What increases the risk of gamers being addicted? An integrated network model of personality–emotion–motivation of gaming disorder

Numerous prior studies have explored the risk and protective factors underlying the progress of gaming disorder (GD). However, no study has yet investigated the interactions among these psychological variables and their potential direct or indirect connections with GD in an integrated model. Therefore, the present study used network analysis to examine the complex inter-relations between variables, including personality traits, negative emotions, and motivations, and to identify the distal and proximal factors of GD. A total of 573 adults were recruited online to complete self-reported questionnaires. The results showed that immersion motivation had the closest connection with GD, followed by difficulties in emotion regulation (DERS), and then physical aggression. Negative emotions, including depression, anxiety, and stress, were connected to GD through DERS. Personality traits, especially neuroticism, self-esteem, and anger-proneness had a connection with GD through negative emotions first and then DERS. These findings suggested that motivations were the proximal factors, whereas personality traits were the distal factors, and negative emotions were the intermediate factors of GD. The implications for practice and future research are further discussed.