SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Klinik ve Ruh Sağlığı Psikolojik Danışmanlığı Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 6 Sayı: 1

Digital Game Addiction as a Predictor of Meaning in Life Among Adolescents

Ergenlerde Yaşamda Anlamın Yordayıcısı Olarak Dijital Oyun Bağımlılığı

Nigar İnan0009-0001-0554-1477
Nur Akbulut Kılıçoğlu(İSTANBUL 29 MAYIS ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-0022-6427
Pages
79–97
Publication Date
2026-06-29
DOI
—
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Findings indicated that adolescents’ digital game addiction levels were generally below the moderate level.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study examined the relationship between digital game addiction and adolescents’ perceptions of meaning in life, considering selected demographic variables.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The sample consisted of 487 high school students from different school types in Istanbul, Türkiye.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Findings indicated that adolescents’ digital game addiction levels were generally below the moderate level.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Dijital oyun bağımlılığı · yaşamda anlam · ergen

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between digital game addiction and adolescents’ perceptions of meaning in life, considering selected demographic variables. The sample consisted of 487 high school students from different school types in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected using the Digital Game Addiction Scale and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, which includes the subdimensions of presence of meaning and search for meaning. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Findings indicated that adolescents’ digital game addiction levels were generally below the moderate level. Male adolescents reported significantly higher levels of digital game addiction than females. Digital game addiction was negatively associated with academic achievement but did not differ significantly by school type or grade level. Both the presence of meaning and the search for meaning were found to be at moderate levels. A significant but weak negative relationship was observed between digital game addiction and the presence of meaning in life, whereas no significant relationship was found with the search for meaning. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that digital game addiction significantly predicted lower levels of perceived meaning in life after controlling for gender, academic achievement, and daily internet use. These findings suggest that excessive digital gaming may undermine adolescents’ sense of purpose and highlight the importance of promoting balanced digital media use.

Özet

Bu çalışmada, dijital oyun bağımlılığı ile ergenlerin yaşamda anlam algıları arasındaki ilişki, seçilmiş demografik değişkenler dikkate alınarak incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın örneklemini, Türkiye’nin İstanbul ilinde farklı okul türlerinde öğrenim görmekte olan 487 lise öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Veriler, Dijital Oyun Bağımlılığı Ölçeği ile yaşamda anlamın “anlamın varlığı” ve “anlam arayışı” alt boyutlarını içeren Yaşamda Anlam Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistikler, bağımsız örneklemler t-testi, tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA), Pearson korelasyon analizi ve hiyerarşik regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, ergenlerin dijital oyun bağımlılığı düzeylerinin genel olarak orta düzeyin altında olduğunu göstermiştir. Erkek ergenlerin dijital oyun bağımlılığı düzeylerinin kızlara kıyasla anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur. Dijital oyun bağımlılığının akademik başarı ile negatif yönde ilişkili olduğu, ancak okul türü ve sınıf düzeyine göre anlamlı bir farklılık göstermediği belirlenmiştir. Yaşamda anlamın hem “anlamın varlığı” hem de “anlam arayışı” boyutlarının orta düzeyde olduğu saptanmıştır. Dijital oyun bağımlılığı ile yaşamda anlamın varlığı arasında anlamlı fakat zayıf düzeyde negatif bir ilişki bulunurken, anlam arayışı ile anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilmemiştir. Hiyerarşik regresyon analizi sonuçları, cinsiyet, akademik başarı ve günlük internet kullanımı kontrol edildikten sonra dijital oyun bağımlılığının algılanan yaşamda anlam düzeyini anlamlı biçimde negatif yönde yordadığını göstermiştir. Bu bulgular, aşırı dijital oyun kullanımının ergenlerin yaşam amaçlarını zayıflatabileceğini ve dengeli dijital medya kullanımının teşvik edilmesinin önemini ortaya koymaktadır.

🔖

Cite This Article

İnan, N., Kılıçoğlu, N. A. (2026). Digital Game Addiction as a Predictor of Meaning in Life Among Adolescents. Klinik ve Ruh Sağlığı Psikolojik Danışmanlığı Dergisi, Cilt: 6 Sayı: 1, 79–97. https://ajindex.com/articles/1619453

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (28)

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arslan, A., Kırık, A. M., Karaman, M., & Çetinkaya, A. (2015). Digital addiction among high school and university students. International Refereed Journal ofCommunication and Literary Studies, 8, 34–58.
  2. Aznar Díaz, I., Kopecký, K., Romero Rodríguez, J. M., Cáceres Reche, M. P., & Trujillo Torres, J. M. (2020). Patologías asociadas al uso problemático de internet. Una revisión sistemática y metaanálisis en WOS y Scopus. Investigación bibliotecológica, 34(82), 229-253.
  3. Bronk, K. C. (2014). Purpose in life: A critical component ofoptimal youth development. Springer Science & Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7491-9
  4. Büyüköztürk, Ş., Kılıç Çakmak, E., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2017). Scientific research methods (23rd ed.). Pegem Academy.
  5. Demirbaş Çelik, N., & Gazioğlu, E. İ. (2015). Meaning in life scale–high school form: Turkish validity and reliability study. Journal of Measurement and Evaluation in Education and Psychology, 6(1), 42–60.
  6. Ferguson, C. J. (2015). Do angry birds make for angry children? A meta-analysis of video game influences on children's and adolescents' aggression, mental health, prosocial behavior, and academic performance. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(5), 646-666. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615592234
  7. Frankl, V. E. (2020). Man’s search for meaning (S. Budak, Trans.; 78th ed.). Okuyan Us.
  8. Gao, Y.-X., Wang, J.-Y., & Dong, G. (2022). The prevalence and possible risk factors of internet gaming disorder among adolescents and young adults: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 154, 154-164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.049
  9. Griffiths, M. (2005). A “components” model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework. Journal of Substance Use, 10(4), 191–197.
  10. Hamama, L., & Hamama-Raz, Y. (2021). Meaning in Life, Self-Control, Positive and Negative Affect: Exploring Gender Differences Among Adolescents. Y outh & Society, 53(5), 699–722. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X19883736
  11. Han, T. S., Cho, H. C., Sung, D. S., & Park, M. P. (2022). A systematic review of the impact of COVID-19 on the game addiction of children and adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 976601. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.976601
  12. Kardefelt-Winther, D. (2014). A conceptual and methodological critique of internet addiction research: Towards a model of compensatory internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 351-354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.059
  13. Kiang, L., & Fuligni, A. J. (2010). Meaning in life as a mediator of ethnic identity and adjustment among adolescents from Latin, Asian, and European American backgrounds. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(11), 1253- 1264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9475-z
  14. Király, O., Potenza, M. N., Stein, D. J., King, D. L., Hodgins, D. C., Saunders, J. B.,. & Demetrovics, Z. (2020). Preventing problematic internet use during the COVID-19 pandemic: Consensus guidance. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 100, 152180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2020.152180
  15. Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Internet gaming addiction: A systematic review of empirical research. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 10(2), 278-296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-011- 9318-5 Lemmens, J. S., Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2009). Development and validation of a game addiction scale for adolescents. Media Psychology, 12(1), 77–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213260802669458
  16. Moksnes, U. K., Løhre, A., & Espnes, G. A. (2013). The association between sense of coherence and life satisfaction in adolescents. Quality of life research: an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 22(6), 1331–1338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-012-0249-9
  17. Paulus, F. W., Ohmann, S., von Gontard, A., & Popow, C. (2018). Internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 60(7), 645-659. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.13754
  18. Rathi, N., & Rastogi, R. (2007). Meaning in life and psychological well-being in pre-adolescents and adolescents. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 33(1), 31–38.
  19. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press.
  20. Seon, Y., & Smith-Adcock, S. (2023). Adolescents’ Meaning in Life as a Resilience Factor Between Bullying Victimization and Life Satisfaction. Children and Youth Services Review, 148, 106875–106875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106875
  21. Steger, M. F. (2012). Experiencing meaning in life: Optimal functioning at the nexus of well-being, psychopathology, and spirituality. In P. T. P. Wong (Ed.), The human quest for meaning: Theories, research, and applications (2nd ed., pp. 165–184). Routledge.
  22. Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(1), 80–93.
  23. Stevens, M. W., Dorstyn, D., Delfabbro, P. H., & King, D. L. (2021). Global prevalence of gaming disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 55(6), 553-568. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867420962851
  24. Su, W., Han, X., Yu, H., Wu, Y., & Potenza, M. N. (2020). Do men become addicted to internet gaming and women to social media? A meta-analysis examining gender-related differences in specific internet addiction. Computers in Human Behavior, 113, 106480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106480
  25. World Health Organization. (2019). International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems (11th ed.). https://icd.who.int/browse11
  26. Király, O., Potenza, M. N., Stein, D. J., King, D. L., Hodgins, D. C., Saunders, J. B.,. & Demetrovics, Z. (2020). Preventing problematic internet use during the COVID-19 pandemic: Consensus guidance. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 100, 152180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2020.152180
  27. Moksnes, U. K., Løhre, A., & Espnes, G. A. (2013). The association between sense of coherence and life satisfaction in adolescents. Quality of life research: an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 22(6), 1331–1338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-012-0249-9
  28. Paulus, F. W., Ohmann, S., von Gontard, A., & Popow, C. (2018). Internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 60(7), 645-659. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.13754