UC Santa Barbara

Adolescents are at three times higher risk for developing gaming disorder compared to children or adults, and this concern is only growing as video games establish themselves as a ubiquitous aspect of development. Utilizing data from the Adolescent Behavioral Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study examining 1,367 adolescents across two years, this study investigates the intricate relationships between predisposing factors and the evolution of gaming disorder in a longitudinal context. Cross-sectional regression analyses revealed significant associations between gaming disorder and male sex, low household income, high impulsivity (T1 & T2), low self-esteem, high peer victimization (T1), high depression symptoms, high family conflict, low inhibition, and delayed puberty (T2) with notable exclusions of ADHD, anxiety, social competency. Moreover, the longitudinal analysis unravels the directional nature of these associations, demonstrating the enduring impact of risk factors over time, such as high depression symptoms, high ADHD symptoms, high peer aggression, and low self-esteem. The presented research extends the understanding of gaming disorder dynamics, offering insights into the development of more tailored models for gaming disorder in adolescents— providing insights into future interventions for this complex issue.