Uncovering sample heterogeneity in gaming and social withdrawal behaviors in adolescent and young adult gamers in Hong Kong

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) 2023-03, Vol.321, p.115774-115774, Article 115774
• Main Authors: Fong, Ted C.T., Cheng, Qijin, Pai, C.Y., Kwan, Isabelle, Wong, Clifford, Cheung, Sing-Hang, Yip, Paul S.F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Behavior, Addictive - epidemiology; Behavior, Addictive - psychology; Factor mixture modeling; Gaming addiction; Help-seeking; Hikikomori; Hong Kong - epidemiology; Humans; Internet; Internet gaming disorder; Phobia, Social; Social Isolation; Suicidal risks; Video Games - psychology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115774

The current study aimed to examine the latent heterogeneity of gaming and social withdrawal behaviors in internet gamers and their associations with help-seeking behaviors. Method: The present study recruited 3430 young people (1874 adolescents and 1556 young adults) in Hong Kong in 2019. The participants completed the Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) Scale, Hikikomori Questionnaire, and measures on gaming characteristics, depression, help-seeking, and suicidality. Factor mixture analysis was used to classify the participants into latent classes based on their latent factors of IGD and hikikomori in separate age groups. Latent class regressions examined the associations between help-seeking and suicidality. Both adolescents and young adults supported a 4-class, 2-factor model on gaming and social withdrawal behaviors. Over two-third of the sample were classified as healthy or low-risk gamers with low IGD factor means and low prevalence of hikikomori. Around one-fourth was moderate-risk gamers with elevated prevalence of hikikomori, higher IGD symptoms and psychological distress. A minority of the sample (3.8%–5.8%) belonged to high-risk gamers with the highest IGD symptoms and prevalence of hikikomori and heightened suicidal risks. Help-seeking in low-risk and moderate-risk gamers was positively associated with depressive symptoms and negatively associated with suicidal ideation. Perceived usefulness of help-seeking was significantly linked with lower likelihoods of suicidal ideation in the moderate-risk gamers and suicide attempt in the high-risk gamers. The present findings explicate the latent heterogeneity of gaming and social withdrawal behaviors and associated factors on help-seeking and suicidality among internet gamers in Hong Kong. •Factor mixture modeling explored the heterogeneity of gaming and hikikomori behaviors.•Both the adolescent and young adult gamers supported a 4-class, 2-factor model.•A quarter of the gamers had moderate risks with elevated symptoms and mental distress.•5.8%/3.8% of the adolescents/young adults had high risks with heightened suicidality.•Help-seeking and its usefulness were linked with suicidality in some latent classes.