Summary: Escapism emerges as a consistent predictor of problematic gaming in both professional esports players and recreational video gamers.
Source: Elsevier
A new study published in Comprehensive Psychiatry is the first to directly compare professional electronic sports (esport) players with recreational video game players, examining how their motivations differ and which factors predict problematic gaming. Although esport and recreational gamers differ in several psychosocial ways, the study found that both groups are at risk of developing internet gaming disorder when intense immersion is driven by escapism.
“Previous research has linked escapism to psychiatric distress and gaming disorder among recreational gamers. Although esport players often report positive motivations—such as improving skills and social interaction—our findings show that excessive immersion for some individuals can signal underlying mental health concerns,” explained Zsolt Demetrovics, PhD, Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
Internet gaming disorder (IGD), as described by major diagnostic manuals (DSM-5 and ICD-11), refers to patterns of gaming behavior that lead to significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, or occupational functioning. While only a minority of gamers develop IGD, the condition is associated with increased depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal. Prior studies have shown that gaming motivations predict the likelihood of problematic gaming, with escapism—playing to avoid real-life problems—being a notable risk factor.
This large-scale study adds several important findings that can inform clinical practice and policy. Researchers surveyed nearly 4,300 participants, including both recreational and esport gamers, collecting data on play time, gaming motivations, severity of gaming disorder symptoms, and psychiatric distress. The analysis also tested whether different gaming motivations mediate the relationship between psychiatric symptoms and problematic gaming in each group.
Key findings include: esport gamers reported substantially more hours of play during weekdays and weekends compared with recreational gamers; esport players scored higher on motivations related to social interaction, competition, and skill development; and across both groups, escapism consistently predicted gaming disorder symptoms. In the mediation analyses, escapism was the single motivation that significantly mediated the relationship between psychiatric distress and problematic gaming among esport players, whereas among recreational gamers additional motives—competition, fantasy, and coping—showed weaker or even inverse associations with disorder severity.
The study suggests that although both esport and recreational gamers may use games to escape reality, the psychological drivers and underlying mechanisms of that escapism can differ. For some professional players, factors such as stress level, psychosocial well-being, and self-esteem appear to influence how escapism contributes to the emergence of gaming disorder. In other words, escapism can impair an esport player’s performance and career in ways similar to how injury or burnout might end a traditional athlete’s career.
“Given these results, future research should examine how escapism operates across subgroups of gamers and how it relates to problematic gaming. This work could inform prevention strategies, early intervention, and treatment programs tailored to competitive players as well as recreational users,” Professor Demetrovics added. He recommended developing targeted support, including mental skills training, healthy self-esteem promotion, and adaptive coping strategies for high-pressure competitive environments.
The investigators note that their findings have implications for esports organizations and governing bodies. Because some professional players may develop problematic gaming patterns, these organizations arguably have a duty of care to provide support, screening, and access to treatment when needed. “Esports leagues already enforce rules around performance-enhancing substances; based on our findings they should consider codes of conduct and diagnostic checklists addressing problematic gaming and gaming disorder,” Professor Demetrovics advised.
The population of competitive gamers who play professionally has risen steadily since the early 2000s and remains predominantly male. Esport players train not only manual dexterity and reaction times but also mental strategies and hand-eye coordination through extended, game-based practice. Surveys indicate that pursuing an esports career is an appealing option for many adolescents and young adults under 24.
Source:
Elsevier
Media Contacts:
Eileen Leahy – Elsevier
Image Source:
The image is in the public domain.
Original Research: Open access
“The mediating effect of motivations between psychiatric distress and gaming disorder among esport gamers and recreational gamers.” Fanni Bányai, Mark D. Griffiths, Zsolt Demetrovics, Orsolya Király.
Comprehensive Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2019.152117.
Abstract
The mediating effect of motivations between psychiatric distress and gaming disorder among esport gamers and recreational gamers
Research on the relationships between gaming disorder, gaming motivations, and mental health is growing, but studies rarely distinguish between types of gamers such as recreational users versus esports professionals. This study compared 4,284 participants across game time, gaming motivations, severity of gaming disorder symptoms, and psychiatric distress. It also examined whether gaming motivations mediate the link between psychiatric symptoms and problematic gaming in each group. Results showed that esport gamers played more hours on weekdays and weekends and scored higher on social, competition, and skill development motivations. The mediation model revealed both a direct relationship and a mediated effect through escapism—playing to avoid real-life problems—between higher psychiatric distress and greater gaming disorder severity. No significant differences were found between esport and recreational gamers in this mediation model. Escapism emerged as the common predictor of problematic gaming across both groups. The authors recommend that future research explore escapism’s mechanisms in different gamer subgroups to inform prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies.