Prevalence of internet gaming disorder and its association with loneliness and leisure boredom among Malaysian gamers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Although Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has been widely studied globally, its prevalence and psychosocial correlates in Malaysia, particularly in relationship to the COVID-19 pandemic, remain underexplored. This study therefore investigated IGD prevalence among Malaysian gamers and its associations with loneliness subtypes (emotional and social) and leisure boredom during the pandemic. A survey of 432 Malaysian gamers (mean age = 21.06 ± 2.90 years; 59.3% male) revealed a 19% prevalence rate of IGD, indicating that nearly one in five participants exhibited problematic gaming behaviors. Notably, the study found that emotional loneliness is a significant risk factor for IGD, while social loneliness and leisure boredom were not significantly associated. Daily gaming exceeding five hours was strongly linked to IGD, underscoring the importance of monitoring gaming duration. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions addressing emotional support systems and time-management strategies to mitigate IGD risks in post-pandemic contexts. The discovery that emotional loneliness, rather than social factors or boredom, is a key driver suggests interventions should focus on fostering deeper emotional connections to reduce reliance on gaming as a coping mechanism.
Source: Journal of Muslim Mental Health
DOI: 10.3998/jmmh.2374
Authors: Nor Ba'yah Abdul Kadir, Nur Laila Azzwa Nordin, Rusyda Helma Mohd, Mark D Griffiths
Institutions: National University of Malaysia, Nottingham Trent University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412670824