Maladaptive cognitions predict changes in problematic gaming in highly-engaged adults: A 12-month longitudinal study.
Understanding the role of maladaptive gaming-related cognitions may assist in screening and interventions for problematic gaming, including Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Cognitive-behavioural interventions that target specific cognitions related to gaming may be more effective than more general approaches that focus only on preoccupation with games. Although past research has identified cross-sectional associations between maladaptive cognitions and problematic gaming, it is less clear whether these cognitions can predict future changes in problematic gaming behaviour. The present study employed an 18-item measure of gaming cognition, assessing perfectionism, cognitive salience, regret, and behavioural salience, to investigate potential changes in problematic gaming over a 12-month period. The sample included 465 Australian adults (84% male, Mage=26.2years). It was found that individuals who became problematic gamers over 12months had higher baseline scores on perfectionism (d=1.20), cognitive salience (d=0.74) and regret (d=0.69) than those who remained non-problematic gamers. Problematic gamers who became non-problematic gamers had lower baseline perfectionism scores (d=0.62) than those who remained problematic gamers. Cognitive change accounted for an additional 28% of variance in problematic gaming scores beyond gender, age, and frequency of gaming. These findings suggest that maladaptive gaming-related cognitions could be screened in clinical trials to aid in case formulation and inform decisions on needed interventions to deliver optimal client outcomes.
School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: cameron.forrest@adelaide.edu.au.
Cameron J
CJ
Forrest
School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: daniel.king@adelaide.edu.au.
Daniel L
DL
King
School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: paul.delfabbro@adelaide.edu.au.
Paul H
PH
Delfabbro
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
Addiction; Cognition; Cognitive-behaviour therapy; Internet gaming disorder; Longitudinal; Problem video-gaming