Investigating the role of impaired control in gaming disorder
Date
2024
Authors
Kowalik, Bartosz Andrzej Warwas
Editors
Advisors
Delfabbro, Paul
King, Daniel
King, Daniel
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Thesis
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Abstract
This dissertation investigates the phenomenon of problematic video gaming with a focus on the role impaired control (IC) and impulsivity play in the development and maintenance of gaming disorder (GD). Five interconnected studies, including a scoping review, three empirical studies, and the development of a psychometric instrument are presented in this work. This research aims to clarify the theoretical underpinnings of IC, its relationship to co-occurring psychological conditions such as impulsivity, mood, coping styles and flow state, and their predictive power in assessing GD and gaming-related harm. This thesis established IC as a central construct in understanding GD. Impaired control was found to have a two-factor structure, consisting of the inability to resist initiating gaming sessions and the inability to stopping gaming sessions, and was shown to operate across both cognitive and behavioural dimensions. IC was able to predict problematic gaming more effectively than gaming urges or impulsivity. The research developed and validated the Impaired Control Over Gaming Scale (ICOGS), a psychometric tool that reliably measures IC and correlates strongly with GD symptomology, negative mood states and gaming-related harm. This dissertation reveals that IC is distinct from, yet intertwined with, impulsivity, with impulsivity linked to gaming urges and IC linked to prolonged gaming sessions and harm. IC evolves from high engagement in gaming into compulsive behaviours marked by insensitivity to negative consequences. Network analyses of GD demonstrated that IC is central node in a system of interconnected constructs, including stress, dissociative experiences, flow states, and avoidance coping strategies. These analyses suggest that gaming behaviours may serve as a maladaptive coping mechanism for emotional distress, creating a cycle of negative outcomes. Flow states, while temporarily alleviating stress, may reinforce reliance on gaming as a form of escape, contributing to dissociative experiences and insensitivity to real-world negative consequences. As time goes on, this dynamic exacerbates stress and depression, compounding gaming-related harm. This research emphasises the importance of targeting IC and related constructs in interventions aimed at reducing gaming harm. It calls for strategies focusing on mood regulation, adaptive coping, and self-control, particularly as gaming technologies become more immersive.
School/Discipline
School of Psychology
Dissertation Note
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 2025
Provenance
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