Online gaming addiction has been increasingly recognized as a mental disorder. However, the predictive
factors that lead to online gaming addiction are not well established. The aim of this study was to identify
factors that may influence the development of online gaming addiction. A total of 263 patients with problematic
online gaming addiction (255 males (97%) and 8 females (3%), age: mean = 20.4 ± 5.8 years)
and153 healthy comparison subjects (118 males (77%) and 35 females (23%), age: 21.2 ± 5.5 years, range)
were recruited for participation in the current study. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses among each
set of variables were conducted. Individual factors (sex and age), cognitive factors (IQ and perseverative
errors), psychopathological conditions (ADHD, depression, anxiety, and impulsivity), and social interaction
factors (family environment, social anxiety, and self-esteem) were evaluated in a stepwise fashion.
All four factors were associated with online gaming addiction, with psychopathological conditions being
the strongest risk factors for the addiction. Individual factors, psychological factors, and social interactions
were associated with the development of pure online gaming addiction. As before, psychological
factors (attention, mood, anxiety and impulsivity) were the strongest risk factors for online gaming addiction
in patients with pure online gaming addiction. Psychopathologies, including ADHD and depression,
were the strongest factors associated with the development of online gaming addiction in individuals.