Analysis of the Relationship between Internet Addiction and Digital Game Playing: A Study on University Students Engaged and Not Engaged in Sports

Abstract

The research aimed to investigate the relationship between internet addiction and digital gaming, as well as the associations of these relationships with demographic factors. A total of 405 university students participated voluntarily in the study, comprising 220 females and 185 males, with an average age of 22.48 years. Among the participants, 224 were engaged in sporting activities, with an average weekly duration of 7 hours, while 181 did not participate in any sporting activities. Of those engaged in sporting activities, 88 participated in team sports, and 136 participated in individual sports. The study utilized the "Personal Information Form," "Internet Addiction Scale," and "Digital Gaming Scale," and the obtained results were evaluated at a significance level of p < 0.050. Data were collected through an online survey administered to undergraduate students after obtaining ethical approval from the institutional review board. The reliability of the study was assessed according to Cronbach's Alpha criteria, indicating high reliability of the measurement tools used. Furthermore, it was observed that internet addiction and digital gaming scales fell within normative limits, indicating a normal distribution of the dataset. Parametric tests were applied considering the normal distribution of the data. Independent samples t-tests were conducted for discrete variables, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed for continuous variables, with p-values evaluated at a significance level of 0.050. The effect sizes of independent variables on dependent variables were assessed using Cohen’s d. The results revealed a positive relationship between internet addiction and digital gaming, indicating an increase in digital gaming tendency with the escalation of internet addiction. It was also noted that participation in sports activities, particularly team sports, was associated with higher interest in digital gaming, suggesting the positive impact of sports on psychosocial health. Although gender did not significantly influence internet addiction, males demonstrated a higher inclination towards digital gaming. Ownership of personal computers was found to increase tendencies towards digital gaming, while age exhibited a negative relationship with these factors. The effects of participation in sports activities, types of sports activities, ownership of personal computers, and residence type on internet addiction and digital gaming were assessed using Cohen’s d values, indicating weak to moderate effect sizes. Gender and the type of device used demonstrated weak, moderate, and high-level effects on internet addiction and digital gaming. In conclusion, these findings underscore the variability of internet addiction and digital gaming tendencies based on various sociodemographic factors. To maintain a healthy balance between digital gaming and internet usage, it is essential to establish a specific "screen time limit" within daily activities and strive not to exceed this limit. When setting this limit, individual needs, daily responsibilities, and social interactions should be considered to maintain a balanced digital lifestyle. Moreover, it is recommended to develop educational programs on digital literacy and internet usage for children, adolescents, and families, aiming to foster healthy digital habits and prevent internet addiction.