Mestermann Stefan, Fasching Peter A, Beckmann Matthias W, Hemetsberger Jonas, Kratz Oliver, Moll Gunther H, Bailer Maximilian, Kornhuber Johannes, Lenz Bernd, Eichler Anna
Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) Erlangen Germany.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) Erlangen Germany.
Health Sci Rep. 2025 Aug 20;8(8):e71135. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.71135. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a relevant psychiatric disorder during adolescence. Excessive digital gaming has been associated with youth mental health problems. Prospective studies combining psychological and biological outcomes in childhood and adolescence are rare.
A sample of = 178 children was studied at primary school age ( = 7.7 years, t1) and during adolescence ( = 13.3 years, t2). Data was collected in mother- (t1, t2) and self-reports (t2) on screen time, gaming behavior, emotional/behavioral symptoms and biological/psychological stress. Adolescent gamers and nongamers were compared using sex-controlled (co)variance analyses and correlations with the gaming scores were carried out.
At t1, there were no differences between adolescent gamers versus nongamers. At t2, self-reports indicated elevated psychological stress ( = 0.01) and an increase in behavioral symptoms ( = 0.01) in both sexes. Furthermore, gaming girls exhibited a higher prevalence of self-reported emotional symptoms ( = 0.05); no differences were observed in mother-reports or hair cortisol concentrations. In the gaming group, more DSM-5 internet gaming disorder (IGD) symptoms at t2 were associated with higher mother-rated total symptoms and digital gaming screen time at t1 in boys ( = 0.03/0.04), higher self-rated psychological stress and more emotional/behavioral/total symptoms in boys ( = 0.002-0.02) and lower hair cortisol concentrations in girls ( = 0.003) at t2.
The phenomenon of online gaming in adolescence had no precursors in childhood, while it was associated with current mental health and stress parameters. The extent of gaming, as defined by the DSM-5 IGD symptoms, was found to be associated with screen time and mental health issues in childhood and adolescence. Consequently, it can be hypothesized that adolescent online gaming is a symptom of earlier as well as a risk factor for current mental health problems during adolescence, with specific consequences for boys and girls.
网络游戏障碍（IGD）是青少年时期一种相关的精神障碍。过度的数字游戏与青少年心理健康问题有关。结合儿童期和青少年期心理及生物学结果的前瞻性研究很少见。
对178名儿童进行了研究，他们在小学年龄（平均7.7岁，t1）和青少年期（平均13.3岁，t2）接受调查。数据通过母亲报告（t1、t2）和自我报告（t2）收集，内容包括屏幕使用时间、游戏行为、情绪/行为症状以及生物学/心理压力。使用性别控制的（协）方差分析比较青少年游戏玩家和非游戏玩家，并对游戏得分进行相关性分析。
在t1时，青少年游戏玩家和非游戏玩家之间没有差异。在t2时，自我报告显示两性的心理压力均升高（p = 0.01），行为症状增加（p = 0.01）。此外，玩游戏的女孩自我报告的情绪症状患病率更高（p = 0.05）；在母亲报告或头发皮质醇浓度方面未观察到差异。在游戏组中，t2时更多的DSM-5网络游戏障碍（IGD）症状与男孩t1时母亲评定的总症状和数字游戏屏幕使用时间更长有关（p = 0.03/0.04），与男孩自我评定的心理压力更大以及更多的情绪/行为/总症状有关（p = 0.002 - 0.02），与女孩t2时较低的头发皮质醇浓度有关（p = 0.003）。
青少年期的网络游戏现象在儿童期没有先兆，但与当前的心理健康和压力参数有关。根据DSM-5 IGD症状定义的游戏程度与儿童期和青少年期的屏幕使用时间以及心理健康问题有关。因此，可以假设青少年网络游戏既是早期心理健康问题的一种症状，也是青少年期当前心理健康问题的一个危险因素，对男孩和女孩有特定影响。
