Gaming-related harms and help-seeking experiences across problem gaming risk groups: A cluster profile analysis

Background and Aims Gaming disorder (GD) has an emerging evidence base on its etiology, risk factors, and treatment. Less is known about how problem gamers differ in terms of gaming-related harm and help-seeking. This study aimed to identify adult gamer profiles based on GD symptoms and correlates, and examine profile differences in psychosocial risk factors, gaming-related harms and help-seeking. Methods Adult gamers aged 18 to 30 ( N = 1,036; mean age = 25.7 years, SD = 3.1; 33% female) who reported playing >13 h/week recruited via Prolific. Participants completed the Red Box, Green Box, Internet Gaming Disorder Test-10, Short UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–16, Patient Health Questionnaire–9, Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, as well as questions on domains of gaming-related harms and help-seeking history and intentions. Cluster profiles were derived using k -means clustering on GD symptoms and correlates. Hierarchical clustering corroborated the number of clusters. Results A total of 4.9% reported past help-seeking for problem gaming. Cluster analysis identified four distinct profiles: ‘impulsive-dysregulated’ gamers, ‘emotionally vulnerable’ gamers, ‘impulsive’ gamers, and ‘regulated’ gamers. The ‘impulsive-dysregulated’ profile reported significantly more GD symptoms, harms, and emotion-regulation difficulties than the other profiles. This profile reported lower help-seeking for gaming and the lowest future intention to seek any support, compared to other profiles. Conclusions Gamers of varying clinical characteristics reported low rates of treatment-seeking. These results support calls for improving help pathways and resources, including more accessible GD interventions tailored to address emotion regulation and impulse control deficits.