Abstract List

Title: The Impact of COVID-19 on Problematic Gaming Behaviors in South Korea- Comparison between 2018 and 2020

1. Dongil Kim, PhD. Department of Education, Seoul National University 2. Yeyoung Woo, graduate student, Department of Education, Seoul National University 3. Chanhoon Park, graduate student, Department of Education, Seoul National University 4. Subin Son, graduate student, Department of Education, Seoul National University 5. Dasom Han, graduate student, Department of Education, Seoul National University

§ Aims:

The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of COVID-19 on problematic gaming behaviors and raise the need for strengthened intervention by verifying whether there are significant differences in gaming usage time and problematic gaming behaviors between 2018 and 2020 data,

§ Methods:

A total of 6466 teenagers in South Korea participated in the survey through the survey agency (3317 in 2018 and 3149 in 2020). We measured Internet gaming and smartphone gaming usage time and conducted Maladaptive Game Use Scale and Game product evaluation scale. Through these measures, total score and sub-factor scores related to problematic gaming behaviors were obtained. Using these measurements, the scores for 2018 and 2020 were calculated and independent sample t-test was performed to compare the mean between 2018 and 2020.

§ Results:

First, overall gaming usage time in 2020 including PC online gaming and smartphone gaming increased significantly both on weekdays and holidays. Second, the total score of MGUS, which indicates the level of problematic gaming behaviors, increased significantly in 2020. In terms of problematic game usage scores, the number of people who use the game continued to increase statistically significantly in 2020, except for neglect of daily life scores. Third, there was no significant change in the results of Game product evaluation scale.

§ Conclusion:

Differences in problematic gaming behavior before and after COVID-19 pandemic have been significantly identified. From the results, it can be inferred that it is important to strengthen the intervention for problematic gaming behaviors nowadays.

Title: Association between self-restraint behavior, stigma, depressive tendency and internet addiction in office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan

Ryoko Katsuki, M.A., Hiroaki Kubo, M.A., Itsuki Yamakawa, Ph.D., Naotaka Shinfuku, M.D., Ph.D., Norman Sartorius, M.D., Ph.D., Shinji Sakamoto, Ph.D., Takahiro A. Kato, M.D., Ph.D.

Aims: We aimed to reveal the relationships between self-restraint behavior (SRB) during the pandemic of COVID-19, and associated factors such as governmental policies, each individual’s social background and mental condition including Internet Addiction.

Methods: 1053 office workers in Japan participated in an online survey in June 2020 and of those 800 responded to follow-up survey in December 2020. We assessed COVID-19-related aspects (the degree of SRB, motivation for SRB, stigma, anxiety and depressive feelings due to COVID-19), general mental health status (social anxiety, depressive tendency, depression-related personality traits, resilience, and Internet dependency).

Results: Regional comparison showed significant differences in SRB and social anxiety. People in epidemic areas tend to refrain from going out. Conversely, people in non-epidemic areas tend to shun the public eye. Regardless of epidemic status, proactive SRB was associated with higher motivation for SRB, higher social anxiety, higher depressive tendency, stronger COVID-19-related psychological factors, and lower resilience. Moreover, people with proactive SRB in non-epidemic areas had the highest depressive tendency. Interestingly, Internet dependency was significantly lower in the group that went out less frequently.

Conclusions: We herein propose the following hypothesis: higher level of depressive tendency may enhance proactive SRB, which may be partly associated with higher levels of stigma, anxiety and depressive feelings related to COVID-19. In addition, proactive SRB may be associated with avoidance of external connections (indirect communication), including the Internet.

Intervention for depressive tendency in non-clinical settings (e.g., workplaces) may help citizens understand the infectious situation appropriately and behave effectively during the pandemic.

Keywords (5): depression; social anxiety; COVID-19-related stigma; self-restraint behavior; internet addiction

Title: Types of Internet Addiction Based on Cluster Analysis among Adolescents

WEI-CHE CHANG M.S.,1,2, HUEI-CHEN KO Ph.D.,1,2,3,4*

1 Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taiwan 2Center for Prevention and Treatment of Internet Addiction, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan 3 Institute of Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. 4 Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.

"Title: Types of Internet Addiction Based on Cluster Analysis among Adolescents

WEI-CHE CHANG1,2, HUEI-CHEN KO1,2,3,4*

1 Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taiwan

2Center for Prevention and Treatment of Internet Addiction, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan

3 Institute of Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.

4 Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.

Aims:

Previous studies have found that the distinct subtypes of internet addiction (IA) and smartphone addiction (SA) are associated and might exist stand-alone or overlapped. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidences about the commonality and differentiation among comorbidity subtypes. This research aimed to distinguish different subtypes of IA/SA via cluster analysis and further investigate psychological antecedents among

comorbidity subtypes.

Methods: A total of 1,292 adolescents, sampled from junior and senior high schools (45.28% female) completed a comprehensive survey. The gender distributions of this sample closely equaled to the Taiwanese adolescent student population.

Results: Participants were divided into addicted and non-addicted groups according to the cut-off points for the generalized IA, SA, online gaming addiction (OGA), or social networking site addiction (SNSA). Furthermore, four subtypes of the addicted were identified by performing cluster analysis, including the ‘multiple AG,’ ‘SA/OGA,’ ‘SA/SNSA,’ and ‘pure SA.’ All of the addicted groups reported severer avoidant coping styles, depression, social anxiety than the non-addicted group. However, each of the addicted cluster showed increased positive outcome expectancy and decreased refusal self-efficacy relating to respective specific content use. Additionally, higher male proportions in ‘multiple AG’ and ‘SA/OGA’ whereas higher female proportions in ‘SA/SNSA’ were revealed.

Conclusions: This research suggests that SA is not stand-alone and is probably comorbid with the IA, SNSA, and OGA. Additionally, avoidant coping styles, depression, and social anxiety are general antecedents, while gender, respective use expectancy and refusal self-efficacy are specific antecedents to SA subtypes.

Keywords: internet addiction, smartphone addiction, online gaming addiction, SNS addiction, comorbidity subtypes

Title: Internet Addiction and Personality Traits

Aims: This meta-analysis study examined the associations between personality traits and internet addiction.

Methods: Articles were identified and retrieved from databases and reviewed for inclusion based on the selection criteria. Random effects models with the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method were used to examine the associations of internet addiction with seven personality traits, including openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, psychoticism, and lie (OCEAN-PL). Forest plots with summary measures were produced to examine the between-study heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis was performed to further investigate the contributions of moderators to the observed between-study heterogeneity. Egger’s test was used to assess funnel plot asymmetry for detecting possible biases.

Results: An overall sample of 34,438 participants from 37 studies were included for data analysis. According to the pooled results, internet addiction was associated positively with neuroticism and psychoticism, but negatively with conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and lie. Among the tested moderators, geographic region and publication language significantly moderated the associations of internet addiction with agreeableness and neuroticism, and openness and extraversion, respectively. No small-study effect was present for all personality traits OCEAN-PL, except neuroticism.

Conclusion: In general, higher levels of neurotic and psychotic; and less conscientious, extraverted, agreeable, untruthful traits are related to internet addiction.

Keywords: internet addiction, personality traits, meta-analysis