A prospective study of the motivational and health dynamics of Internet Gaming Disorder

The American Psychiatric Association has identified Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a potential psychiatric condition and called for research to investigate its etiology, stability, and impacts on health and behavior. The present study recruited 5,777 American adults and applied self-determination theory to examine how motivational factors influence, and are influenced by, IGD and health across a six month period. Following a preregistered analysis plan, results confirmed our hypotheses that IGD criteria are moderately stable and that they and basic psychological need satisfaction have a reciprocal relationship over time. Results also showed need satisfaction promoted health and served as a protective factor against IGD. Contrary to what was hypothesized, results provided no evidence directly linking IGD to health over time. Exploratory analyses suggested that IGD may have indirect effects on health by way of its impact on basic needs. Implications are discussed in terms of existing gaming addiction and motivational frameworks

The mediating effect of motivations between psychiatric distress and gaming disorder among esport gamers and recreational gamers

Research examining the relationship between gaming disorder, gaming motivations, and mental health is increasing, but the types of gaming use, such as recreational gaming and esports are not commonly distinguished. The present study compared recreational gamers and esport gamers (N = 4284) on a number of variables including game time, gaming motivations, severity of gaming disorder, and psychiatric symptoms. Additionally, the mediating effect of gaming motivations among esport and recreational gamers between psychiatric distress and problematic gaming was examined. Results showed that esport gamers spent significantly more time playing video games both on weekdays and weekend days than recreational gamers. Moreover, esport gamers had higher scores on social, competition, and skill development gaming motivations than recreational gamers. The mediation model demonstrated a significant positive direct and significant mediated effect via escapism (i.e., gaming excessively to avoid real life problems) between the higher levels of psychiatric distress and gaming disorder. However, esport and recreational gamers showed no significant differences in the model. The escapism motive appeared to be the common predictor of problematic gaming among both esport and recreational gamers. Future studies should focus on exploring escapism's mechanism in different subgroups of gamers in relation to problematic gaming to help the development of prevention, intervention, and treatment programs

Challenges and opportunities for the online gaming industry in Vietnam: A qualitative study on the thoughts of involved parties

This article examines the performance of the online gaming industry in Vietnam since its beginning. The findings were retrieved by analyzing the interview results with leaders and experts of notable game companies in Vietnam who know deeply and broadly about the industry, as well as officers of various administrative bodies that are directly in charge of governing online games. The main themes include the profile of those who established the industry, the game-related legal structure in Vietnam, and the endeavor of locally producing online games in Vietnam. The comments of interviewees on the future of online gaming in Vietnam are also analyzed in depth. The results retrieved from the interviews provide readers with the information regarding the development of the online gaming industry in Vietnam, which also entails a number of legal and economic challenges- those that arise in the specific post-war historical and political context