The Hidden Toll: Physical Health Complications and Elevated Anxiety in Adolescents With Gaming Disorders

Abstract

Background: Studies have not yet examined whether the association between gaming disorder and depression/anxiety can be partially explained by physical health. This study decomposed the contribution of physical health and other factors to the gaming–depression/anxiety relationship. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 4,789 Mongolian adolescents (grades 7–12) from urban and rural schools. Data were collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 for anxiety, and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form for gaming disorder. Physical health was assessed on the basis of the presence of diseases. The concentration index (CI) and decomposition analysis were applied to quantify the contributions of variables to mental health disparities linked to gaming disorder. Results: Gaming disorder was disproportionately associated with higher levels of depression (CI = 0.15) and anxiety (CI = 0.16), with physical health contributing 6.88% to the depression inequality and 5.57% to the anxiety inequality. Male adolescents were less likely to experience depression than female adolescents were, and demographic factors contributed −19.93% to the depression inequality (p < 0.001). Socioeconomic factors played a minimal role in the depression inequality (1.25%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Physical health plays a notable role in the relationships of gaming with depression and anxiety. Demographic factors contribute the most to this association, and parental factors play a moderate role.