Examination of the relationship between internet gaming disorder and internet addiction, psychological inflexibility, and hopelessness in university students

The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive relationships between internet gaming disorder and internet addiction, psychological inflexibility and hopelessness in college students. The study group of the research consists of students studying at the colleges in the years 2021-2022. Relational screening model was used in the research. A total of 642 university students, 464 women and 178 men, participated in the study. Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short Form (IGDSSF9-SF), Short Form of Young Internet Addiction Test (YIAT-SF), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2 (AAQ-2) and Personal Information Form prepared by the researcher were used. Independent samples t-test, one-way variance analysis (ANOVA), Person moment product correlation technique and multiple linear regression analysis were used. In the study, there was no significant difference between the internet gaming disorder point averages of college students according to romantic relationship status, number of siblings, daily sleep time and regular physical activity. Males were found to have higher levels of internet gaming disorder than famales. Internet gaming disorder levels of the participants whose mothers were high school graduates and mothers graduated from university or higher education level were found to be significantly higher than those whose mothers were primary school graduates. Internet gaming disorder levels of the participants whose fathers graduated from university or higher education level were found to be significantly higher than those whose fathers were primary school graduates. It has been determined that internet gaming disorder differs significantly according to weekday/weekend gaming time. Internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who stated that they did not play games on weekdays/weekends were lower than those who played less than 1 hour, 1-3 hours and more than 3 hours. Internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who stated that they played less than 1 hour on weekdays/weekends were also lower than the participants who played between 1-3 hours and more than 3 hours. Internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who stated that they played 1-3 hours on the weekend were lower than the participants who stated that they played more than 3 hours. It was determined that the level of internet gaming disorder of the participants who stated that they were eating regularly was lower than the participants who stated that they sometimes fed regularly and did not eat regularly. Internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who stated that they do not play games are lower than those who use desktop/ laptop computers and smart phones/tablet/ game consoles to play games. Internet gaming disorder levels of participants who use smartphones/tablets/game consoles to play games are lower than those who use desktop/laptop computers. Internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who stated that they did not play games were found to be lower than the participants who preferred FPS, MOBA/MMORPG, Battle Royale and other game types. In addition, the internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who stated that they preferred other games outside the categories were found to be lower than the participants who preferred the FPS and MOBA/MMORPG game type. It was determined that the internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who stated that they did not have motivation to play games were lower than the internet gaming disorder levels of the participants who had motivation to play games. A positive and significant relationship was found between internet gaming disorder and internet addiction, psychological inflexibility and hopelessness. Significant positive correlations were found between Internet addiction and psychological inflexibility and hopelessness, and between psychological inflexibility and hopelessness. As a result of the research, it was found that internet addiction, psychological inflexibility and hopelessness were predictive effects on internet gaming disorder.