Neuroticism and introversion mediates the relationship between probable ADHD and symptoms of Internet gaming disorder: results of an online survey

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship of probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with severity of the Internet gaming disorder (IGD), neuroticism and extraversion.

METHODS: The study was conducted with online survey among 457 volunteered university students in Ankara and people who play games on the Internet and who are in the e-mail database of a company located in Istanbul that organizes e-sports tournaments. Participants were evaluated by applying the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1), the 9-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire RevisedAbbreviated Form (EPQR-A).

RESULTS: Age was lower among those with the probable ADHD (n = 102, 22.3%) and those without (n = 355, 77.7%). Gender, educational status, and type of the participants did not differ between the groups. Severity of IGD symptoms and neuroticism were higher among those with the probable ADHD, whereas extraversion was lower. In logistic regression analysis, severity of IGD symptoms predicted the probable ADHD in the first Step, whereas when extraversion and neuroticism were included in the analysis as independent variables, low extraversion (introversion) and high neuroticism predicted the probable ADHD and severity of IGD symptoms was no longer a predictor.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the severity of IGD symptoms is related with the probable ADHD and low extraversion (introversion) and high neuroticism may have mediator effect on this relationship.