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Abstract
Aim. To investigate whether adolescent online gaming time and the additive effect of gaming motives were associated with depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms. The hypothesis was that adolescents who engage in online gaming with escape motives and increased online gaming time have higher probability for depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms compared to adolescents with other online gaming motives and/or less online gaming time.
Method. An anonymous and voluntary questionnaire was completed during class hours by 7,757 Swedish adolescents aged 13–18 years. The questionnaire included demographic background, gaming habits, and depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms.
Results. It was found that increased online gaming time during weekdays increased the probability of having depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms. However, these relations with time spent gaming were further explained by online gaming motives. Weekday online gaming for more than five hours a day, in combination with escape motives, was associated with an increased probability of depressive symptoms (odds ratio (OR) 4.614, 95% CI 3.230–6.590), musculoskeletal symptoms (OR 2.494, 95% CI 1.598–3.892), and psychosomatic symptoms (OR 4.437, 95% CI 2.966–6.637). The probability of ill health decreased when gaming was for fun or had social motives.
Conclusion. Excessive gaming time and escape motives were found to be associated with increased probability of ill health among adolescents. Gaming motives may identify gamers in need of support to reduce unhealthy gaming behaviour as well as identify individuals at risk for ill health.
Acknowledgements
C.H., K.W.N., J.L., and C.Å. were responsible for the study concept and design. C.H. and C.Å. performed the analyses, and C.H. drafted the manuscript. C.H., K.W.N., J.L., and C.Å. critically reviewed the content and approved the final version for publication.
Funding: This study was funded by The Svenska Spel Research Council, the County Council of Västmanland (LTV-149141), the Uppsala and Örebro Regional Research Council (RFR-156431), the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS) (2009-1695), The Fredrik and Ingrid Thurings Foundation, The König-Söderströmska Foundation (SLS-150531), and the Swedish Psychiatric Foundation.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The sponsors of the study had no influence on design or analyses, nor on the writing of the report.