Many of us have children or friends who seem to spend increasing amounts of time playing online video games. With the digital age advancing more into homelife and recreation- pertinent questions are being asked on the effects of video games on young people.
Research into online video gaming is continuingly exploring the negative and positive aspects on users physical, social and mental wellbeing. For example, psychological issues related to playing video games in Western countries is estimated between 1.6%- 4.6% of individuals. In regards to physical health, symptoms reported can include musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and headaches.
The rise of internet gaming disorders (IGD) has led to their classification in a number of health manuals such as the World Health Organisation, and in Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5).
There are alternate views which propose that a diagnosis of IGD is sometimes questionable or debatable. For example, a paper published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions argues that, ‘the IGD diagnosis is lacking a well-defined object, the cause and effect cannot be differentiated outside lab conditions, the social and political effects of declaring a social behavior as a disease are worrying, and a rushed diagnosis may construct an addiction with potentially harmful effects on (formerly) healthy populations’.
Whilst acknowledging that research into the online gaming space is evolving, it is interesting however to hear what gamers say on this topic, and what are the observations of non-gamers on problematic gaming?
Gamers & non-gamers perspectives on problematic gaming study
A qualitative study published in the Journal of Current Psychology, explored the perspectives of both gamers and non-gamers on the development of problematic video game play.
Study participants
Participants in this study were divided into 3 focus groups.
Frequent gamers (FGs)
- 11 participants, (64% male)
- Played over 6-hours per week.
- Aged 18-26 years
Non-frequent gamers (NFGs)
- 12 participants (33% male)
- Played less than 6-hours per week.
- Aged 18-29 years.
Adult non-gamers (ANGs).
- 5 participants (40% male)
- Aged 46-72 years.
After interviews with the participants, three themes emerged which are discussed below. All quotes have been taken verbatim from the original research.
Study results
Theme 1: Autonomy
Both FGs and NFGs acknowledged that gaming may offer players a space for freedom and personal control. As one FG explained,
“Video games appeal to me because I’m influencing what the characters do, unlike sports, where I’m watching a team choose whether to throw a pass.”
Similarly, a NFG observed,
“With video games, you’re thinking about it, you’re involved, you’re doing things—with TV you’re just taking in information.”
Complex games promoted goal-setting development among one FG player in particular,
“My desk is covered in sticky notes with my plans and goals for the game. I want to get this item, but to do that first I need to level up and do this, that, and this, and then I can get that item. That’s part of my fun. I have a goal, and I want to do all those things to get it.”
Adult non-gamers (ANGs) tended to view gamers as having less autonomy, or were seeking to avoid situations,
“He is avoiding life. He isn’t trying to get a job, and I think he is depressed.”
Both FGs and NFGs were able to articulate when gaming could become problematic,
“When I first met my friend three years ago, he really loved his job, and now he’s struggling to focus at work because he’s always trying to play games on the job.”
Theme 2: Competence
A key motivation for playing online games was a sense of competence, as one FG noted,
“I derive most of my enjoyment out of being good at a game. If I’m playing a game and I’m not good at it, I don’t tend to play it as much because the sense of achievement isn’t there. I’m drawn back to games that are challenging but I can do well.”
Competence and mastery of a game resulted in valued peer recognition,
“Achievements are an esteem booster. I wouldn’t be proud of my achievements outside of the gaming community. But within the community, you could boast of your skills—you would have a certain amount of self-esteem in that sense.”
The drive to be competent could sometimes led to compulsive behaviour patterns in some players,
“If I have a really crappy game, then sometimes I’ll want to play until I win. I start to think ‘one more, just one more.’ Then I’ll play a good game, and be really happy with what I did, and feel really good about myself. The next thought will be ‘I want to play another game so I can keep feeling good about myself.’ It can snowball.”
Non- gamers viewed online spaces as an opportunity to shape identity and competency,
“Somebody who views themselves negatively might develop a persona in games, they can be the person they want to be in the real world online. Nobody can see that their unimportant and dumpy—they’re Thor online.”
Theme 3: Relatedness
The opportunity to bond and develop a sense of closeness and community was mentioned most frequently by gamers,
“I knew people that used to game together in high school; they moved to different states, got married, and grew up. They still get together to game online and chat.”
“Video games helped me make friends, especially at a young age. My friendship with my best friend developed from our discussions about games.”
Some people did observe that friendships developed online didn’t offer them the same depth of relationship,
“If the relationship revolves entirely around the game, then it’s not as deep as a relationship in real life.”
All participant groups were asked to theorise when online gaming could become problematic,
“People with poor social skills might get picked on or be considered uncool. They might prefer to be alone. When console games started coming out you could just hide in your room and play video games and not have to deal with people.”
One ANG spoke about their personal experience,
“My ex-partner’s son, the one with depression, played video games excessively. He didn’t have to go out and meet or be with people, he had this online virtual world. I think he was escaping being out in the world and having awkwardness with girls or conflicts with friends.”
Study conclusions
The researchers in this study concluded by noting that, ‘regardless of attitudes and experiences with video games, participants conceptualized problematic gaming as a function of unmet psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Considering problematic gaming as a function of unmet psychological needs may help guide treatment, prevention, and research’.
Expert Opinion: Dr Kylie King – Senior Lecturer and Psychologist, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University.
The issue of problem gaming is a divisive one and the evidence for an association between problem gaming and suicide is growing (Erevik et al, 2022). The comments from the participants in this qualitative study bring this experience to life and resonate with my experience of working with people experiencing problem gambling. A once fun activity can turn into something that takes control of lives and wreaks havoc.
In my experience, as described in this study, almost always, this is driven by unmet needs. However, the sad irony is that the needs that people often seek to meet – autonomy, confidence, and connection with others – become a loss of control, shame, and disconnection. To compound this, often when people are struggling with this experience the most, the people around them are struggling to understand. The excessive behaviour becomes the focus (‘why can’t you just stop!’), the needs remain unmet, and shame deepens.
This experience sits within a social context for men where norms like self-reliance, toughness, and winning are valued (Connell, 2020). Together this can create a situation in which reaching out for help and regaining control becomes harder and harder. Would having a diagnosis of problem gaming help in this situation? Debate aside of whether problem gaming meets the DSM threshold of an ‘addiction’, I have seen a diagnosis help people, and those around them, come to terms with this experience and find a way out.
On the other hand, gaming, now with its online social component, can be beneficial for many people. It can be a healthy source of connection, particularly for those who might not have this connection in their daily lives.
Robinson and colleagues draw our attention to the sense of belonging and connection that social media (including online gaming) can bring for young people, including among marginalized groups at elevated risk of suicide such as LGBTQIA+ youth (Robinson et al, 2025). This potential for benefit can be amplified. For example, Man Cave in Australia has been using an online gaming platform to connect with boys to create spaces for growing connection and fun (https://themancave.life/).
Robinson and colleagues also remind us that many studies that report the negative associations between social media and mental health are cross-sectional. Therefore, it is equally possible that causality works in the other direction – those who are struggling seek out social media (and gaming).
So where does this leave us? The researcher in me wants more research so we can understand more about this issue and the ways to reduce harm. However, research is slow. What we can do now is raise public awareness in a way that reduces stigma and increases compassion. We can resist our urge to unduly limit access for those who need it. We can be sensitive to the likelihood that powerful social norms, particularly for men, are likely to be compounding distress and acting as barriers to accessing help (Seidler et al, 2016).
We can reach into gaming environments to offer non-judgmental help to those who need it. We can work to meet unmet need and perhaps even create innovative ways to amplify the positive impacts of gaming.
