Social and emotional aspects of World of Warcraft players

Abstract

This quantitative research thesis investigated the social and emotional aspects of World of Warcraft (WOW) players through the use of an online survey. The sample consisted of 374 online survey respondents of which 215 were used in final data analysis. The survey investigated demographics, gameplay habits, social anxiety, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and self-esteem. A binary logistic regression found that class specialization, hours played, social anxiety severity, and depression severity were predictive of internet gaming disorder (IGD). A univariate ANOVA found there was significant interaction effects between the constructs of depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and IGD. The results suggest that IGD is not wholly influenced by a specific disorder but instead by the person’s mental health in general, however, social anxiety was significantly associated after accounting for interaction effects. The researcher concluded that treatment of IGD requires attention to comorbid social and emotional aspects and the ecosystem of comorbidity in which they exist