52.9% of adolescents in Jordan are at risk for or have (IGD).
Males spend more time gaming and prefer competitive games, while females tend to favor fashion and dress games.
Daily gaming hours, viewing gaming as harmful, and having poor social relationships are key predictors of higher IGD scores.
Higher IGD scores are associated with increased exposure to social bullying.
Gender did not significantly predict IGD or social bullying in the final analysis.
Simplified
BACKGROUND: The global expansion of online gaming raises worries about its impact on adolescent well-being, particularly regarding (IGD) and its association with social health and bullying. This study addresses a research gap in the Middle East by exploring gender-specific trends in gaming habits, social perceptions, and the prevalence of IGD among adolescents in Jordan. Utilizing the (SCT), the study aimed to identify predictors of IGD and exposure to social bullying.
METHODS: 403 adolescents (aged 10-17) were selected from the northern Jordan in this cross-sectional, survey-based study. Participants responded to the Arabic version of the IGD-20 scale, in addition to items about their gaming habits, social perceptions, and exposure to social bullying. Furthermore, was used to measure IGD. Linear regression models were employed to identify factors predicting IGD scores and exposure to social bullying.
RESULTS: 52.9% of the participants were at risk for or had IGD. Significant gender differences were found, with males spending more time gaming (p = 0.012) and preferring competitive games, while females favored "Fashion/dress" games. Key predictors of higher IGD scores were daily gaming hours, a perception of gaming as harmful, and poor social relationships. A higher IGD score also predicted increased exposure to social bullying. Crucially, gender did not significantly predict IGD or social bullying in the final models.
CONCLUSION: Our findings, guided by SCT, suggest that gaming habits are often gender-specific, however, the core risk factors for IGD are not. Developing IGD is more closely tied to excessive gaming, poor social relationships, and exposure to bullying. So, effective measures should promote healthy gaming habits and foster strong social support systems for all adolescents, rather than exclusively targeting a specific gender. No Patient or Public Contribution.
CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
Key numbers
52.9%
Prevalence of
Proportion of adolescents at risk for or having .
3.4 hours
Daily gaming hours by gender
Average daily gaming hours for males.
2.8 hours
Daily gaming hours by gender
Average daily gaming hours for females.
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Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Jerash University (Decision no. 1/2/2024/2025 dated 23/12/2024). This approval was granted for a broader correlational study investigating the multifaceted impact of online gaming on adolescents, of which the current study is a part. Informed consent was obtained from all adolescents involved in the study after another consent from their parents/ legal guardians. Consent for publication: N/A. Competing interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
