3): 217-223.CrossRefPubMed

17.

Achab S, Nicolier M, Mauny F, Monnin J, Trojak B, Vandel P, et al: Massively multiplayer online role-playing games: comparing characteristics of addict vs non-addict online recruited gamers in a French adult population. BMC Psychiatry. 2011, 11: 144-10.1186/1471-244X-11-144.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

18.

Jang KS, Hwang SY, Choi JY: Internet addiction and psychiatric symptoms among Korean adolescents. J Sch Health. 2008, 78 (3): 165-171. 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2007.00279.x.CrossRefPubMed

19.

Kim EJ, Namkoong K, Ku T, Kim SJ: The relationship between online game addiction and aggression, self-control and narcissistic personality traits. Eur Psychiatry. 2008, 23 (3): 212-218. 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2007.10.010.CrossRefPubMed

20.

Kim Y, Park JY, Kim SB, Jung IK, Lim YS, Kim JH: The effects of Internet addiction on the lifestyle and dietary behavior of Korean adolescents. Nutr Res Pract. 2010, 4 (1): 51-57. 10.4162/nrp.2010.4.1.51.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

21.

Simon GE, VonKorff M, Piccinelli M, Fullerton C, Ormel J: An international study of the relation between somatic symptoms and depression. N Engl J Med. 1999, 341 (18): 1329-1335. 10.1056/NEJM199910283411801.CrossRefPubMed

22.

Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB, Linzer M, Hahn SR, DeGruy FV, et al: Physical symptoms in primary care. Predictors of psychiatric disorders and functional impairment. Arch Fam Med. 1994, 3 (9): 774-779. 10.1001/archfami.3.9.774.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Caplan SE: Relations among loneliness, social anxiety, and problematic Internet use. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2007, 10 (2): 234-242. 10.1089/cpb.2006.9963.CrossRefPubMed

24.

Hetzel-Riggin MD, Pritchard JR: Predicting problematic Internet use in men and women: the contributions of psychological distress, coping style, and body esteem. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2011, 14 (9): 519-525. 10.1089/cyber.2010.0314.CrossRefPubMed

25.

Weinstein A, Lejoyeux M: Internet addiction or excessive internet use. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2010, 36 (5): 277-283. 10.3109/00952990.2010.491880.CrossRefPubMed

26.

Tuchman E: Women and addiction: the importance of gender issues in substance abuse research. J Addict Dis. 2010, 29 (2): 127-138. 10.1080/10550881003684582.CrossRefPubMed

27.

Fattore L, Fadda P, Fratta W: Sex differences in the self-administration of cannabinoids and other drugs of abuse. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2009, 34 (Suppl 1): S227-S236.CrossRefPubMed

The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/12/92/prepub

Title: The association between online gaming, social phobia, and depression: an internet survey
Authors: Han-Ting Wei
Mu-Hong Chen
Po-Cheng Huang
Ya-Mei Bai
Publication date: 01-12-2012
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-12-92

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

The association between online gaming, social phobia, and depression: an internet survey

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2012

Psychometric properties of the cardiac depression scale in patients with coronary heart disease

Volunteering in the care of people with severe mental illness: a systematic review

Emotional but not physical maltreatment is independently related to psychopathology in subjects with various degrees of social anxiety: a web-based internet survey

Effective lifestyle interventions to improve type II diabetes self-management for those with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: a systematic review

Risk factors for criminal recidivism – a prospective follow-up study in prisoners with substance abuse

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among patients with Schizophrenia in Palestine