Sir,
Excessive game playing can result in significant negative life consequences. It is estimated that between 10 and 15% of gamers play excessively and can be characterized as meeting several of the criteria for addiction.[1] Although the available researches show the relationship of personality with gaming. Since online gaming is an emerging concern in the Indian context, the present study build up evidence for the association of gaming and personality and its implications for intervention. Ninety participants attending the specialty center for management of technology addiction were assessed for personality. All the participants were playing multiple player online games. They were in the age group of 18–25 years. The clinical interview did not reveal the presence of any other comorbid psychiatric condition. Background data sheet to collect information about demographic characteristics, problematic online gaming questionnaire short form,[2] and NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI-3)-Form S.[3] The present work got Institute committee approval as well as consents of participants. Results indicated the mean age of the sample was 21.75 with a standard deviation of 4.02. All subjects were male. Neuroticism (P = 0.025 at 0.05 level) got a significant value for the problematic use of online gaming, whereas insignificant values were observed for other domains of personality. The study showed that neuroticism got association with the problematic use of online gaming. A similar corroborative trend was observed in available studies. It has been observed that players got high neuroticism.[4] The violent game users got higher neuroticism scores.[5] Massively-multiplayer online games (MMOs) are increasingly popular worldwide. MMO gaming can result in problematic Internet use (or Internet addiction), which is characterized by dysfunction in areas such as work or relationships. The players with higher neuroticism behave aggressively after getting exposed to violent video games. This behavior generally seen when player with high neuroticism also have low scores in agreeableness and conscientiousness traits.[6,7] Online gaming addiction got a higher score on neuroticism than nonaddict.[8] The violent game users got higher neuroticism scores.[5] Neurotic people likely to use gaming as a way of managing or controlling negative feelings[9] as well as a method to avoid problems.[10] Neuroticism is also being associated with impulsivity.[11] This association might also mediate the process of developing an addiction to video games).[10] None of the study in the available literature found an association between Internet gaming disorder and low neuroticism.
Though present corroborate the observed trend, yet the interaction between predisposing factors and process variables related internet gaming or disorder and their etiological significance for gender can be validated using prospective cohort design to validate the observed trend as well as its implication for evolving intervention module to address the personality issues in the gamers.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgment
Science and Engineering research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Delhi, India awarded the grant to Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma.
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