Mental health predictors of Internet Gaming Disorder: a longitudinal study

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> <bold>Purpose</bold>: While internet gaming disorder has been clinically delimited, we still know little about its mental health determinants. We aim<bold> </bold>to evaluate whether a wide range of baseline mental disorders predict Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) one to three years later, among first year university students in Mexico. <bold>Methods</bold>: This is a prospective cohort study with a follow-up period of one to three years conducted from September 2018 to June 2022 in 6 Mexican universities. Participants were first-year university students (N=2,144) free of symptoms indicative of IGD at entry (baseline). Ten mental disorders (bipolar, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, alcohol use disorder, drug use disorder, binging and/or purging, intermittent explosive disorder, psychotic experiences, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) at baseline were the main risk factors explored for the incidence of IGD at the end of the follow-up. We used Cox regression to model the IGD incidence rate. <bold>Results</bold>: A composite measure of any mental disorder at baseline was associated with an increase in 2.33 times (1.26-4.31) the rate of IGD 1 to 3 years later. Several individual disorders were associated with rates of IGD in multiple models, with comorbid conditions diminishing most of these associations. <bold>Conclusion</bold>: While students with a range of mental disorders were at risk for development of IGD, only major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder remained associated with a new case of IGD. Discrepant results from available longitudinal studies on the role of specific mental disorders in the development of IGD needs to be further investigated.