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Safer esports for players, spectators, and bettors: Issues, challenges, and policy recommendations

Author(s): Andrea Czakó,Orsolya Király,Patrik Koncz,Shu M. Yu,Harshdeep S. Mangat / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: esport; videogame playing; gambling; betting; problematic gaming; policy

The present paper provides an overview of the possible risks, harms, and challenges that might arise with the development of the esports field and pose a threat to professional esports players, spectators, bettors and videogame players, including underage players. These include physical and mental health issues, gambling and gambling-like elements associated with videogames and esports, the challenges arising from pursuing a career in esports, the unique difficulties women face, and a need for supporting professional esports players. It briefly discusses possible responses and suggestions regarding how to address and mitigate these negative consequences. It emphasizes the need for cooperation and collaboration between various stakeholders: researchers, policymakers, regulators, the gaming industry, esports organizations, healthcare and treatment providers, educational institutes and the need for further evidence-based information.

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Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of treatment interventions for Internet use disorders: Critical analysis of the methodical quality according to the PRISMA guidelines

Author(s): Lara Basenach,Babette Renneberg,Harriet Salbach,Michael Dreier,Klaus Wölfling / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: Internet use disorder; SRMA of treatment intervention for IUD; evaluation of reporting quality

As a result of concerns about predominantly online behavioral addictions, an increasing number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMA) of treatment interventions for internet use disorders (IUD) are being recorded. This review was designed to (a) systematically identify the evidence base of SRMA and to (b) critically appraise the quality of reporting according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Four databases were searched until August 2022 to systematically identify SRMA. PRISMA indicators were evaluated on a three-level response format to obtain an overall score operationalizing the quality of reporting (score range: 0–84). Additionally, the percentage of adherence to the PRISMA indicators was calculated. Reporting quality of 23 SRMA, comprising 12 systematic reviews and 11 meta-analyses was evaluated. Quality scores ranged from 25 to 77 (M: 52.91; SD: 17.46). Results of the critical appraisal revealed deviations from the PRISMA indicators, including missing information on (a) registration of a study protocol, (b) statistical synthesis methods (c) evaluation of certainty of evidence, and (d) risk of bias assessment. Eleven (47.83%) of the SRMAs partially adhered, and twelve (52.17%) completely adhered to the PRISMA indicators. This first critical appraisal on the reporting quality of SRMA on treatment interventions for IUD highlights limitations of the evidence base. Inadequate reporting compromises the practical utility and validity of SRMA and may complicate ongoing efforts of consensus on evidence-based interventions for IUD. Future research should focus on sufficient and transparent reporting of the methodological approach.

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The concept of recovery in gaming disorder: A scoping review

Author(s): Belle Gavriel-Fried,Meytal Serry,Dana Katz,Dorottya Hidvégi,Zsolt Demetrovics,Orsolya Király / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: gaming disorder; recovery; scoping review; improvement; treatment; interventions

Recovery from mental health and behavioral disorders is classically defined as a reduction in symptoms. More recent definitions see it as a process in which individuals improve their health, wellness and other life domains. The inclusion of gaming disorder (GD) in the 11th International Classification of Diseases in 2019 prompted growing interest in GD. However, relatively little is known about recovery from GD, and there is scant literature describing or assessing its course. This scoping review was designed to explore the state of the art on recovery from GD (e.g., terminology and measures used to assess recovery, main topics in studies about recovery from GD). PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched and critically reviewed according to PRISMA guidelines. We included empirical studies in English covering individuals across all age groups who met the diagnostic criteria of GD/internet gaming disorder (IGD) according to valid scales that relate to recovery or any change, and were published before February 2022. A total of 47 out of 966 studies met the inclusion criteria. Recovery as a concept is not explicitly mentioned in GD studies. Rather, changes in subjects' disorders are described in terms of decreases/reductions in symptom severity, or improvement/increases. These changes are primarily measured by scales that evaluate symptom reduction and/or improvement in GD and other psychopathologies. The concept of recovery is included in the GD field but is not clearly mentioned or used. Therapists and researchers should aim to promote and integrate the notion of recovery in GD.

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Craving in gambling disorder: A systematic review

Author(s): Núria Mallorqui-Bagué,Gemma Mestre-Bach,Giulia Testa / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: gambling disorder; craving; diagnosis; treatment; assessment

Craving is one of the main criteria for the diagnosis of substance use disorder according to the DSM-5; however, it is not included in the main criteria for gambling disorder (GD). In the present systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the available body of knowledge regarding gambling craving to help step forward to a consensus regarding this topic. PsycINFO/PsycARTICLES and PubMed/Medline were used. (1) individuals of both genders who had a clinical diagnosis of GD in which the presence of gambling craving were studied by means of tasks or self-report tools; (2) we included three types of studies: (a) validation articles of craving psychometric tools in which GD was assessed; (b) articles in which craving–GD association was explored; and (c) treatment articles for GD in which craving was assessed. n = 63 studies were finally included in the systematic review. Some studies described an association between craving- and gambling-related factors, and craving was also described as a predictor of GD severity, gambling episodes, chasing persistence and income-generating offenses. Gambling craving also seems to be associated with emotional states and negative urgency. Finally, some studies implemented specific interventions for GD and assessed its impact on reducing gambling craving. There is a growing body of knowledge on the relevant role of craving in gambling behavior and GD. Further studies are needed to reach a consensus on the diagnostic criterion for GD.

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Brain structural co-development is associated with internalizing symptoms two years later in the ABCD cohort

Author(s): Yihong Zhao,Martin Paulus,Marc N. Potenza / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: screen media activity; addictive behaviors; brain co-development pattern; internalizing behavior; substance use problems; addiction circuit

Background and aims. About 1/3 of youth spend more than four hours/day engaged in screen media activity (SMA). This investigation utilized longitudinal brain imaging and mediation analyses to examine relationships among SMA, brain patterns, and internalizing problems. Methods. Data from Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) participants with baseline and two-year follow-up structural imaging data that passed quality control (N = 5,166; 2,385 girls) were analyzed. Joint and Individual Variation Explained (JIVE) identified a brain co-development pattern among 221 brain features (i.e., differences in surface area, thickness, or cortical and subcortical gray-matter volume between baseline and two-year-follow-up data). Generalized linear mixed-effect models investigated associations between baseline SMA, structural co-development and internalizing and externalizing psychopathology at two-year follow-up. Results. SMA at baseline was related to internalizing psychopathology at year 2 (β=0.020,SE=0.008,P=0.014) and a structural co-development pattern (β=0.015,SE=0.007,P=0.029), where the co-development pattern suggested that rates of change in gray-matter volumes of the brainstem, gray-matter volumes and/or cortical thickness measures of bilateral superior frontal, rostral middle frontal, inferior parietal, and inferior temporal regions were more similar than those in other regions. This component partially mediated the relationship between baseline SMA and future internalizing problems (indirect effect = 0.020, P-value = 0.043, proportion mediated: 2.24%). Discussion and conclusions. Greater youth engagement in SMA at ages 9–10 years statistically predicted higher levels of internalizing two years later. This association was mediated by cortical-brainstem circuitry, albeit with relatively small effect sizes. The findings may help delineate processes contributing to internalizing behaviors and assist in identifying individuals at greater risk for such problems.

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Philosophy in Practice: where we are now, where we could go

Author(s): Patrizia F. Salvaterra / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: philosophical practice; method process; experience; need; communication; recognition;

The first part of this paper is meant to describe the process, and its different steps, that I generally follow during a philoso- phical counselling session, run both with individuals and groups, as developed in the last twelve years of practical experience. A fill rouge reveals itself in the dialogic relationship with most of the counselees, and I have tried to descend this communicative thread highlighting the recurrent questions and matters. “Where we are now” indirectly explores the possibility of a guideline for philosophical practitioners aimed more as a collection of good practices than as a rigid assembly of protocols based on only one, defined method. A sort of book of instruction, a manual with an educational task, addressed to our younger colleagues who are approaching this practice. The second part tries to briefly contextualise my personal experience within the Italian context where I live and work. “Where we are now”, in this sense, describes the actual situation of Philosophical counselling in Italy with the help of some data, bringing out some weak and strong points. The final part, which poses the open question “Where could we go?”, outlines a few possible scenarios where philosophy can play a crucial role while contributing to raise a community awareness about some urgent and global matters, as well as to boost its own level of recognition.

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Transformative Environmental Philosophy in a Learning Organization for children, teachers, and parents

Author(s): Maria Papathanasiou / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: Environmental Philosophy; Philosophy for Parents & Teachers; P4C; Learning Organization;

Children today face a different reality from those a few years ago. Environmental changes are being very transparent because of the rapid transmission of information on one hand and the direct access that most people are entitled to from various sources on the other hand. However, it is vital for the current and future democracy, of citizens of all generations, to be able to filter, distinguish, critically reflect, and further communicate the ethical concerns of human actions especially regarding the environment and our responsibilities to it. Considering the duty of the human community to prepare the younger people and to transform the perceptions of the older ones, philosophical inquiry and reinforcing critical thinking within the school and home through reflective dialogue is suggested through Philosophy for Parents (P4P), for the purpose of bridging a now widely recognized gap in communication and collaboration between parents and teachers, and hence in potential educational efficacy.

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Transformative Philosophy

Author(s): Lydia Amir / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: Transformative Philosophy; religious readings of philosophy’s philosophic ideals; personal philosophic redemption;

The contemporary relevance of unraveling the transformative power of philosophy lies in helping to secure its place in the academe and in enabling personal change for the benefit of the individual and the society in which we live. Yet formulating the transformative power of various philosophies, of different philosophic notions, and of philosophy itself as a rational discipline which addresses the mind leads to laying the ground for a new field. This is what I attempt to do on my own, yet briefly, in this article, and at length, with the help of others, in the Handbook for Transformative Philosophy. In the current article, I explain why only Eastern philosophies are usually considered transformative, I argue that Western philosophy is deeply transformative and I formulate that which performs in it the required transformation of the self. I further identify religious readings of philosophy as one impediment to experiencing philosophy’s transformative power, and I point to the ideal of personal philosophic redemption as a promising avenue for modern transformative philosophies.

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The garden is the new café: Vegetal metaphysics and community philosophy

Author(s): Laszlo Nemes / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: garden philosophy; community gardening; community philosophy; multispecies community; philosophical café; Epicurus, philosophy as a way of life;

In this paper I introduce my new project in philosophical practice and community philosophy called garden philosophy or philosophy in the garden. In many senses, this is very similar to the usual philosophical café, but organized in a community garden, in this case at downtown Budapest. The garden, and especially an urban community garden, as a complex multispecies community, provides not only a good environment for philosophical conversations, but a strong philosophical foundation, a metaphysics of community philosophy practices, a model and a metaphor, based on the interconnectedness of minds. The garden philosophy, a modern version of Epicurus’ philosophical practice, thus connects new insights on the world of plants, the entanglements of various life forms, community philosophy and the long tradition of philosophy as a way of life.

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The Philosophical Consciousness. The Examination of Inner Experiences and Their Practical Affirmation

Author(s): Henrietta Anişoara Şerban / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: self-examination; world examination; philosophical consciousness; “awakening”; philosophy as lucrative benefit;

The only life worth living is the one examined (Plato) and the only one worth examining is the fully lived one (Alphonso Lingis). The philosophical consciousness and its core of lucidity is paramount in the remembrance and return to the genuine inner self, as well as in the constitution of subjectivity. However, philosophical consciousness has its impact in the awareness of the self for socialization and sociality, in the success of relations and activities. Lucidity is vital in awakening, adequating and “training” the spirit for visionary-constructive and lucrative accomplishments, not only for analytic-critical ones. Capitalizing upon the Romanian philosophy, and especially the philosophy of Lucian Blaga (1895-1961), owning the consciousness of his human existence, the human being keeps on awakening (herself). And these awakenings are as well spiritual as lucrative, truly beneficial for the enjoyments of the exercise of thought and lucrative for everyday activities and life.

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Ancient Philosophy in the Present

Author(s): Adina Bezerita / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: ancient philosophy; sciences; humanities; interdisciplinarity; syncretism; theory of everything; Self-knowledge;

The ancient quest to ‘Know Thyself’ (Gnōthi Seauton) involved the mastery of the quadrivium and the trivium-- the precursors to contemporary interdisciplinary investigations in preparation for the revelation of wisdom. This paper points to the classical ‘one-many’ problem with its reception today in the potential form of the ‘theory of everything’ and suggests a philosophical syncretism with modern domains of thought across the sciences and humanities. This work provides a glimpse into prospective multi-dimensional levels of reality and their intersections onto empirically verifiable perspectives. The aim is to inquire into a synoptic challenge that would expand on a kind of knowledge relevant to the individual and the metaphysical Self.

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Askēsis and the seriousness of playing philosophically

Author(s): Anca-cornelia Tiurean / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: philosophical practice; akedia; askēsis; gamification; collaborative critical reflection;

Current research into philosophical practice and consultancy tends to be mostly focused on the professionalization of this activity. A large body of reference literature describes methods of working philosophically with people of various ages and belonging to various contexts. The present article brings a contribution to a less addressed field of philosophical practice: askēsis – where individuals encounter and need to respond to their own resistances, difficulties and obstacles to performing philosophical practices as a way of life. Seeking ways to sustain challenging work with ourselves, this article proposes a method of applying askēsis and the gamification of philosophical practices within groups so as to maximize the chances of transforming potentially every human hardship situation into an opportunity for growth and self-transcendence. As an illustration of this view, the specific tasks, activities and results of a play-based philosophical workshop are presented in detail, as well as the response of the participants to them, including: positive feedback, increase in motivation for participating and enjoyment of the practice despite the difficulties associated with askēsis.

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Human Rights, Racism and Migration: A philosophical approach

Author(s): Dimitris Georgiadis / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: Education; Human Rights; Migration; Racism;

Today, one in every 50 human beings is a migrant worker, a refugee, asylum seeker, or an immigrant living in a ‘foreign’ country. Current estimates by the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration indicate that some 150 million people live temporarily or permanently outside their countries of origin (2.5% of the world’s population). Many of these, 80-97 million, are estimated to be migrant workers and members of their families. Another 12 million are refugees outside their country of origin. These figures do not include the estimated 20 million Internally Displaced Persons forcibly, displaced within their own country, nor tens of millions of internal migrants, mainly rural to urban, in countries around the world. Throughout centuries, philosophers from Kant to Walzer have debated questions of freedom of movement, state coercion and belonging. As Agnes Woolley has argued, these issues are given a new urgency in the context of climate change and the crisis of global capitalism, requiring us to face them with a ‘planetary consciousness’. Increasing ethnic and racial diversity of societies is the inevitable consequence of migration. Increasing migration means that a growing number of States have become or are becoming more multi-ethnic and are confronted with the challenge of accommodating people of different cultures, races, religions, and languages. Addressing the reality of increased diversity means finding political, legal, social, and economic mechanisms to ensure mutual respect and to mediate relations across differences. But xenophobia and racism have become manifest/obvious in some societies which have received substantial numbers of immigrants, as workers or as asylum-seekers. In those countries the migrants have become the targets in internal disputes about national identity. In the last decade, the emergence of new nation states has often been accompanied by ethnic exclusion. Migration in the modern world raises some of the most pressing philosophical questions. Aim of this presentation is to present the relationship between Human Rights, Racism and Migration.

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A sampling of philosophical counseling frameworks, tools, and practices

Author(s): Rick Repetti / Language(s): English / Issue: 8/2023

Keywords: philosophical counseling; philosophical fellowship;

In this paper I first argue for a somewhat paradoxically ‘methodless method’ of philosophical practice that includes as many methods as a practitioner can learn and include in their toolkit, as well as no method. Then I overview over a dozen major things, and some minor ones, that philosophical counselors and other philosophical practitioners might benefit from adding to their philosophical practice toolkits. These include: The DIME framework, 4e Cognitive Science, the 4Ps of knowing, the Gestalt change process model, Philosophical Fellowship (aka Philosophical Companionship), Dialectic to Dialogos, Nelsonian Socratic Dialogue, Self-Determination Theory, the Ikigai Framework, Philosophical Midwifery, the Eightfold Path, the Four Agreements, and Meditation. Where appropriate, I offer what I take to be basic elements of rationale for viewing certain of these items, particularly some that might not appear philosophical from an analytic perspective, as philosophical practice tools as well as an explanation of the basic techniques involved in each tool. In the concluding section, based on already having provided some reasons for thinking otherwise seemingly non-philosophical practices ought to be included in the philosophical counselor’s toolkit, I will add some justify-cation for a broader conception of philosophical counseling that some might think exceeds the legitimate scope of practice for the profession.

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Legitimation Strategies in the CSR Discourse of the Romanian Food Retail Companies During the Pandemic

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Legitimation Strategies in the CSR Discourse of the Romanian Food Retail Companies During the Pandemic

Author(s): Raluca-Ioana Nistor / Language(s): English / Issue: 46/2023

Keywords: Legitimation strategies; Corporate social responsibility; Pandemic context; Press releases; Food retail companies; Romania;

The COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 in Romania determined companies to adapt their communication. Through a quantitative content analysis, this work presents the topics that were covered in CSR communication by three food retail companies in Romania and the legitimation strategies that were used in the CSR discourse from their pandemic press releases. The research focuses on 21 press releases from Kaufland Romania, Lidl Romania and Carrefour Romania food retailers’ websites, issued between March 2020 and May 2020. The results show that the most frequent communication topics of the three organizations was that of actions for health institutions and patients. Likewise, it also shows that rationalization legitimation was the most used strategy by Lidl and Kaufland, the companies presenting the means by which they carried out CSR actions and the effects of these actions. Moral legitimation was the most used strategy by Carrefour, the company assigning evaluative attributes to the pandemic period or to the affected people.

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The Fake News Phenomenon in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Perception of Romanian Students

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The Fake News Phenomenon in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Perception of Romanian Students

Author(s): Narcis Crucian / Language(s): English / Issue: 46/2023

Keywords: Fake news; Disinformation; Social media; Fact-checking; Young students;

This article examines the impact of the fake news phenomenon in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. More precisely, it shows what negative effects they can have on a society, how the evolution of new technologies has simplified the dissemination of fake news, what measures the European Union has adopted against them, and how important media literacy is in the context of increasing audience resilience. Specialized literature suggests that rural residents, young people, the elderly, people with disabilities, and the less educated are the public types most vulnerable to disinformation. With this in mind, the author chose young students as his study group to investigate whether they are indeed vulnerable to disinformation or not. Moreover, the author chose two different categories of students to investigate whether the following profile (real or human) influences their perception of the fake news phenomenon. The basis of this study was an interview guide that was applied to a number of 16students (8 real profile students and 8 human profile students). The results of this study showed that young students know the motivations behind the spread of fake news and disinformation, they know that social media have amplified the spread of these two phenomena during the pandemic, and they are aware of the negative effects they have produced at the level of society as well as individually. Also, young students do not know the concept of „side reading”, the vast majority check information only after reading it, but use other techniques to check information.

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Exploring the Congruence Level of Music and Product Category. A Content Analysis on Global Musical Ads

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Exploring the Congruence Level of Music and Product Category. A Content Analysis on Global Musical Ads

Author(s): Maria Mustățea,Adriana-Teodora Igrișan / Language(s): English / Issue: 46/2023

Keywords: Music; Congruency; Advertising; Content analysis; Co-occurrence analysis;

The race to capture consumers’ attention has rapidly increased in the past years. Besides the importance of the channels, the elements composing an ad are as crucial as ever in promoting compelling messages relevant to the target group. Music is one of the mechanisms through which the interest of consumers can be aroused while enhancing the advertising message and giving it more nuance. There have been several attempts to understand advertising music better, but most of the works focus on individual dimensions. There is a need to understand advertising music choices more coherently and complexly. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive instrument of several items that help understand musical congruency within an ad. The paper provides a content analysis of 95 global musical ads for 2019–2022. The primary product/ service categories are reviewed, and the dimensions used in the analysis present the essential aspects of musical congruency, underlining the importance of original music composed for the ads, the capacity to adapt to various music sources, and giving additional importance to elements such as pitch, dynamics, and tempo. The paper offers a bigger picture of the musical landscape in advertising and interweaves music knowledge and elements with advertising purposes.

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Structural brain differences related to compulsive sexual behavior disorder

Author(s): Per Görts,Josephine Savard,Katarina Görts Öberg,Cecilia Dhejne,Stefan Arver,Jussi Jokinen,Martin Ingvar,Christoph Abé / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: compulsive sexual behavior; hypersexual disorder; neuroimaging; surface area; reward; brain structure

Background and aims. Compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) has been included as an impulse control disorder in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying CSBD remain largely unknown, and given previous indications of addiction-like mechanisms at play, the aim of the present study was to investigate if CSBD is associated with structural brain differences in regions involved in reward processing. Methods. We analyzed structural MRI data of 22 male CSBD patients (mean = 38.7 years, SD = 11.7) and 20 matched healthy controls (HC; mean = 37.6 years, SD = 8.5). Main outcome measures were regional cortical thickness and surface area. We also tested for case-control differences in subcortical structures and the effects of demographic and clinical variables, such as CSBD symptom severity, on neuroimaging outcomes. Moreover, we explored case-control differences in regions outside our hypothesis including white matter. Results. CSBD patients had significantly lower cortical surface area in right posterior cingulate cortex than HC. We found negative correlations between right posterior cingulate area and CSBD symptoms scores. There were no group differences in subcortical volume. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that CSBD is associated with structural brain differences, which contributes to a better understanding of CSBD and encourages further clarifications of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the disorder.

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Longitudinal associations between maladaptive daydreaming and psychological distress during the COVID-19 health crisis

Author(s): Alessandro Musetti,Nirit Soffer-Dudek,Chiara Imperato,Adriano Schimmenti,Christian Franceschini / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: maladaptive daydreaming; psychological distress; stress; anxiety; depression; COVID-19

Background and aims. Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) is a suggested syndrome where individuals become addicted to fantasizing vividly for hours on end at the expense of engaging in real-world relationships and functioning. MD can be seen as a behavioral addiction. However, a paucity of longitudinal research means that there is no empirical evidence confirming the stability of this alleged addiction. Moreover, the direction of its association with psychopathology is unclear. Methods. We examine, for the first time, long-term stability and longitudinal associations between MD, psychological distress (stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms) and COVID-19 related exposure. Results. Participants (N = 814) completed an online survey twice, with a lag of 13 months. A two-wave structural equation model demonstrated high MD stability and positive cross-lagged pathways from MD to psychological distress. COVID-19 related exposure was not a longitudinal predictor. Discussion and conclusions. MD is a stable condition and a risk factor for an increase in psychological distress.

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Associations of binge gaming (5 or more consecutive hours played) with gaming disorder and mental health in young men

Author(s): Simon Marmet,Mathias Wicki,Marc Dupuis,Stéphanie Baggio,Magali Dufour,Catherine Gatineau,Gerhard Gmel,Joseph Studer / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: Gaming; Binge gaming; Gaming disorder; mental health; Switzerland

Background. Video gaming is a popular activity among young people. Time spent with gaming was found to be only moderately associated with gaming disorder. However, patterns of binge gaming (playing more than 5 h consecutively) were rarely considered in research on gaming. This study explores how binge gaming frequency is related with gaming disorder and mental health. Methods. The sample came from the Cohort study on substance use risk factors (C-SURF) and comprised 5,358 young men aged 28.26 years (SD = 1.27). ANCOVA was conducted to estimate the association between binge gaming frequency (gaming at least 5 h consecutively) and gaming disorder (measured with the Game Addiction Scale) as well as indicators of mental health. Results. A total of 33.3% of the sample engaged in binge gaming at least once in the previous year, and 6.1% at least weekly. Frequency of binge gaming was associated with gaming disorder score in a linear dose-response relationship (linear trend = 2.30 [2.14, 2.46]) even if adjusted for time spent gaming (linear trend = 1.24 [1.03, 1.45). More frequent binge gaming was associated with lower life satisfaction and sleep quality, and with more major depression and social anxiety disorder symptoms. Conclusions. Binge gaming patterns, especially daily or almost daily binge gaming, are important to consider with regard to gaming disorder and mental health. Asking about binge gaming may be a promising screening question for gaming related problems. Encouraging regular breaks from gaming may be a valuable prevention strategy to reduce negative outcomes of gaming.

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