Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing Games

Current research on internet addiction (IA) reported moderate to high prevalence rates of IA and comorbid psychiatric symptoms in users of social networking sites (SNS) and online role-playing games. The aim of this study was to characterise adult users of an internet multiplayer strategy game withi...

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Main Authors: Olga eGeisel, Michael eSchneider, Anna eStickel, Patricia ePanneck, Christian A Müller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2015-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00069/full
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author Olga eGeisel
Michael eSchneider
Anna eStickel
Patricia ePanneck
Christian A Müller
author_facet Olga eGeisel
Michael eSchneider
Anna eStickel
Patricia ePanneck
Christian A Müller
author_sort Olga eGeisel
collection DOAJ
description Current research on internet addiction (IA) reported moderate to high prevalence rates of IA and comorbid psychiatric symptoms in users of social networking sites (SNS) and online role-playing games. The aim of this study was to characterise adult users of an internet multiplayer strategy game within a SNS. Therefore, we conducted an exploratory study using an online survey to assess sociodemographic variables, psychopathology and the rate of IA in a sample of adult social network gamers by Young´s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). All participants were listed gamers of combat zone in the SNS Facebook. In the IAT analysis, 16.2 % of the participants (n = 60) were categorized as subjects with IA and 19.5 % (n = 72) fulfilled the criteria for alexithymia. Comparing study participants with and without IA, the IA group had significantly more subjects with alexithymia, reported more depressive symptoms, and showed poorer quality of life. These findings suggest that social network gaming might also be associated with maladaptive patterns of internet use. Furthermore, a relationship between IA, alexithymia and depressive symptoms was found that needs to be elucidated by future studies.
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spelling doaj.art-38c7cd1e8d594532a6a409054c6a6faa2022-12-21T22:42:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402015-07-01610.3389/fpsyt.2015.00069136353Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing GamesOlga eGeisel0Michael eSchneider1Anna eStickel2Patricia ePanneck3Christian A Müller4Charité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinCharité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinCharité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinCharité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinCharité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinCurrent research on internet addiction (IA) reported moderate to high prevalence rates of IA and comorbid psychiatric symptoms in users of social networking sites (SNS) and online role-playing games. The aim of this study was to characterise adult users of an internet multiplayer strategy game within a SNS. Therefore, we conducted an exploratory study using an online survey to assess sociodemographic variables, psychopathology and the rate of IA in a sample of adult social network gamers by Young´s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). All participants were listed gamers of combat zone in the SNS Facebook. In the IAT analysis, 16.2 % of the participants (n = 60) were categorized as subjects with IA and 19.5 % (n = 72) fulfilled the criteria for alexithymia. Comparing study participants with and without IA, the IA group had significantly more subjects with alexithymia, reported more depressive symptoms, and showed poorer quality of life. These findings suggest that social network gaming might also be associated with maladaptive patterns of internet use. Furthermore, a relationship between IA, alexithymia and depressive symptoms was found that needs to be elucidated by future studies.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00069/fullalexithymiabehavioural addictionInternet addictionsocial networking sitesOnline role-playing gamesInternet use disorder
spellingShingle Olga eGeisel
Michael eSchneider
Anna eStickel
Patricia ePanneck
Christian A Müller
Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing Games
Frontiers in Psychiatry
alexithymia
behavioural addiction
Internet addiction
social networking sites
Online role-playing games
Internet use disorder
title Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing Games
title_full Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing Games
title_fullStr Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing Games
title_full_unstemmed Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing Games
title_short Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: in between Social Networking and Online Role-Playing Games
title_sort characteristics of social network gamers in between social networking and online role playing games
topic alexithymia
behavioural addiction
Internet addiction
social networking sites
Online role-playing games
Internet use disorder
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00069/full
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AT annaestickel characteristicsofsocialnetworkgamersinbetweensocialnetworkingandonlineroleplayinggames
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