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BACKGROUND: Problems related to gambling and digital gaming have been a topic of concern for years. Less attention has been paid to the probable psychosocial factors behind these problems. While previous studies have established links between stress, loneliness, and addiction, there is a lack of longitudinal research investigating how stress and loneliness affect addictive behaviors, including problem gambling and gaming. AIMS: This study uses multilevel mixed-effects generalized linear models to analyze the between- and within-person effects of stress and loneliness on gambling and gaming problems. The interaction between stress and loneliness was also investigated. METHODS: A representative sample of Finns (N = 1,530) answered a survey in 6-month intervals between spring 2021 and autumn 2023; 49.22% of the sample took part at all six time points. The Problem Gambling Severity Index and the Internet Gaming Disorder Test were used to measure gambling and gaming problems. The three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale was used to assess loneliness, and the Perceived Stress Scale was used to evaluate stress. RESULTS: After controlling for gender and age, loneliness was found to increase only gaming problems at both the between- and within-person levels, but not gambling. In contrast, stress enhanced both gambling and gaming problems at the between- and within-person levels. Additionally, loneliness and stress were found to have negative interaction suggesting that their combined effect was lower than their separate effects. CONCLUSION: The findings provide longitudinal insight into the psychosocial vulnerabilities behind problem gambling and gaming, which can be helpful in designing targeted interventions.
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BACKGROUND: The uncertain and stressful global situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to cause anxiety and impact people's mental health. Simultaneously, social distancing policies have isolated people from their normal social interactions. These societal changes have inevitably influenced gambling and gaming practices, and many people may have turned to betting or gaming as a means of social exchange. This study examined the influence of COVID-19 anxiety on increased mental health problems and their relationship to gambling and gaming problems. The mediating role of social motives for gambling and gaming was also investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Finnish adults (N = 1530; Mage = 46.67; 50.33% male) were recruited from a volunteer participant panel to participate in a survey study. COVID-19 anxiety was assessed using a scale adapted from the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Mental health problems were evaluated with the five-item Mental Health Inventory. Gambling problems were measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and gaming problems were measured with the Internet Gaming Disorder Test. Social motives for gaming were evaluated using a single-item measure. Analyses used generalised structural equation modelling. RESULTS: COVID-19 anxiety predicted increased mental health problems, which were associated with heightened gambling and gaming problems. Social motives for gambling and gaming were a significant mediator, suggesting that gambling and gaming problems are emphasized markedly among those who are socially motivated by and involved in such games. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health problems experienced during the pandemic and the social properties of games might accentuate gambling and gaming problems.
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Aim: The aims of this study were to investigate the long-term stability of problematic gaming among adolescents and whether problematic gaming at wave 1 (W1) was associated with problem gambling at wave 2 (W2), three years later. Methods: Data from the SALVe cohort, including adolescents in Västmanland born in 1997 and 1999, were accessed and analyzed in two waves W2, N = 1576; 914 (58%) girls). At W1, the adolescents were 13 and 15 years old, and at W2, they were 16 and 18 years old. Adolescents self-rated on the Gaming Addiction Identification Test (GAIT), Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and gambling frequencies. Stability of gaming was determined using Gamma correlation, Spearman's rho, and McNemar. Logistic regression analysis and general linear model (GLM) analysis were performed and adjusted for sex, age, and ethnicity, frequency of gambling activities and gaming time at W1, with PGSI as the dependent variable, and GAIT as the independent variable, to investigate associations between problematic gaming and problem gambling. Results: Problematic gaming was relative stable over time, γ = 0.739, p ≤ .001, ρ = 0.555, p ≤ .001, and McNemar p ≤ .001. Furthermore, problematic gaming at W1 increased the probability of having problem gambling three years later, logistic regression OR = 1.886 (95% CI 1.125-3.161), p = .016, GLM F = 10.588, η2 = 0.007, p = .001. Conclusions: Problematic gaming seems to be relatively stable over time. Although associations between problematic gaming and later problem gambling were found, the low explained variance indicates that problematic gaming in an unlikely predictor for problem gambling within this sample.