A study from UC Santa Barbara’s Media Neuroscience Lab has found that video game addiction in teenagers is more likely to result from existing mental health issues rather than the games themselves. The research, led by Kylie Falcione and René Weber, was published in JAMA Network Open.
Falcione explained the motivation behind the study: “We’ve known for some time that gaming disorder exists, but we’ve also known that not every gamer develops the disorder. So the question that a lot of researchers have been asking about is what drives people to develop a gaming disorder. Is it the addictive nature of all these rewards and punishments of the video games themselves? Or is it that some people have preexisting conditions or personal core characteristics that are leading them to develop a gaming disorder?” According to their findings, preexisting conditions play a larger role.
The researchers analyzed data from 4,289 adolescents who played video games, using information collected between 2018 and 2022 as part of the NIH-funded Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. The study tracked participants over three age groups: 11–12, 12–13, and 13–14 years old. It considered factors such as depression, anxiety, previous gaming disorders, sex, impulsivity, bullying, and traumatic events.
“The results we found were clear and consistent,” said Falcione. “The kids who were already having depressive symptoms and social issues were more likely to get stuck in a cycle of problematic gaming.”
She added: “What the study showed was that the underlying issue started beforehand and that the addictive gaming behaviors were, in a way, a symptom or a manifestation of those preexisting psychopathologies. For these kids, gaming had become an unhealthy coping mechanism.”
René Weber noted previous research suggesting that psychopathology and gaming disorder can create a cycle where each condition worsens the other. He cautioned: “Our study cannot fully rule out such a bidirectional relationship.” Weber continued: “In this ‘downward spiral’ association, the question of cause and effect can become blurry.”
The findings may help inform new treatment strategies for youth affected by problematic gaming habits. Falcione suggested: “Based on our research, the best step towards treatment would be to start at the psychopathology level — identify the underlying issues. That’s a big takeaway.”
She also addressed common misconceptions among parents: “Many parents think that simply taking away video games will solve the problem,” she said. “But without addressing what’s really going on, parents will not only be contending with their child’s withdrawal symptoms, their child may relapse into more addictive gaming behaviors or find another outlet.”
Globally, around 3% of gamers are affected by gaming disorder; prevalence varies depending on definitions used and other factors.
