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. 2020 Nov 30;9(4):1022-1031.
doi: 10.1556/2006.2020.00081.

Internet gaming as a coping method among schizophrenic patients facing psychological distress

Yun-Hsuan Chang  1   2   3   4   5 , Kun-Chia Chang  6   7 , Wen-Li Hou  8   9 , Chung-Ying Lin  10   11 , Mark D Griffiths  12
Affiliations

Internet gaming as a coping method among schizophrenic patients facing psychological distress

Yun-Hsuan Chang et al. J Behav Addict. .

Abstract

Background and aims: Patients with schizophrenia are known to use potentially addictive psychoactive substances as self-medication and to ease psychological distress. Other potentially addictive behaviors such as online gaming are also used to self-medicate and ease psychological distress. However, the role of online gaming and problematic gaming (in the form of internet gaming disorder [IGD]) has not previously been investigated for patients with schizophrenia facing distress.

Methods: One hundred and four participants diagnosed with schizophrenia were recruited and completed a number of psychometric scales including the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSPS), Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS-SF9), Self-Stigma Scale-Short (SSS-S), and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21).

Results: The results showed significant negative associations between PSPS, IGDS-SF9, and DASS-21, and significant positive correlations between the IGDS-SF-9, SSS-S and DASS-21. Moreover, IGD did not mediate the association between self-stigma and depression. However, IGD significantly mediated the association between self-stigma and anxiety, and the association between self-stigma and stress. In addition, (i) age and self-stigma were significant predictors for IGD; (ii) social function and self-stigma were significant predictors for depression; (iii) social function, self-stigma, and IGD were significant predictors for anxiety; and (iv) self-stigma and IGD were significant predictors for stress.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that online gaming may be a coping strategy for individuals with schizophrenia with psychological stress and self-stigma and that for some of these individuals, their gaming may be problematic.

Keywords: Internet gaming disorder; psychological distress; schizophrenia; self-stigma; social function.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Mediated effects of internet gaming disorder in the association between self-stigma and psychological distress; (a) depression, (b) anxiety, (c) stress, and (d) Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) total score. Age, gender, social function, physical disease, living status, and employment were controlled in the mediation models. #Indicates significant indirect effects using bootstrapping method (i.e., confidence interval of 5000 bootstrap samples does not cover the value of 0. ∗P < 0.05; ∗∗P < 0.01; ∗∗∗P < 0.001
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