Epidemiology of Problem Gaming: Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends

Matthew W.R. Stevens; Paul H. Delfabbro; Daniel L. King

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6_16

Epidemiology of Problem Gaming: Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends

Matthew W.R. Stevens
, Paul H. Delfabbro
, Daniel L. King

College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

Video games have transformed from a niche entertainment form to a globally popular pastime enjoyed by over one-third of the world’s population. The health and social consequences of gaming can vary greatly and depend on a range of individual and social factors, as well as structural characteristics of the game itself. This chapter explores industry developments that have led to wider adoption of gaming and critically examines the psychological, social, and health implications of digital game play. This chapter will discuss the motivations, patterns, and potential risks associated with gaming, highlighting the dual nature of gaming as both adaptive and potentially problematic under certain conditions. This chapter will summarize research on the prevalence of problem gaming based on population studies and meta-analytic reviews. The chapter aims to provide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers with a balanced overview of modern gaming from a public health perspective.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Social and Affective Neuroscience of Gaming
Subtitle of host publication	Insights from Fundamentals to Public Mental Health Applications
Editors	Lucas Marques, Ricardo Riyoiti Uchida, Pedro Makoto Uchida, Victor Henrique Oyamada Otani, Joao Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci
Place of Publication	Cham, Switzerland
Publisher	Springer Nature
Chapter	16
Pages	277-288
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Electronic)	9783032003256
ISBN (Print)	9783032003249
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6_16
Publication status	Published - 2025

Keywords

Gaming
Problem gaming
Psychological impacts
Public health
Social impacts

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6_16Licence: In Copyright

https://rdcu.be/eT8o0Licence: In Copyright

Cite this

Stevens, M. W. R., Delfabbro, P. H., & King, D. L. (2025). Epidemiology of Problem Gaming: Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends. In L. Marques, R. R. Uchida, P. M. Uchida, V. H. O. Otani, & J. R. N. Vissoci (Eds.), Social and Affective Neuroscience of Gaming: Insights from Fundamentals to Public Mental Health Applications (pp. 277-288). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6_16

Stevens, Matthew W.R. ; Delfabbro, Paul H. ; King, Daniel L. / Epidemiology of Problem Gaming : Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends. Social and Affective Neuroscience of Gaming: Insights from Fundamentals to Public Mental Health Applications. editor / Lucas Marques ; Ricardo Riyoiti Uchida ; Pedro Makoto Uchida ; Victor Henrique Oyamada Otani ; Joao Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci. Cham, Switzerland : Springer Nature, 2025. pp. 277-288

@inbook{6ffb987df6a84bb9a0d273513c673b92,

title = "Epidemiology of Problem Gaming: Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends",

abstract = "Video games have transformed from a niche entertainment form to a globally popular pastime enjoyed by over one-third of the world{\textquoteright}s population. The health and social consequences of gaming can vary greatly and depend on a range of individual and social factors, as well as structural characteristics of the game itself. This chapter explores industry developments that have led to wider adoption of gaming and critically examines the psychological, social, and health implications of digital game play. This chapter will discuss the motivations, patterns, and potential risks associated with gaming, highlighting the dual nature of gaming as both adaptive and potentially problematic under certain conditions. This chapter will summarize research on the prevalence of problem gaming based on population studies and meta-analytic reviews. The chapter aims to provide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers with a balanced overview of modern gaming from a public health perspective.",

keywords = "Gaming, Problem gaming, Psychological impacts, Public health, Social impacts",

author = "Stevens, \{Matthew W.R.\} and Delfabbro, \{Paul H.\} and King, \{Daniel L.\}",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6\_16",

language = "English",

isbn = "9783032003249",

pages = "277--288",

editor = "Lucas Marques and Uchida, \{Ricardo Riyoiti\} and Uchida, \{Pedro Makoto\} and Otani, \{Victor Henrique Oyamada\} and Vissoci, \{Joao Ricardo Nickenig\}",

booktitle = "Social and Affective Neuroscience of Gaming",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

address = "Germany",

}

Stevens, MWR, Delfabbro, PH & King, DL 2025, Epidemiology of Problem Gaming: Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends. in L Marques, RR Uchida, PM Uchida, VHO Otani & JRN Vissoci (eds), Social and Affective Neuroscience of Gaming: Insights from Fundamentals to Public Mental Health Applications. Springer Nature, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 277-288. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6_16

Epidemiology of Problem Gaming: Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends. / Stevens, Matthew W.R.; Delfabbro, Paul H.; King, Daniel L.
Social and Affective Neuroscience of Gaming: Insights from Fundamentals to Public Mental Health Applications. ed. / Lucas Marques; Ricardo Riyoiti Uchida; Pedro Makoto Uchida; Victor Henrique Oyamada Otani; Joao Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2025. p. 277-288.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Epidemiology of Problem Gaming

T2 - Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends

AU - Stevens, Matthew W.R.

AU - Delfabbro, Paul H.

AU - King, Daniel L.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Video games have transformed from a niche entertainment form to a globally popular pastime enjoyed by over one-third of the world’s population. The health and social consequences of gaming can vary greatly and depend on a range of individual and social factors, as well as structural characteristics of the game itself. This chapter explores industry developments that have led to wider adoption of gaming and critically examines the psychological, social, and health implications of digital game play. This chapter will discuss the motivations, patterns, and potential risks associated with gaming, highlighting the dual nature of gaming as both adaptive and potentially problematic under certain conditions. This chapter will summarize research on the prevalence of problem gaming based on population studies and meta-analytic reviews. The chapter aims to provide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers with a balanced overview of modern gaming from a public health perspective.

AB - Video games have transformed from a niche entertainment form to a globally popular pastime enjoyed by over one-third of the world’s population. The health and social consequences of gaming can vary greatly and depend on a range of individual and social factors, as well as structural characteristics of the game itself. This chapter explores industry developments that have led to wider adoption of gaming and critically examines the psychological, social, and health implications of digital game play. This chapter will discuss the motivations, patterns, and potential risks associated with gaming, highlighting the dual nature of gaming as both adaptive and potentially problematic under certain conditions. This chapter will summarize research on the prevalence of problem gaming based on population studies and meta-analytic reviews. The chapter aims to provide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers with a balanced overview of modern gaming from a public health perspective.

KW - Gaming

KW - Problem gaming

KW - Psychological impacts

KW - Public health

KW - Social impacts

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022383898

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6_16

DO - 10.1007/978-3-032-00325-6_16

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:105022383898

SN - 9783032003249

SP - 277

EP - 288

BT - Social and Affective Neuroscience of Gaming

A2 - Marques, Lucas

A2 - Uchida, Ricardo Riyoiti

A2 - Uchida, Pedro Makoto

A2 - Otani, Victor Henrique Oyamada

A2 - Vissoci, Joao Ricardo Nickenig

PB - Springer Nature

CY - Cham, Switzerland

ER -

Epidemiology of Problem Gaming: Prevalence, Patterns, and Trends

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this