Internet Gaming Disorder in the DSM-5: Personality and Individual Differences

Research that has examined the relationships between Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and personality traits has been limited by the use of instruments based on inappropriate criteria. Furthermore, the personality traits have seldom been studied concurrently, precluding an examination of the relative importance of each trait in predicting IGD. The current study aimed to address those limitations by concurrently examining the Big Five Personality Factors, sensation seeking, impulsivity, and aggression, as potential predictors of IGD. Participants were a convenience sample of 123 gamers (57.7% females). A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with age and gender in Step 1 and the personality traits in Step 2. The results showed that only impulsivity and gender significantly predicted IGD. Limitations include the conceptualization of impulsivity as a negative construct and the unreliability of the openness to experience subscale. Future research directions include using impulsivity as a core characteristic of an individual and examine its interaction with a range of affective and cognitive factors. © 2022, The Author(s).