Gaming addiction may not exist, new research reveals.
Out of a study’s 2,316 self-confessed gaming-addict participants, only nine met the five or more criteria necessary for an addiction diagnosis.
After six months, none of the participants fulfilled the criteria, which suggests the ‘gamers’ used the habit as a temporary distraction from aspects of their life they were unhappy with, the researchers suggest.
Lead author Dr Netta Weinstein from Cardiff University, said: ‘We didn’t see a large number of people with clinical problems.
‘Having more needs fulfillment in life can make people feel better about their gaming.’
