Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and Self-Harm in relation to Gaming Disorder: A Longitudinal Study of Czech Adolescents

Background - Some personality variables are not well explored in relation to addictive digital gaming; in particular, the role of anxiety, depression, stress and self-harm with regard to gaming disorder is not fully understood. This research aims to examine the relationship between these variables and disordered gaming, adopting a longitudinal perspective for a comprehensive analysis.
Methods - In this quantitative research, the data were collected using a pen-and-paper method. Data collection was conducted using a set of questionnaires, which consists of The Gaming Disorder Test (GDT), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), and own questions designed on self-harm. 
Results - This paper will present results from three waves of a longitudinal study conducted one year apart. The first wave of the study included a representative sample of 1,249 Czech adolescents attending seventh grade of lower secondary schools. This paper will present the relationship between digital gaming addiction, anxiety, depression, stress and self-harm.
Conclusion - These insights hold significant value for professionals engaged in treating gaming addiction and developing preventive measures, as well as for other directions in research. The relationship between disordered gaming and self-harm suggests that practitioners ought to screen for potential self-harm risks in addicted gamers to improve their mental health and well-being.
The funding was provided by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports for specific research, granted in 2023 to Palacký University Olomouc. Title of the research project: Risky Use of Internet Pornography in Relation to Selected Personality Characteristics (IGA_FF_2023_057). The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.