Problematic Online Gaming and Gambling Among First-Year University Students: Identification of Profiles and Psychological Vulnerabilities

Problematic engagement in online gaming and gambling has been linked to a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral risk factors, yet the mechanisms underlying the severity of these behaviors remain underexplored within high-risk populations such as first-year university students. This study aimed to identify variables associated with internet gaming disorder (IGD) and online gambling disorder (OGD), and to examine potential mediating mechanisms influencing the severity of these addictive behaviors through path analysis. A total of 273 first-year undergraduate students participated in the study. IGD and OGD measures, cognitive distortions, impulsivity, emotion regulation, risk of social media and internet use and psychological distress were analyzed. 32.6% (95% confidence interval CI: 27.0% to 38.2%) reported problematic gaming use and 1.8% (95%CI: 0.2% to 3.4%) met criteria for IGD. Problematic OGD was identified in 7.0% (95%CI: 3.9% to 10.0%) participants, and 2.2% (95%CI: 0.5% to 3.9%) met criteria for OGD. Path analysis showed that: (a) IGD severity was primarily associated with male gender, higher use of social media and the internet, cognitive biases, and difficulties in emotion regulation; (b) OGD severity was mainly associated with male gender and gambling-related cognitive biases; and (c) the relationships of the students’ gender and age with IGD and OGD severity were mediated by cognitive biases, impulsivity, emotion dysregulation, and use of social media and the internet. Cognitive processes, emotional mechanisms, male gender and frequent social media use constitute key targets for early detection and preventive interventions among first-year university students.