title: Correlations among Social Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Impulsivity, and Game Genre in Patients with Problematic Online Game Playing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies of online game addiction have suggested that social interaction and impulsivity are critical factors for the etiology and progress of online game addiction. We hypothesized that the genre of the online game is associated with impulsivity and sociality in individuals with online game addictions.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 212 patients with problematic online game playing were divided into four groups by game genre: 1) massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG), 2) real-time strategy (RTS), 3) first-person shooter (FPS), and 4) other. Their symptoms and characteristics were assessed using 8 scales and 2 tests to estimate self-esteem, impulsiveness, comorbidity, social interaction status, and cognitive function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean social anxiety score was highest in the MMORPG group and lowest in the FPS group. The mean self-esteem score was highest in the RTS group. Social anxiety score was positively correlated with Internet addiction score in the MMORPG group, and the self-esteem score was positively correlated with Internet addiction score in the RTS group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The genre of online game was not associated with impulsivity, but social anxiety status varied significantly with game genre, and differences in social anxiety were especially pronounced in patients playing the MMORPG (highest social anxiety) and FPS (lowest social anxiety) game genres. In addition, self-esteem was highest in the RTS game genre.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chung Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Ha
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chung Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Doug Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bung-Nyun
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Samyook University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chung Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Impulsivity; Online game addiction; Online game genre; Self-esteem; Social anxiety