Relationship Between Personality Traits and Social Avoidance With Internet Gaming Disorder Severity

With gaming's increasing prevalence, understanding the psychological functioning of individuals across a range of internet gaming disorder (IGD) severity is crucial. This study replicates and extends Bonnaire and Baptista's (2019) research on DSM-5 IGD in European young adults, examining alexithymia, anxiety, maladaptive personality traits and interpersonal problems with a US sample. A diverse group of 205 young adults (mean age = 20.41, 73% female) completed an anonymous survey assessing IGD using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF; Pontes and Griffiths 2015), gaming type, alexithymia, anxiety, maladaptive personality traits and interpersonal problems. IGDS9-SF effectively distinguished normal gamers (IGD criteria = 0) from risky gamers (IGD criteria = 1-6), with the latter showing significantly greater pathology across all measures (p < 0.01). While gaming type showed no overall significant differences, gamers who preferred more role-playing platforms trended toward reporting more interpersonal problems than gamers preferring action games (p = 0.059). Overall IGD severity was also significantly correlated with greater pathology on all measures (p < 0.001). Specifically, disinhibition (impulsivity and poor self-control) and socially avoidant interpersonal problems emerged as the strongest unique predictors of IGD severity, suggesting that interventions targeting impulsivity, interpersonal functioning and social skills may be particularly useful in the treatment of IGD issues. Findings underscore IGD's connections to emotional, personality and interpersonal factors, informing clinical assessment and treatment.