Problematic Video Gaming Is Associated With Poor Sleep Quality, Diet Quality, and Personal Hygiene
Date
2022-03-14
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Psychology of Popular Media Culture
Abstract
Problematic gamers may focus on game-play so much that they forego regular daily activities in favor of more game time, leading to health impairments. Because problematic gamers often desire to return to the game as quickly as possible, they are known to make myopic choices that favor short-term benefits at the cost of long-term gains. The present research examines certain health behaviors that are likely to suffer from such myopic decision-making: sleep quality, diet quality, and personal hygiene. Although other research has assessed the relationships between gaming behavior and each of these health behaviors separately, they are likely to be intercorrelated—representing a pattern of unhealthy decision-making. To achieve our research goal of understanding how problematic gaming might be associated with these health behaviors, we surveyed a university-based sample (n = 354), including targeted sampling of high-intensity gamers. We assessed problematic gaming’s relationship with poorer sleep quality, diet quality, and personal hygiene behaviors. Our results reveal a significant association between problematic gaming and all 3 negative health behaviors. Negative health behaviors associated with problematic gaming may be a potential sign that there is a behavioral addiction issue. Interventions should consider a pattern of such behaviors along with gaming behavior to encourage healthier behavioral choices and game-play.
Description
Copyright American Psychological Association, 2022. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. The final article is available, upon publication, at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000397
Keywords
video games, problematic gaming, sleep, hygiene, diet
Citation
Ellithorpe, M. E., Meshi, D., & Tham, S. M. (2022). Problematic video gaming is associated with poor sleep quality, diet quality, and personal hygiene. Psychology of Popular Media. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000397