Dissociation in Problematic Gaming: a Systematic Review

Purpose of Review The present article consists of a systematic review of recent (2007–2018) empirical studies addressing the relationship between problematic gaming and dissociation. Nineteen peer-reviewed empirical studies that examined the relationship between problematic gaming and dissociation w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current addiction reports 2019-03, Vol.6 (1), p.1-14
Main Authors: Guglielmucci, Fanny, Monti, Massimiliano, Franzoi, Isabella G., Santoro, Gianluca, Granieri, Antonella, Billieux, Joel, Schimmenti, Adriano
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictive behaviors
Computer & video games
Consciousness
Dissociation and Addictive Behaviors (J Billieux and A Schimmenti
Drug use
Internet
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental disorders
Neurology
Neuroses
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Online gambling
Psychiatry
Psychopathology
Section Editors
Stress
Systematic review
Topical Collection on Dissociation and Addictive Behaviors
Virtual communities
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Summary:Purpose of Review The present article consists of a systematic review of recent (2007–2018) empirical studies addressing the relationship between problematic gaming and dissociation. Nineteen peer-reviewed empirical studies that examined the relationship between problematic gaming and dissociation were identified. Recent Findings The findings suggest that excessive video game use is linked to a variety of dissociative phenomena (e.g. depersonalisation experiences, escapism, psychotic-like experiences, game transfer phenomena). Summary Dissociative experiences are associated with problematic gaming. The findings support the hypothesis that problematic video game use can represent a maladaptive coping strategy on which people can rely to escape from disturbing mental states, adverse emotions or real-life problems. In these circumstances, dissociative symptoms might represent the side effects of an alteration in consciousness that is generated by excessive video game use. However, further research (especially experimental and longitudinal) is required in order to establish a potential causal link between problematic gaming patterns and dissociation.
ISSN:2196-2952
2196-2952
DOI:10.1007/s40429-019-0237-z