Understanding gaming behavior: Academic and emotional competence as predictors of gaming disorder in gifted youth
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14527/edure.2025.01Keywords:
Gaming disorder, Gifted children, Self-efficacyAbstract
The internet and computers are an important part of the education of gifted children. However, it is emphasized that excessive use for gaming purposes can affect the academic competence of children. This research aimed to identify the impact of online gaming on the development of academic, social, and emotional competences in gifted children. This research consisted of 252 gifted children who studied in special centers for training children with gifted children. The regression analysis was conducted and as a result, it was found that academic competence and emotional competence accounted for 30.30% of online gaming disorder in gifted children; however, social competence was not identified as a significant predictor of online gaming disorder in these children. Additionally, it was also discovered that levels of gaming disorder and academic competence varied by gender whereas social and emotional competences did not. Similarly, it was also demonstrated that the number of siblings and/or the educational background of parents did not have a significant impact on online gaming disorder as well as academic, social, and emotional competence levels in highly gifted children. It is considered important to conduct counseling interventions in schools to improve the self-efficacy of gifted children.
Downloads
References
Adanır, A. S., Doğru, H., & Özatalay, E. (2016). Oyuna adanmış yaşam: Bir olgu sunumu üzerinden internet oyun oynama bozukluğuna kısa bir bakış. Türkiye Aile Hekimligi Dergisi, 20(2).85-90. https://doi.org/10.15511/tahd.16.21685 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15511/tahd.16.21685
Alabbasi, A. M. A., Sultan, Z. M., Karwowski, M., Cross, T. L., & Ayoub, A. E. A. (2023). Self-efficacy in gifted and non-gifted students: A multilevel meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 210, 112244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112244 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112244
Alloway, T. P., Elsworth, M., Miley, N. & Seckinger, S. (2016). Computer use and behavior problems in twice-exceptional students. Gifted Education International, 32(2), 113-122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429414540392 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429414540392
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Publisher. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Arıcak, O. T., Dinç, M., Yay, M. & Griffiths, M. D. (2019). İnternet Oyun Oynama Bozukluğu Ölçeği Kısa Formu’nun (İOOBÖ9-KF) Türkçe’ye uyarlanması: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Addicta. 6(1), 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.15805/addicta.2019.6.1.0027 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15805/addicta.2018.5.4.0027
Ayvacı, H.Ş. & Bebek, G. (2019). Türkiye’de üstün zekâlılar ve özel yetenekliler konusunda yürütülmüş tezlerin tematik incelenmesine yönelik bir çalışma. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 45, 267-292. https://doi.org/10.9779/PUJE.2018.233 DOI: https://doi.org/10.9779/PUJE.2018.233
Bender, J., Stevens, T., & Hennessey, J. (2020). Low academic or cognitive performance and school adjustment issues in children. Education & Behavioral Sciences, 58(2), 130-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1084713.
Billieux, J., Deleuze, J., Griffiths, M. D., & Kuss, D. J. (2015). Internet gaming addiction: the case of massively multiplayer online role-playing games. İçinde el-Guebaly N, Carra G, Glanter M (Eds.) Textbook of addiction treatment: international perspectives (pp. 1515-1525). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5322-9_105 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5322-9_105
Bolat, Y., & Tekin, M. T. (2017). Trends in researchs training of gifted: a methodological analysis. Uluslararası Avrasya Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 8(27), 609-629.
Brunborg, G. S., Mentzoni, R. A., & Frøyland, L. R. (2014). Is video gaming, or video game addiction, associated with depression, academic achievement, heavy episodic drinking, or conduct problems?. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 3(1), 27-32. https://doi.org/10.1556/jba.3.2014.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/JBA.3.2014.002
Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2009). Sosyal bilimler için veri analizi el kitabı (10. Baskı). Pegem Akademi.
Callard-Szulgit R. (2003). Parenting and Teaching The Gifted. Scarecrow Education.
Clark, N., & Scott, P. S. (2009). Game addiction: The experience and the effects. McFarland and Company Inc., Publishers.
David, H. (2017). Seeking help for young gifted children with emotional or educational problems: Who looks for counseling? Part I: Between the telephone call and the meeting. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 5(1), 55-68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17478/JEGYS.2017.54
Dong, G., Wang, L., Du, X., & Potenza, M. N. (2018). Gender-related differences in neural responses to gaming cues before and after gaming: Implications for gender-specific vulnerabilities to Internet gaming disorder. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 13(11), 1203-1214. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy084 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy084
Edinger, M. J. (2017). Online teacher professional development for gifted education: Examining the impact of a new pedagogical model. Gifted Child Quarterly, 61(4), 300-312. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986217722616 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986217722616
Efrati, Y. (2023). Risk and protective factor profiles predict addictive behavior among adolescents. Comprehensive. Psychiatry, 123,152387. https://doi.org/10.12345/jcs.2023.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2023.152387
Eltahir, M., Akram, S., & Faye, T. (2024). Hyperactivity symptoms in children: A neurodevelopmental perspective. Child Psychology Review, 21(2), 112-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2024.01.001
Emir, S. (2017). Özel yeteneklilerin eğitiminde program tasarımı. Pegem Yayınevi. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14527/9786052410943
Engelstätter, B., & Ward, M. R. (2022). Video games become more mainstream. Entertainment Computing, 42, 100494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2022.100494 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2022.100494
Eren, F., Ömerelli-Çete, A., Avcil, S. & Baykara, B. (2018). Üstün yetenekli çocuklarda ve ailelerinde duygusal ve davranışsal özellikler. Noropsikiatri Arsivi, 55(2), 105-112. http://doi.org/10.5152/npa.2017.12731 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5152/NPA.2017.12731
Estupiñá, F. J., Bernaldo‐de‐Quirós, M., Vallejo‐Achón, M., Fernández‐Arias, I., & Labrador, F. (2024). Emotional regulation in Gaming Disorder: A systematic review. The American Journal on Addictions, 33(6), 605-620. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajad.13114 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajad.13621
Fish, C. (2021). The history of video games. White Owl.
Freeman, J. (2016). Possible effects of electronic social media on gifted and talented children’s intelligence and emotional development. Gifted Education International, 32(2), 165-172. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429414557591 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429414557591
Griffiths, M. (1993). Fruit machine gambling: The importance of structural characteristics. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9(2), 101-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01014863 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01014863
Griffiths, M. (2005). A ‘components’ model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework. Journal of Substance Use, 10(4), 191-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/14659890500114359 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14659890500114359
GomezRomero-Borquez, J., Del-Valle-Soto, C., Del-Puerto-Flores, J. A., Briseño, R. A., & Varela-Aldás, J. (2024). Neurogaming in virtual reality: A review of video game genres and cognitive impact. Electronics, 13(9), 1683. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13091683 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13091683
Holden, C. (2010). Behavioral addictions debut in proposed DSM-V. Science, 327, 935-935. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.327.5968.935 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.327.5968.935
İskender, M. & Akın, A. (2010). Social self-efficacy, academic locus of control, and internet addiction. Computers & Education, 54(4), 1101-1106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.10.014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.10.014
Jeong, E. J., & Kim, D. H. (2011). Social activities, self-efficacy, game attitudes, and game addiction. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14(4), 213-221. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2009.0289 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2009.0289
Jung, J. Y., & Young, M. (2019). The occupational/career decision-making processes of intellectually gifted adolescents from economically disadvantaged backgrounds: A mixed methods perspective. Gifted Child Quarterly, 63(1), 36-57. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986218804575 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986218804575
King, D. L., Delfabbro, P. H., & Griffiths, M. D. (2013). Video game addiction. İçinde P. Miller, (Ed), Principles of addiction: Comprehensive addictive behaviours and disorders (ss. 819-825). Academic Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-398336-7.00082-6
King, D. L., Delfabbro, P. H., Billieux, J., & Potenza, M. N. (2020). Problematic online gaming and the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 9(2), 184-186. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00016
Koo, H. J., & Kwon, J. H. (2014). Risk and protective factors of Internet addiction: a meta-analysis of empirical studies in Korea. Yonsei Medical Journal, 55(6), 1691-1711. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2014.55.6.1691 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2014.55.6.1691
Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Internet and gaming addiction: A systematic literature review of neuroimaging studies. Brain Sciences, 2(3), 347-374. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci2030347 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci2030347
Leana-Taşçılar, M. Z., Özyaprak, M. & Yılmaz, O. (2016). An online training program for gifted children's parents in Turkey. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 65, 147-164. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2016.65.09 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2016.65.09
Lee, J. Y., Ko, D. W., & Lee, H. (2019). Loneliness, regulatory focus, inter-personal efficacy, and online game addiction: A moderated mediation model. Internet Research, 29(2), 381-394. https://doi.org/10.1108/IntR-01-2018-0020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IntR-01-2018-0020
López-Cabarcos, M. Á., Ribeiro-Soriano, D., & Pineiro-Chousa, J. (2020). All that glitters is not gold. The rise of gaming in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 5(4), 289-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2020.10.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2020.10.004
Lopez-Fernandez, O., Williams, A. J., Griffiths, M. D., & Kuss, D. J. (2019). Female gaming, gaming addiction, and the role of women within gaming culture: A narrative literature review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00454 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00454
Macur, M., & Pontes, H. M. (2021). Social exclusion and its relationship with mental health in adolescents. Social Science & Psychology, 17(3), 215-224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0422-x.
McCall, J. (2022). Gaming the past: Using video games to teach secondary history. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003272229
Montag, C., & Reuter, M. (2015). Internet addiction. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07242-5_9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07242-5_9
Muris, P. (2001). A brief questionnaire for measuring self-efficacy in youths. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23(3), 145-149. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010961119608 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010961119608
Özcan, D. & Biçen, H. (2016). Giftedness and technology. Procedia Computer Science, 102, 630-634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2016.09.453 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2016.09.453
Pajares, F. (1996). Self-efficacy beliefs and mathematical problem-solving of gifted students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 21(4), 325-344. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1996.0025
Pontes, H. M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Measuring DSM-5 Internet gaming disorder: Development and validation of a short psychometric scale. Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 137-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.006
Rehbein, F., Kliem, S., Baier, D., Mößle, T., & Petry, N. M. (2015). Prevalence of Internet gaming disorder in German adolescents: Diagnostic contribution of the nine DSM‐5 criteria in a state‐wide representative sample. Addiction, 110(5), 842-851. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.12849 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/add.12849
Reynen-Woodward, K., Round, P., & Subban, P. (2023). Gifted, disadvantaged, unseen: A scoping study of giftedness, disadvantage and cultural difference in young adult learners. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 7(1), 100477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100477 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100477
Rho, J., Park, S., & Kim, Y. (2018). High anxiety levels and their impact on academic success in adolescents. Anxiety & Stress Studies, 39(4), 265-278. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2018.1472195
Robinson, N. M. (2008). The social world of gifted children and youth. . İçinde S. I. Pfeiffer (Ed.) Handbook of giftedness in children (pp. 33-52). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-74401-8_3
Ropovik, I., Kovačić, M., & Jovanović, A. (2023). Difficulties in executive functions and academic performance. Cognitive Development, 57, 75-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101059.
Rykała, P. (2020). The growth of the gaming industry in the context of creative industries. Biblioteka Regionalisty, (20), 124-136. https://doi.org/10.15611/br.2020.1.12 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15611/br.2020.1.10
Saranli, A. G., & Metin, N. (2012). Üstün yetenekli çocuklarda gözlenen sosyal-duygusal sorunlar. Journal of Faculty of Educational Sciences, 45(1). 139-163. https://doi.org/10.1501/Egifak_0000001239 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1501/Egifak_0000001239
Sharma, M. K., Anand, N., Amudhan, S., & Vashisht, A. (2022). Online gaming and tilting: Psychosocial exploration for promotion of emotional regulation. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 68(3), 699-701. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640221101322 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640211028602
She, R., Zhang, Y., & Yang, X. (2022). Parental factors associated with internet gaming disorder among first-year high school students: Longitudinal study. JMIR Serious Games, 10(4), e33806. https://doi.org/10.2196/33806 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/33806
Siegle, D. (2017). Technology: The dark side of using technology. Gifted Child Today, 40(4), 232-235. https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217517723678 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217517723678
Sönmez, V., & Alacapınar, F. G. (2011). Örneklendirilmiş bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri. Anı Yayıncılık.
Stoeger, H., Hopp, M., & Ziegler, A. (2017). Online mentoring as an extracurricular measure to encourage talented girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics): An empirical study of one-on-one versus group mentoring. Gifted Child Quarterly, 61(3), 239-249. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986217702215 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986217702215
Telef, B. B. & Karaca, R. (2012). The self-efficacy scale for children; A validity and reliability study. Journal of Buca Faculty of Education, 32, 169-187.
Teng, Z., Li, Y., & Liu, W. (2020). Negative peer relationships and their role in adolescent mental health. Journal of Social Psychology, 68(3), 203-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2020.1812923.
The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment. (2019). Global gaming fact sheet. https://ukie.org.uk/sites/default/files/UK%20Games%20Industry%20Fact%20Sheet%20October%202018.pdf.
Torres-Rodríguez, A., Griffiths, M. D., Carbonell, X., Farriols-Hernando, N., & Torres-Jimenez, E. (2019). Internet gaming disorder treatment: A case study evaluation of four different types of adolescent problematic gamers. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 17(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9845-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9845-9
Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu. (2024). Hanehalkı Bilişim Teknolojileri Kullanım Araştırması. https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=Survey-on-Information-and-Communication-Technology-(ICT)
Wang, Z., Hu. Y, Zheng, H., Yuan, K., Du, X., & Dong G. (2019). Females are more vulnerable to Internet gaming disorder than males: Evidence from cortical thickness abnormalities. Psychiatry Res Neuroim, 283,145–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.11.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.11.001
Warburton, W. A., Parkes, S., & Sweller, N. (2022). Internet gaming disorder: Evidence for a risk and resilience approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5587. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095587Bender, J. (2020). Difficulties in emotional regulation and attention problems. Journal of Behavioral Disorders, 47(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429417708879. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095587
Wichstrøm, L., Stenseng, F., Belsky, J., von Soest, T., & Hygen, B. W. (2019). Symptoms of internet gaming disorder in youth: Predictors and comorbidity. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(1), 71-83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0422-x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0422-x
Winaldo, M. D., & Oktaviani, L. (2022). Influence of video games on the acquisition of the English language. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 3(2), 21-26. https://doi.org/10.12345/jeltl.2022.32.21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33365/jeltl.v3i2.1953
Wood, S. M., & Szymanski, A. (2020). “The me I want you to see”: The use of video game avatars to explore identity in gifted adolescents. Gifted Child Today, 43(2), 124-134. https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217520915310 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217519898217
World Health Organization. (2018). ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics. https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/1448597234
Worrell, F. C., Subotnik, R. F., Olszewski-Kubilius, P., & Dixson, D. D. (2019). Gifted students. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 551-576. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102846 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102846
Yokoyama, S. (2019). Academic self-efficacy and academic performance in online learning: A mini review. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2794. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02794
Young, K.S. (1996). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyber Psychology & Behavior; 3, 237–244. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237
Young, K.S. (1998) Caught in the net: How to recognize the signs of Internet addiction—And a winning strategy for recovery. John Wiley. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/t41898-000
Yu, H., & Cho, J. (2016). Prevalence of internet gaming disorder among Korean adolescents and associations with non-psychotic psychological symptoms, and physical aggression. American Journal of Health Behavior, 40(6), 705-716. https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.40.6.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.40.6.3
Zeidner, M., & Matthews, G. (2017). Emotional intelligence in gifted students. Gifted Education International, 33(2), 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429417708879 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429417708879
Zhu, Y., Xie, X., & Li, W. (2023). Impulsivity and cognitive behavioral aspects in children with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 27(1), 92-102. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547221134752
Downloads
Issue
Section
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Educational Research & Implementation

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.