Anxiety as a predictor of gaming disorder among young adults

Background: Psychological morbidities have been found to be associated with gaming disorder. Objective: The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship of gaming disorder with affective states of depression, stress, and anxiety. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 403 males in the age range of 18-25 years. The mean age was 21 years. These young adults were approached for the administration of study tools from colleges and community of urban areas of Bengaluru. Inverse binomial sampling was used to collect the sample. The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short-Form and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 were administered. Results: Stepwise regression analysis indicated that anxiety significantly contributed to gaming disorder. Depression and stress did not contribute significantly toward gaming disorder. Conclusions: This study implies the need for intervention of anxiety in the context of gaming disorder and the design of appropriate interventions.