När speltid inte räcker : Spelmotivationens roll i sambandet mellan speltid och Internet Gaming Disorder

Sammanfattning

Digital gaming has become a widespread leisure activity, accompanied by increasing concern regarding Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). Previous research has frequently emphasized gaming time as a primary risk indicator, despite evidence suggesting thattime alone is insufficient to distinguish between functional and problematic gaming, particularly in performance-oriented contexts such as esports. Gaming motivation has therefore been proposed as a key factor in understanding individual differences in IGD risk. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the motivational factors escape and skill development moderated the relationship between gaming time and IGD symptoms. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed. Intotal, 92 gamers (79 men, 12 women, and 1 identifying as other) aged 16–76 years participated (M = 37.28, SD = 15.33). Data were collected via an online questionnaire and analysed using correlation analyses and moderation analyses. IGD symptoms were measured using the IGDS9-SF, and gaming motivation was assessed with the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ). Results showed that escape was strongly associated with IGD and significantly moderated therelationship between gaming time and IGD, such that higher levels of escape strengthened this association. Skill development did not demonstrate a moderating effect. These findings suggest that gaming motivation, rather than gaming time alone, is central to understanding gaming-related problems.