Religiosity Weakens Gaming Disorder Risk

Our new study examined gaming habits among Georgian university students and found that religiosity may serve as a protective factor against Internet Gaming Disorder, reducing the link between gaming hours and harmful symptoms
Religiosity Weakens Gaming Disorder Risk
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Gaming, religiosity and mental health among Georgian students - Discover Mental Health

Background The dramatic rise in high-speed internet access and smartphone usage has made multiplayer online gaming increasingly prevalent among young adults. While moderate gaming can confer cognitive benefits, excessive gaming is linked to sleep disruption, addiction, and a spectrum of adverse mental health outcomes—including depression, anxiety, stress, and impaired academic performance. In 2018, the World Health Organization formally recognized Gaming Disorder (GD) as an addictive mental health condition, before that Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) had been added to DSM-5 in 2013. Despite growing concern, data remain scarce on IGD’s prevalence and psychological correlates in Georgian university students. This study therefore assessed the relationship between IGD, gaming duration, and key psychosocial variables (burnout, loneliness, life satisfaction, religiosity, and substance use) in a representative Georgian student sample. Materials and methods From November 2024–January 2025, an anonymous online survey was administered to students at four major Georgian universities, yielding 506 responses (157 complete). Participants reported weekly gaming hours and completed validated scales: Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, Burnout Scale, Loneliness Scale (emotional/social), Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Financial Wellbeing Scale. Self-reported religiosity, substance use patterns, and demographic data were collected. Statistical analyses (SPSS v26) included Pearson correlations, independent samples t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square tests, and eta coefficients; significance was set at p < 0.05. Results Among 506 respondents (mean age 22.1; 33.4% male), mean weekly gaming duration was 8.26 h and mean IGD score was 15.04. Males reported significantly longer gaming duration and higher IGD scores than females (p < 0.001). Weekly gaming duration showed a weak positive correlation with IGD scores (r = 0.31, p < 0.001), explaining ~ 10% of variance. MANOVA indicated that gaming duration retained its statistical significance inside the model (P < 0.001). ANCOVA indicated religiosity (p = 0.016, partial η2 = 0.05) and gender (p = 0.040, partial η2 = 0.03) remained significant predictors of IGD after adjusting for continuous covariates. Conclusion Excessive gaming among Georgian university students is associated with higher IGD severity, greater burnout, and reduced life satisfaction, with religiosity serving as a potential protective factor. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions—such as psychoeducation and time management strategies—to promote balanced gaming habits. The high attrition rate is the primary limiting factor to generilizing the findings of the study.

Study overview

This work explores how weekly gaming duration relate to mental health outcomes in young university students in Georgia. We assessed gaming hours alongside IGD severity, burnout, loneliness, life satisfaction, financial wellbeing, and self-reported religiosity.

Although overall gaming time in our sample was modest (mean ≈ 8 hours/week), increased gaming hours were associated with higher IGD severity. Male students demonstrated significantly higher IGD scores than female students.

A protective role of religiosity

One of the central findings is that religiosity may act as a protective factor. Students with higher religiosity reported lower IGD severity, and religiosity moderated the relationship between gaming hours and IGD symptoms. This suggests that cultural and psychosocial resources could buffer some of the risks associated with problematic gaming behaviour.

Collaboration

The study was conducted in partnership with the RADAR Center at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Israel). Working with RADAR allowed us to integrate a broader cross-cultural perspective on digital behavior and mental health, and strengthened the methodological and analytical framework of the project. This collaboration highlights the importance of multidisciplinary and international teamwork in understanding emerging behavioral health challenges.

Why this matters

Most evidence on IGD originates from Western Europe, North America, and East Asia. Our data add insights from the Caucasus region, where cultural norms—including the role of faith communities—may shape coping strategies, socialization, and digital behavior. These findings offer valuable context for public health planning and student mental-health services.

Future directions

We anticipate that longitudinal and interventional research will clarify causal pathways (e.g., whether gaming intensity predicts burnout or vice-versa), and test whether community- or faith-based engagement can mitigate IGD-related harms in young adults.

We welcome discussion, replication efforts, and collaborative work—particularly comparisons across countries and cultures interested in youth mental health, digital behavior, and protective psychosocial factors.

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Addiction
Life Sciences > Health Sciences > Clinical Medicine > Diseases > Psychiatric Disorder > Addiction
Gambling Addiction
Humanities and Social Sciences > Behavioral Sciences and Psychology > Clinical Psychology > Mental Disorder > Substance Abuse Disorder > Gambling Addiction

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