KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) Journal of Adolescent and Youth Psychological Studies (JAYPS) 2981-2526 6 Serial Number 38 2025 10 10 Exploring the Psychological Indicators of Online Gaming Dependency in Teenagers Exploring the Psychological Indicators of Online Gaming Dependency in Teenagers 1 12 10.61838/kman.jayps.4642 EN Journal Article 2025 06 15 <table> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><strong>Objective:</strong> This study aimed to explore the psychological indicators underlying online gaming dependency among teenagers, focusing on emotional regulation, cognitive distortions, social belonging, and behavioral control mechanisms.</p> <p><strong>Methods and Materials: </strong>A qualitative exploratory design was employed to examine the lived experiences of adolescents exhibiting signs of online gaming dependency. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 19 teenagers aged 14–18 years from various regions of Greece. Participants were selected using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Each interview lasted between 45 and 70 minutes, addressing topics such as emotional motivations, gaming habits, and social relationships. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software. Coding followed Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework, ensuring rigor through member checking, peer debriefing, and audit trail documentation to enhance trustworthiness and confirmability of the findings.</p> <p><strong>Findings: </strong>Thematic analysis yielded four main categories: (1) emotional regulation through gaming, where adolescents used gaming as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, and emotional discomfort; (2) cognitive distortions and reward mechanisms, highlighting the influence of illusion of mastery, instant gratification, and reinforcement loops on dependency; (3) social dynamics and virtual belonging, revealing that online relationships provided validation and identity formation but often replaced real-world connections; and (4) loss of control and behavioral dependence, characterized by compulsive play, neglect of daily tasks, withdrawal symptoms, and tolerance development. Together, these themes depict online gaming as an emotionally and cognitively reinforcing behavior that fulfills psychological and social needs while fostering dependency.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Online gaming dependency among adolescents emerges from a complex interplay of emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral factors. Effective prevention requires integrating emotional regulation training, digital literacy education, and family-based interventions to promote healthy engagement with technology.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> https://journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/jayps/article/download/4642/8517