Sleep disturbances partly mediate the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in adult video game players.

Abstract

Background: Playing video games is a popular leisure activity, but if prolonged it can increase the risk of sleep and mood disturbances. Individuals with an evening chronotype show a greater tendency to be engrossed in video games.

Participants and procedure: This study tested whether sleep disturbances would mediate the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in adult video game players. Participants were 1208 adults (86.7% men, mean age 27.4 ± 8.07 years) who regularly play video games. Chronotype was assessed with the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbance was evaluated with the Athens Insomnia Scale.

Results: We found that adults who play video games and show an evening chronotype preference spent more time playing than those with a more intermediate or morning preference. An evening chronotype was linked to a higher level of depressive symptoms, and our bootstrap mediation analysis revealed that sleep disturbances partly mediated this association (β = -.15, SE = .02, 95% CI [-.19; -.11]).

Conclusions: Our study suggests that an evening chronotype should be considered when exploring psychological risk factors contributing to the development of problematic gaming. In adults who play video games and display a tendency towards eveningness, higher rates of depressive symptoms may be partly explained by inadequate sleep.