Gender-specific motivational pathways in ADHD-related inattention and gaming disorder symptoms.

Comorbidity between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and gaming disorder (GD) is widely recognized in the literature. Previous research has indicated gender-dependent underlying mechanisms in the development and maintenance of problematic gaming. Motivational research presents an opportunity to provide further insight regarding the nature of this association. Self-report data were collected from videogame players (N = 14,740) using an online survey in collaboration with a popular gaming magazine. The survey included items concerning symptoms of ADHD and GD, motives for gaming, and time spent playing videogames. Structural equation modeling was used to create two parallel mediation models (one for males, one for females), including motives to play games as mediators. This was done to potentially explain psychological drivers of the association between ADHD and GD. Results demonstrated a common pathway from inattention to GD symptom severity through the immersion/escapism motivation for both males (β = 0.068; p < 0.001) and females (β = 0.081; p < 0.05), while the paths from inattention to GD symptom severity through the habit/boredom motive (β = 0.094; p < 0.001) and competition motive (β = 0.021; p < 0.001) were only significant for males. Gamers experiencing symptoms of ADHD, especially inattentive symptoms, are at risk of the occurrence of GD symptoms through videogames becoming a source of maladaptive coping with daily psychological disturbances. Males experiencing inattentive symptoms tend to additionally develop problematic patterns of use through videogame playing, becoming a subjectively meaningless and boredom-reduction-oriented habitual activity or a platform of virtual competition. Unique differences suggest the necessity of different treatment approaches for males and females.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: The authors declare that they do not have any financial or other interests that could constitute a real, potential, or apparent conflict of interest with respect to their involvement in the publication. The University of Gibraltar received funding from the Gibraltar Gambling Care Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit charity, and donations from gambling operators through the LCCP RET process supervised by the UK Gambling Commission. MDG’s university has received research funding from Norsk Tipping (the gambling operator owned by the Norwegian Government). MDG has also received funding for a number of research projects in the area of gambling education for young people, social responsibility in gambling and gambling treatment from GambleAware (formerly the Responsible Gambling Trust), a charitable body which funds its research program based on donations from the gambling industry. MDG regularly undertakes consultancy for various gambling companies in the area of social responsibility in gambling. None of these funding sources are related to this study, and the funding institution had no role in the study design or the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, the writing of the manuscript, or the decision to submit the paper for publication.
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