Problematic Gaming Pathways Differ Between Men and Women, Study Finds

Problematic gaming is associated with heightened psychological distress, broader emotion dysregulation, and maladaptive personality traits, according to a cross-sectional study examining young adult gamers. The investigation revealed distinct gender-specific patterns in how these psychological vulnerabilities relate to gaming severity, pointing to differing emotional and personality dynamics between female and male players.

Published in Current Psychology, the research investigated the interplay among gaming severity, psychological distress, emotion regulation difficulties, and maladaptive personality domains. The researchers sought to understand the specific characteristics that differentiate adaptive video gaming from problematic patterns of use, with a particular focus on how these associations vary across genders.

The study analyzed self-report survey data collected from a sample of 233 young adult gamers. Participants completed standardized self-report measures designed to evaluate their gaming behavior, levels of psychological distress, difficulties in emotion regulation, and specific maladaptive personality domains.

In the final regression models, female and male gamers demonstrated markedly distinct psychological correlates of gaming severity. Among female participants, greater gaming severity was positively associated with the personality domains of disinhibition and detachment. In contrast, among male participants, gaming severity was positively associated with stress and psychoticism.

Difficulties with emotion regulation showed broad positive associations with gaming severity at the bivariate level, but their individual regression effects were attenuated once maladaptive personality traits were included in the models. The authors noted that this attenuation suggests overlapping psychological vulnerabilities between personality and emotional factors. Furthermore, a composite measure of depression and anxiety yielded negative coefficients in the final models for both genders, an outcome the authors attributed to complex shared and residual variance rather than a protective association.

The authors concluded that assessment of problematic gaming may benefit from evaluating broader psychological functioning alongside specific gaming symptoms. However, they emphasized several key study limitations, including the cross-sectional design, reliance on self-report measures, and modest gender-specific sample sizes, noting that longitudinal and multi-method research with formal moderation testing is necessary to clarify these associations.

The statistical analyses established that difficulties with emotion regulation were broadly associated with gaming severity at the bivariate level, but their individual regression effects were attenuated once maladaptive personality traits entered the models. According to the research team, which included Maria Ciccarelli, Giovanna Nigro, Marina Cosenza, Mark D. Griffiths, Francesca D’Olimpio, and Barbara Pizzini, this attenuation indicates overlapping psychological vulnerabilities across emotional and personality domains.

Gaming has become an increasingly dominant form of entertainment worldwide, and the investigators emphasized that understanding the factors differentiating adaptive gaming from problematic use remains a pressing challenge. The observed findings support a multidimensional perspective on problematic gaming, encompassing interconnected emotional and personality characteristics.

Regarding statistical patterns, the depression–anxiety composite yielded negative coefficients in both final models. The authors noted this finding may reflect complex shared and residual variance and should not be interpreted as evidence of a protective association. From a practical standpoint, assessment may benefit from considering broader psychological functioning alongside gaming symptoms. Given the cross-sectional design, self-report methodology, and modest gender-specific sample sizes, the researchers concluded that longitudinal and multi-method research with formal tests of gender moderation is needed to clarify these associations and establish their clinical implications.

Subject of Research: Gender differences and psychological factors associated with problematic gaming

Article Title: Gendered pathways to problematic gaming: psychological distress, emotion dysregulation, and maladaptive personality traits

Article References: Ciccarelli, M., Nigro, G., Cosenza, M., Griffiths, M. D., D’Olimpio, F., & Pizzini, B. (2026). Gendered pathways to problematic gaming: psychological distress, emotion dysregulation, and maladaptive personality traits. Current Psychology, 45(22), Article 1737. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-026-10250-1

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s12144-026-10250-1

Keywords: problematic gaming, psychological distress, emotion dysregulation, maladaptive personality traits, gender differences, young adults, mental health, behavioral psychology, Gendered, pathways, problematic, gaming