Problematic gaming in occasional, low, intermediate or heavy use gamers - not all screen time is created equal - a reanalysis

Despite having received increasing attention over the past decade, little is known about the factors that can increase or decrease symptoms of problematic gaming (PG) in individuals with different video gaming (VG) habits (e.g., occasional use gamers vs heavy use gamers). Here, we apply a specification curve analysis to assess the impact of changes in two key risk factors, gaming consumption and impulsivity, as well as one protective factor, family environment, on changes in PG symptoms over 2 years in a large sample of Singaporean adolescents between 2007 and 2009. By considering individual differences in baseline video game habits, we show that changes in VG consumption influenced changes in PG in adolescents who reported not usually playing games at study inception (i.e., occasional use gamers), whereas changes in impulsivity influenced PG symptoms in those who reported being the most heavy use gamers at study inception. These findings highlight the importance of designing preventive measures that differ as a function of current video game habits. Possible measures may involve introducing gaming progressively (e.g., through setting age-appropriate limits or structured scaffolding with parents) to improve symptoms of tolerance and preoccupation in occasional use gamers while promoting self-control early in development before gaming can become a problematic habit.