Journal of behavioral addictionsMar 11, 2021

Depression and anxiety linked to internet gaming disorder before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Mar 30, 2026

Abstract

Videogame use and (IGD) significantly increased among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1,778 children and adolescents were studied before and during the pandemic.
Depressive and anxiety symptoms before the pandemic predicted increased IGD and videogame use during the pandemic.
The relationship between initial depressive and anxiety symptoms and later IGD was mediated by .
Only adolescents showed a significant increase in IGD severity during the pandemic, especially boys.

Simplified

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted aspects of human life globally. Playing videogames has been encouraged by several organizations to help individuals cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictive measures. This longitudinal study was the first to examine gaming in the context of the pandemic and its association with depressive and anxiety symptoms.

METHODS: The sample comprised 1,778 children and adolescents (50.7% male) who were part of the Project of School Mental Health in Southwest China. Data were collected at two-time intervals: before the COVID-19 pandemic (October to November 2019 - [T1]) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (April to May 2020 - [T2]). Data were collected on , videogame use, (IGD), and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Cross-lagged panel models were computed to examine longitudinal relationships.

RESULTS: The results indicated that both videogame use and IGD increased significantly for adolescents at T2. The cross-lagged panel model results suggested that depressive and anxiety symptoms at T1 positively predicted IGD and videogame use at T2 (especially for boys), but not inversely. Perceived COVID-19 impacts mediated the relationship between depressive and anxiety symptoms at T1 and IGD at T2.

CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents both increased videogame use at T2, but only adolescents significantly increased IGD severity at T2. The findings supported the compensatory hypothesis, and are consistent with the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model as individual responses to COVID-19 may function as a mediator between personal predisposing variables and IGD.

Key numbers

5.0%

Increase in severity

Percentage of participants with at T2 compared to T1.

33.6% of participants

Videogame use increase

Percentage of participants with increased gaming at T2.

33.6% at T1

Depressive symptoms prevalence

Percentage of participants with depressive symptoms at T1.

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Depression and anxiety linked to internet gaming disorder before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

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