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Inattention and Disordered Gaming: Does Culture Matter?

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Abstract

Problematic gaming has emerged as a contemporary concern, leading to the introduction of the diagnostic term ‘Internet Gaming Disorder’ (IGD; American Psychiatric Association). The present study aims to empirically assess the association between inattention and IGD, in the light of variable levels of vertical-individualism that reflects cultural inclinations towards independence, competitiveness, and hierarchy. The participants (N = 1032) comprised a normative cohort of Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) gamers (Mage = 24 years; 48.7% male). IGD was measured with the nine-item short-form IGD Scale (IGD9-SF), inattention with the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Self-Report Scale, and vertical individualism with the Individualism-Collectivism Questionnaire. Complex hierarchical and moderated regressions were employed. Findings demonstrated an association between IGD and inattention, and additionally showed that this association was exacerbated by a more vertically-individualistic cultural orientation without significant gender differences. The need of differentially addressing IGD risk among inattentive gamers of diverse cultural orientation is highlighted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Victoria University, College of Health and Biomedicine, Melbourne, Australia

    Vasileios Stavropoulos, Kyi Lyn Baynes & Dominic Lloyd O’Farrel

  2. Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Australia

    Rapson Gomez

  3. Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

    Astrid Mueller

  4. Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Murat Yucel

  5. Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

    Mark Griffiths

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  1. Vasileios Stavropoulos
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Contributions

VS: contributed to the literature review, hypotheses formulation, data collection and analyses, and the structure and sequence of theoretical arguments. Contact: vasilisstavropoylos80@gmail.com

KB contributed to the literature review, hypotheses formulation, data collection and analyses, and the structure and sequence of theoretical arguments. Contact: kyi-lyn@hotmail.com

DO contributed to the data collection and analyses. Contact: dominicofarrell@gmail.com

RG contributed to the theoretical consolidation of the current work and revised and edited the final manuscript. Contact: Rapson.Gomez@Federation.edu.au

AM contributed to the theoretical consolidation of the current work and revised and edited the final manuscript. Contact: Mueler.Astrid@mh-hannover.de

MY contributed to the theoretical consolidation of the current work and revised and edited the final manuscript. Contact: mura.yucel@monash.edu

MG contributed to the theoretical consolidation of the current work and revised and edited the final manuscript. Contact: mark.griffiths@ntu.ac.uk

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Correspondence to Vasileios Stavropoulos.

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Stavropoulos, V., Baynes, K.L., O’Farrel, D.L. et al. Inattention and Disordered Gaming: Does Culture Matter?. Psychiatr Q 91, 333–348 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-019-09702-8

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