A Network Analysis of Gaming Motivations and Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms among Heterogeneous Low-Risk and High-Risk Adolescents

Abstract Background. The increasing prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) among adolescents has become a global concern, and gaming plays a large role in many adolescents’ lives. While prior research emphasised the significance of investigating IGD through an etiological lens, the interconnections between diverse gaming motivations and IGD symptoms in adolescents remain inadequately understood. This study explored the associations between distinct gaming motivations and IGD symptoms by conducting network analysis among heterogeneous low- and high-risk adolescents. Methods. Data from a two-year school-based survey was used (N = 2,148). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify adolescents with low- and high-risk IGD. A network analysis was conducted to examine and compare the associations between gaming motivations and IGD symptoms among low- and high-risk adolescents. Results. Three IGD profiles were identified in two time points, classifying adolescents with healthy transitions as low-risk and those with deteriorating transitions as high-risk. Three gaming motivations (i.e., ‘Daily entertainment’, ‘I am good at it’, and ‘Improvement of ability and mindset’) were identified as protective motivations. Two others, ‘Enjoy being in the gaming world’ and ‘Preoccupation’, were identified as bridge nodes in high-risk adolescents. Three core nodes (i.e., ‘Sense of victory’, ‘Enjoy being in the gaming world’, and ‘Sense of achievement’) were identified in both low-risk and high-risk groups. Conclusion. Findings suggest that not all gaming motivations contribute to the development of IGD in adolescents. High-risk adolescents showed unique bridge nodes between motivations and IGD symptoms. Future interventions should consider gaming motives to address IGD among adolescents.