Relationship between Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Alexithymia Symptoms among University Students

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between Internet gaming disorder (IGD) symptom severity with probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and alexithymia symptoms, whilecontrolling anxiety and depression symptoms. The cross-sectional online study was conducted with 987 volunteer university students in Ankara, Turkey. Age was lower and first Internet use was earlier among the groupwith probable ADHD (n=166, 16.8%) than that without (n=821, 83.2%). There were no significant differencesin gender or romantic relationship status between these groups, whereas the scale scores, duration of dailyInternet gaming, and problems related to Internet gaming were higher in the probable ADHD group. ProbableADHD, continuous scores on alexithymia (particularly “difficulty identifying feelings” [DIF] and “externallyoriented thinking” [EOT] dimensions), depression, and anxiety symptoms were associated with higher severityof IGD symptoms. ADHD, alexithymia (as a binary variable), depression, and anxiety predicted the severityof IGD symptoms, although these effects involving probable ADHD and alexithymia did not interact. Thesefindings suggest that probable ADHD and both the severity of alexithymia (particularly DIF and EOT dimensions) and presence of probable alexithymia are related with the severity of IGD symptoms, even whencontrolling the effects of depression and anxiety, among university students.