The mediating role of psychological resilience in the effect of psychiatric symptoms on gaming disorder

This study investigated whether psychological resilience mediates the relationship between psychiatric symptoms and Internet Gaming Disorder. The study was conducted by administering the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Adult Resilience Scales to young adults aged 18-30 years residing in Turkey in 2023. In addition, the differences between Internet gaming disorder and various demographic variables were discussed. The study revealed that psychiatric symptoms predicted Internet gaming disorder, and when psychological resilience was added to the model as a moderator, the predictive effect of psychiatric symptoms on Internet gaming disorder decreased. As a result, psychological resilience was found to have a partial mediating role in the effect of psychiatric symptoms on Internet gaming disorder. Considering the strengths of individuals in psycho-educational studies to be developed against Internet gaming disorder and using interventions to improve psychological resilience in this framework may contribute to achieving more positive results. In conclusion, the findings were discussed on the basis of the data in the literature.