Religiosity Weakens Gaming Disorder Risk
Published in General & Internal Medicine and Behavioural Sciences & Psychology
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.
Follow the Topic
-
Discover Mental Health
This is an international, open access journal that publishes research across the transdisciplinary field of mental health research.
Related Collections
With Collections, you can get published faster and increase your visibility.
Promoting Student Mental Wellbeing: Innovative Approaches in Higher Educational Settings
The mental health and wellbeing of students have become a priority concern in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly altered educational environments globally. The transition to hybrid learning, increased social isolation, and digital fatigue have compounded pre-existing challenges faced by university students. These stressors underscore the urgent need for systemic, preventive, and culturally adaptable strategies that foster mental resilience and emotional wellbeing.
This Collection explores preventive, digital, and culturally sensitive interventions to promote student mental wellbeing in post-pandemic educational environments. It seeks to generate global evidence and best practices that support mental health integration across school and university systems, particularly through cross-cultural and cross-sectoral approaches. Emphasis will be placed on:
• Preventive approaches that promote mental health and emotional resilience at the institutional, interpersonal, and individual levels;
• Integration of digital mental health interventions, such as mobile health applications, tele-counselling, and AI-based wellbeing platforms within educational ecosystems;
• Cross-cultural comparative studies that examine how different educational systems and cultural settings conceptualize and address student mental wellbeing;
• Equity-focused interventions targeting underserved and vulnerable student populations, including those from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), remote regions, and marginalized communities.
By synthesizing innovations from diverse global contexts, especially those emerging in resource-constrained settings, this Collection aims to foster dialogue, inspire policy reform, and support the development of scalable, inclusive, and sustainable mental health solutions for higher educational institutions.
Keywords:students wellbeing, positive mental health, colleges, universities, higher education institutions, post-pandemic education, preventive mental health, digital interventions, innovative approaches
Publishing Model: Open Access
Deadline: Feb 28, 2026
The Mental Health of Athletes: Challenges, Insights, and Innovations
Athletes, whether adolescents or adults, amateurs or professionals, face numerous mental health challenges. Key issues include performance pressure, anxiety over injuries and career uncertainties, risks of overtraining and burnout, and the psychological impact of social media and identity struggles. Despite growing awareness in the sports community, comprehensive understanding and support systems for athlete mental health remain incomplete.
This research topic aims to advance knowledge by inviting diverse, multidisciplinary studies that address critical gaps and offer practical solutions. Contributions will explore a wide spectrum of issues, including epidemiological studies, innovative intervention strategies, cultural and societal dimensions, technological advancements, and policy implications. Our goal is to foster a deeper understanding of athlete mental health and translate research into actionable outcomes that benefit athletes, coaches, organizations, and communities worldwide.
We welcome various article types, including original research, reviews, systematic reviews, clinical trials, case reports, perspectives, short communications, theoretical papers, opinions, and study protocols.
Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:
• Epidemiological Studies and Risk Factor Analysis
• Intervention Strategies: Psychological, Social, and Technological Approaches
• Cross-Cultural and Societal Dimensions
• Mental Health Across Competition Levels and Career Stages
• The Role of Technology in Mental Health Monitoring and Support
• Policy, Organizational, and Institutional Frameworks
• Emerging Themes and Novel Perspectives
Through this collection, we hope to build a rich body of knowledge that drives meaningful change in athlete mental health support and advocacy.
Keywords:Mental Health; Athletes; Challenges; Support Systems; Intervention Strategies; Cultural Perspectives; Technology Integration; Policy Approaches; Burnout and Overtraining; Social Media Impact
Publishing Model: Open Access
Deadline: Dec 31, 2025
Please sign in or register for FREE
If you are a registered user on Research Communities by Springer Nature, please sign in